News And Press
Journal of Accountancy
Capital Infusion: Private Equity Eyes Accounting Firms Large and Small
February 2023, by Andrew Kenney
Interview with the Journal of Accountancy about private equity investors buying into accounting firms and CFO firms. Paula Waggoner-Aguilar co-owns and leads The Energy CFO and its healthcare subsidiary, The Healthcare CFO, in Texas. She is one of approximately 30% of CFOs who also have CPA credentials. Her cfo services business has been approached four times in the last year about selling. While Paula has no interest in selling out, she is watching this trend as these deals will fundamentally change the way firms will operate and significantly impact the profession going forward. Outside “investors have eyed the accounting world for years because they see accounting as an ideal market for growth”.
Oilwoman (US Energy Media)
How CFO Services Can Be A Tool For Supplier Relationships
January 13, 2023, by Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
CFO Services can be a tool for supplier relationship management and help improve your supplier’s performance. Your suppliers will also benefit from a Fractional CFO's experience and help with improving their operational finance processes, cash management practices, financial planning, and cash forecasting. All of which are essential to running a profitable and competitive business, and something you want for your suppliers and service contractors… a rising tide lifts all boats.
Oilwoman
Voices of Experience
January 7, 2021, by Rebecca Ponton
"Female mentors traditionally have been in short supply in male dominated industries like oil and gas, but as the number of women in the industry increases, so does the number of women who can offer insight and guidance". Rebecca Ponton, editor of OILWOMAN magazine (yes, Cool!), interviews six oil and gas C-Suite executives from TerraFina Energy, Equinor, Chevron, The Energy CFO, and Athena Oilfield Services for their thoughts on mentoring best practices. These savvy women have a lot to say and bring a wealth of experience - CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CIOs. Three of these women are also business owners (operator and two service companies).
NAPE Houston DealMakers Magazine
Mentoring Words of Wisdom from the C-Suite - Women Dealmakers
July 13, 2020, by Rebecca Ponton
The annual NAPE Houston North American Prospect Expo is the place where oil and gas deals happen. Rebecca Ponton interviews six C-Suite dealmakers from TerraFina Energy, Equinor, Chevron, The Energy CFO, and Athena Oilfield Services for their thoughts "What's the Best Mentor Advice You Ever Received?" While the responses vary, start by saying "YES" to opportunities - even if you do not feel qualified. Trust the judgement of those who believe in you. Work hard and remember "...success is going from one failure to another without any loss in enthusiasm. Business is a 24/7 sport and you won't win every match." While you are ahead be sure to save your money, and diversify your business. This will help you navigate and survive the cyclical industry curveballs.
PR Newswire and the San Antonio Express-News
Six Women Business Owners Recognized For Their Achievements In San Antonio, TX
arch 1, 2019, by Madalyn Mendoza
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO-SA) selected six of more than 53,000 women business owners in San Antonio for their annual awards. Each of the honorees underwent a "rigorous" nomination and interview process, according to a news release. Deborah Bauer, who founded Drake Commercial Group, is the Lifetime Achievement Award winner for earning local and national acclaim in real estate. Dawn Lafreeda, Denny's franchisee of 81 locations, WaterFleet Co-founder Allison C. Pyle, The Energy CFO's Paula Waggoner-Aguilar, and RVK Architects' Judith K. Zimmerman will all be recognized as Women Business Owners of the Year on March 28, 2019.
San Antonio Business Journal
An Eagle Ford Survival Guide
March 25, 2016, by Sergio Chapa
Energy reporter Sergio Chapa hunts down the Eagle Ford's "creative and clever experts who persevere using financial and structural tactics to stay alive" amid prolonged low oil prices. Consultants like Paula Waggoner-Aguilar with The Energy CFO, which specializes in improving efficiency and financial operations, are also finding new work in the low price environment. The Energy CFO offers her five survival tips for helping give Eagle Ford companies a fighting chance.
San Antonio Business Journal
Professionals Offer Advice For Weathering the Oil and Gas Storm
March 25, 2016, by Sergio Chapa
With more than 20 years of experience in the energy sector, Paula Waggoner-Aguilar started her own company The Energy CFO in April 2013, providing outsourced chief financial officer services. She has helped companies navigate challenging environments including recessions, downturns, and working in hyper-inflation countries. Paula says cash is critical to surviving downturns and recessions so actively managing working capital and making changes to reduce operations cash cycle is critical to success. Likewise, seeking opportunities to diversify income and making lasting cuts to operating expenses. Read more advice from Paula other energy professionals recommendations.
