30-Year Reflections: Mike Barsotti

As we celebrate 30 years of building community, we asked our team to reflect on their own growth from 1994 to today. In 1994, Mike Barsotti was working as a CFO. How did he find himself at Kranz 30 years later? Read the full interview below to get an inside look at his story.

Reflect on where you were 30 years ago and what your expectations/aspirations were for yourself in your career at that time. What would you tell that person now, 25 years later?

To be a CFO that contributes to growing companies. I have enjoyed being a CFO and encourage people to follow a career where you enjoy the work.

Compare your career progression over the past 30 years to where you thought you would be in terms of your role, position and achievements. How does your current career trajectory align or differentiate from your initial expectations?

My career trajectory has been as I had expected.

Fax machines, pagers, and dial-up internet! What was your biggest work tech headache 30 years ago?

Fax machines.

What was your dream office perk in 1994? Free coffee? Casual Fridays?

Working in the client’s office and interfacing with the client.

Did your job require wearing a suit and tie every day in 1994? Share your most memorable (or outrageous!) work outfit from the 90s!

No suit and tie, but casual business attire was appropriate in Silicon Valley.

In 1994, how did you collaborate with colleagues? Did you miss out on the ease of video conferencing we have today?

Either in person or by telephone.

What office supply did you hoard the most back in the 90s? Highlighters? Sticky notes? Share your most embarrassing office supply hoarding confession!

Large paper clips.

What was your biggest work disaster 30 years ago? Did a printer meltdown ruin a presentation? Share your (hopefully) funny work mishaps.

Laptop crashing and losing files.

What skill did you use the most at work in 1994, and how has that skill evolved or been replaced by technology today?

Excel spreadsheets.

Looking back, what surprised you the most about how work has changed in the past 30 years?

The dependence on email and video conferencing vs. live discussions.