Another day, another report that shows anxieties over the current economy among business leaders.

Finance executives are concerned with an uncertain economy, inflation, and the labor market, but feel optimistic about their own companies’ performance, according to a CFO survey from insurance giant Travelers.

Topping the list of CFOs’ greatest anxieties were economic uncertainty and market competition: A third of respondents identified both as concerns. Following that were talent acquisition and retention (32%), inflation (30%), and customer satisfaction and retention (27%).

Travelers surveyed more than 600 CFOs in insurance decision-making roles at companies with 500 or more employees. Respondents represented an array of industries, including transportation, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology.

Upskilling. Here’s another finding that’s no surprise to CFOs. Travelers asked respondents to rate which skills were most vital in their role. What they found: The results reinforced the idea that the CFO’s remit has shifted from financial reports to a greater emphasis on partnerships, strategy, and leadership, per the report.

For more on what CFOs are thinking about the economy, click here.—AZ

Here are two huge wins you could score right…now, actually. First, cut down on annual expenses for your org. Second, score a free pair of Apple® AirPods Pro.

Ready to get your hands on this deal? Just book and complete a qualified demo with Teampay, and you’ll be listening to the sweet sound of savings—with noise cancellation.

If you need a li’l more convincing, we’ll give you a sneak peek at what Teampay can do for your org. They save customers 7.67% annually in expenses through:

• creating smart workflows that auto-approve spend and provision funds with ease
• PO creation and one-click bill pay
• helping your employees get access to company funds quickly and in-policy

Book a demo and snag your Airpods.

Like the end of any Marvel movie, you’re going to need a wait a little longer for Disney’s earnings to really pay off.

The media behemoth reported Q2 earnings on Tuesday, and it’s cloooose, but not quite at its long-awaited streaming profitability milestone.

Disney’s streaming unit lost $18 million this quarter, which sounds bad until you learn that it reported a $659 million loss in the same quarter last year. Overall, revenue increased to $22.1 billion for the quarter, up ever so slightly from $21.8 billion in Q2 2023.

CEO Bob Iger said the company remains “on track to achieve profitability in our combined streaming businesses in Q4.” He continued: ​“Looking at our company as a whole, it’s clear that the turnaround and growth initiatives we set in motion last year have continued to yield positive results.”

In 2023, Disney inked a multiyear distribution agreement with Charter Communications, which allows the company to integrate Disney’s streaming options with Spectrum’s broadband plans. That deal took effect in September of last year and the company’s flagship streaming service, Disney+, saw a boost: More than 6 million new subscribers brought the total to 117.6 million. On an earnings call, Disney CFO Hugh Johnston noted that the company “ended Q2 with 22.5 million ad tier subscribers globally.”

For more on Disney’s earnings, click here.—NP

Threat actors could be coming for your organization via third-party vendors—a danger in a cybersecurity landscape where IT teams and budgets are often stretched, necessitating outside help.

RSA Security CEO Rohit Ghai sees backdoor attacks on vendors as a major concern, he told IT Brew, likening it to healthcare workers taking appropriate hygiene precautions.

“The world may not be security first, but the cybersecurity vendors better be. The doctors better be washing their hands,” Ghai said.

Vend on. But IT teams are not an easy get, at least not compared to the potential infiltration hackers can achieve by attacking vendors, which can service multiple organizations. Plus, attackers can use disruption tactics to undo faith in cybersecurity as a whole.

“Fear is a weird kind of emotion, and these guys prey on people’s fear, confusion, and all of that, so by targeting cybersecurity vendors and breaching them, they’re actually eroding confidence in the cyber industry at large,” Ghai said.

Cybersecurity vendor funding has declined in recent months. IT Brew reported in April that some industry businesses are seeing a precipitous drop in investment—mostly the ones that are trying to overpromise on what they can deliver.

To keep reading IT Brew’s story on third-party vendor cybersecurity risk, click here.—EH

Finance leaders, unite! One day, three tracks, and 2k+ SaaS finance leaders: That’s what you can expect at The Modern SaaS Finance Forum on June 5. Hear from world-class experts about building processes and teams fit for scaling + winning your market. Register here.