The North Texan - UNT Alumni Magazine
University of North Texas Alumna Energizing Business
December 12, 2016, by Meredith Moriak Wright
"Fearlessness and a penchant for the Spanish language quick-started Paula Waggoner-Aguilar's finance career in the energy industry. After more than 15 years working for major companies in the industry, she became a consultant offering small private companies the same financial leadership that benefits major corporations...giving them an advantage at a price point they can afford." Since founding The Energy CFO in 2013, Paula has provided private energy, technology, and life science companies with consulting, interim and fractional CFO services. The firm specializes in entrepreneurial finance and helps businesses start-up, grow, evolve and navigate through rough patches. She was named Best CFO in 2014 by the Business Journal".
San Antonio Woman Magazine
In The League of Extraordinary Women...Meet The Energy CFO's Founder and Managing CFO Partner
May/June 2016 Issue by Jennifer Bartlett
The Energy CFO's Paula Waggoner-Aguilar, Peggy Brimhall (Rising Barn), Tim McDiarmid (Tim the Girl), and Elsa Fernandez (Eye Candy Boutique) are extraordinary forward-looking entrepreneurs who embrace risk and welcome new challenges. They have faced failures and rejections and have used those experiences to create new opportunities. All of these women are change agents and powerful leaders. All are determined to carve out a path for themselves and for the greater San Antonio community. They dare to be different, to be pioneers and to traverse new ground. And they are more than willing to take all of us along with them.
"This Lady CFO Has Got GUTS Challenging ALL These Layoffs!".
In Regards to Paula's Rigzone Interview (see next)
Exploring Energy Radio Oklahoma Energy Jobs
Rigzone
Consider Alternatives to Layoffs for Future Downturns
March 7, 2016 by Valerie Jones
So the story goes Rigzone asked Paula if she would be willing to discuss viable solutions for oil and gas companies to sustain the downturn without laying off employees. No Oil & Gas CFO in their right mind would go near this hot potato. Well, Paula did. She went further - she put together a long list alternative options. “For those who have been in the industry for 20 years or more, it seems like there is a common playbook for downturns,” she said. “Why not ask if there’s a better way to go about [cost reductions]? It’s going to take a commitment and uncomfortable conversations need to happen at all levels.” We got emails, calls, comments from radio talk shows (shout out to J. Atha and S. Wilson Exploring Energy in Elk City, OK) across America, you name it! People were thanking Paula for speaking up and challenging the way things are always done. This article is definitely a must read!
Rigzone
HERSTORY: History of Women in Offshore Oil, Gas
April 13, 2016 by Contributing Author Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
Rebecca Ponton, South Texas landman by day and longtime freelance writer, is on a mission to document the achievements of our industry trailblazers … the women in offshore oil and gas who are making history. Breaking the Gas Ceiling: Women in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry will be the first of its kind … and if all goes well, it should be online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Women like Sara Akbar, the lone female oilfield firefighter during the Gulf War, and now CEO of Kuwait Energy. Also Anne-Grete Ellingsen, the first female offshore installation manager in the North Sea, former Deputy Minister of Oil & Energy in Norway, and now CEO of GCO NODE. Lets not forgot our own Abigail Ross Hopper, the first female and current director of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Kudos to Rebecca for making the efforts to identify these women, share their stories and document their accomplishments for the rest of us. I am giving a copy to my little nieces!
Pink Petro (Now Ally Energy)
Workforce Development, Supplier Diversity, & the Rise of Petropreneurship
Video March 2016 HERWorld Energy Panel led by Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
In 1986, the industry suffered a massive bust that caused an immediate halt to talent development. In 2016 we are faced with a volatile downturn with a unique set of dynamics: a retiring experienced workforce increased representation with women and minorities, the rise of the entrepreneur, and the digital age. At the 2016 HERWorld Energy Forum, Pink Petro Board Member Paula Waggoner-Aguilar leads a diverse panel of industry heavyweights and 2 of 40 known female-led petropreneurs to address what organizations and companies are doing to pivot this work during the downturn? How is the rise of petro-prenuership is impacting the workforce and supply chain? Has industry learned its lessons from the 80s as we prepare to lead into the next generation? What impact will the skills gap have after industry recovers?
