I Built Everything From ZERO | My Journey to CFO || ft. Mirza Faisal Baig, FCA

In this episode, I sit down with Faisal Baig, FCA, a finance professional who built his career from the ground up and went on to become Head of Finance at The Indus Hospital and a CFO at LIMS. His journey is not just about becoming a Chartered Accountant or reaching a senior position. It is about starting without strong financial support, facing the realities of building a career from scratch, and gradually turning years of hard work and experience into leadership. In this conversation, we talk about the journey from CA articleship to senior finance leadership, the transition from practice to industry, and what actually changes when you move from being a finance professional to managing an entire finance function. We also discuss what it really takes to become a Head of Finance or CFO, including leadership, communication, decision-making, managing people, dealing with senior management, and understanding business beyond just numbers. We also dive into healthcare finance, his experience at The Indus Hospital, the difference between hospital and corporate finance, and how finance professionals can prepare themselves for senior roles. And of course, we talk about AI, Excel, Power BI, career growth, common mistakes made by young CAs, and the skills students should start developing today. In this episode: His journey from a challenging starting point to senior finance leadership How he built his career from scratch His CA articleship experience Practice vs industry How he progressed from Manager to Regional Manager Becoming Head of Finance Head of Finance vs CFO Healthcare finance vs corporate finance Managing finance teams and people Dealing with senior management Technical skills vs leadership skills Excel, Power BI & AI in finance Career mistakes young CAs make How to build a career without strong connections or financial support Advice for CA/ACCA students Lessons from years of professional experience If you’re a CA, ACCA, finance student, young professional, or someone trying to build a career from scratch, this conversation is for you. Watch till the end for his advice to students who are starting their careers with ZERO. #CA #CFO #CharteredAccountant #CAStudents #capakistan #icap