Shale Oil And Gas Magazine
Women In Energy - Taking Risks and Inspiring the Next Generation
January 27, 2016, by Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
In Paula's last Shale article, she talks about her own start and reflects on the progress women have made the last 20 years. Paula is featured in the photo with industry veteran Patricia Thompson who is the first woman to work offshore in the UK. Paula is a strong supporter of STEM careers for women in the industry and makes a point to talk candidly about her own early career rejections and how it made her feel and how she persevered and overcame those and many more obstacles over the years. Paula leaves us with vision, "...as we set the collective vision for women in energy into the next decade, I believe we need to figure out how to encourage and teach the next generation of women to take risks, both in the corporate environment and as entrepreneurs, and to aspire to disrupt, innovate, and lead the next energy revolution."
Shale Oil And Gas Magazine
Partnering Up in Business
November/December 2015 by Contributing Author Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
Partnering strategy is a topic that is critical to the success of energy technology startups and other entrepreneurial-type ventures. Yet too often, thoughtful evaluation of the wants and needs of the firm and its partners are overlooked in the haste of trying to accomplish something under deadlines. Paula shares some examples she has seen over the years and her thoughts on planning for successful partnerships.
Shale Oil And Gas Magazine
Weathering the Storm: Navigating Your Business in a Downturn
September/October 2015 by Contributing Author Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
"There are times when navigating our businesses in this industry can feel like you are driving blindly in a torrential downpour, says Paula." You see, our founder and Energy CFO knows a thing or two about entrepreneurs and running public and private companies in a downturn. She was raised by a family of entrepreneurs. She is also a serial entrepreneur in addition to being a veteran industry finance executive. Paula talks about four business planning tools that owners and executives can use right now to weather the storm: the Cash Report, the Flash Report, the Cash Flow Forecast, and the Monthly Operational and Financial Review. "Surviving in this industry starts with good blocking and tackling and flawless execution of the fundamentals," says Paula.
Rigzone
Navigating Through the Oil & Gas Cycles
May 1, 2015, by Bertie M. Taylor
Rigzone featured an in-depth interview with Paula Waggoner-Aguilar (President & Founder, The Energy CFO), Stefanie Hanz (Talent & Recruitment Manager, Newalta), and Doug de la Morena (President of Human Resources, Parker Drilling) regarding navigating and surviving amid volatile oil and gas cycles as part of its Offshore Technology Conference 2015 Publication. Paula talks about how the industry got into the situation we are in, shares her own Survival Playbook (she started in the '90s when crude was still less than $20/bbl), reflects back on her own generation's perception of the industry and comments on how she believes present generations will respond to industry layoffs, likewise she provides recommendations along with her peers for those who are still employed.
Shale Oil & Gas Magazine
Shale's Oil and Gas Cliffhanger
July/August 2015 by Contributing Author Paula Waggoner-Aguilar
Fasten your seatbelts and secure your harnesses, our Energy CFO has a wickedly simple way of explaining shale petroleum economics in a way we can all understand and relate to. Paula boldly compares the crude market to legendary North Texas rollercoaster called the Texas Cliffhanger. She guides us through how we got to where we are and then leaps to the underlying supply and demand fundamentals. These producers "bet the bank on the rocks". Paula also talks about so-called debt "workouts" drawing an analogy to CrossFit. "Try tossing around a bunch of big-rig tires when you are out of financial shape."
Shale Oil & Gas Magazine
Women in the Energy Business: The Energy CFO's CEO & Founder
Jan/Feb 2015 Double Issue
Paula, what do you find enjoyable or fulfilling about your business? "I was raised by a family of Texas entrepreneurs so capitalism is deeply ingrained in my mindset. I started my firm because I wanted to use my knowledge and experience to help entrepreneurs build strong independent energy and technology companies across this region. Not just upstream – but companies across the entire value chain be it hydrocarbon businesses, clean energy, and emerging technology. So there is a deeply personal aspect to what I do for a living. I am very passionate and I enjoy seeing these men and women succeed!
Texas CEO Magazine
What Does It Take To Be An Energy Entrepreneur?
March 15, 2014, by Pat Niekamp
"Everybody knows that Texas and oil go hand in hand," says Pat Niekamp. What they might not be aware of is Texas is now producing 34 percent of US Domestic Oil and Gas thanks to "the resurgence of drilling in the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford". Texas CEO Magazine invited Paula Waggoner-Aguilar to join their Enlightened Speaker Series What Does It Take To Be An Energy Entrepreneur. Paula was one of three oil and gas entrepreneurs that offered their experience launching and financing their companies. Paula started The Energy CFO, LLC in San Antonio about a year after starting work in the Eagle Ford.
