I've never been the gratitude journal type. But sitting here after closing Q3 books for a dozen sports clients while simultaneously fielding texts about the Eagles’ inept offense and blowing a 21-point loss to the Cowboys (don't ask), I'm feeling uncharacteristically reflective.

This year has been absolutely nuts. Between courtside conversations about EBITDA multiples and explaining cap tables at tailgates, I've lived the sports finance dream that my CPA self could never have imagined. While everyone else is arguing about whether to roast or smoke their turkey, I'm over here genuinely grateful for this wild intersection of spreadsheets and scoreboards that somehow became my life.

So, before I jump back into revenue projections and your uncle starts his annual rant about NIL deals ruining college sports, here are the five things this fractional CFO is most thankful for in my career in the sports business world this year.

The MLB All-Star Game is an entirely different experience when you're there for meetings, not just the home run derby. The same goes for the NBA Summer League, where basketball becomes the backdrop for conversations about cap strategies and revenue projections. Even that Hamptons trip was supposed to be all spreadsheets and ended up being equal parts business and "wait, I'm really here?"

Meeting Mark Cuban was the “pinch me moment” I needed. Here's a guy who's experienced more in business and sports than I'll ever know, and we're having an actual conversation about the industry. These experiences remind me that, for all my finance knowledge, I'm still learning from people who've been doing this longer and better.

The private equity and venture capital funds reaching out now are the ones writing the checks that make headlines. Their portfolio companies are the teams, leagues, and sports tech companies everyone's talking about.

Working with them means I get to see how the smartest money in sports thinks about value creation. Every model I build, every analysis I run, every strategic discussion teaches me something new. These funds could work with anyone, so when they call, I don't take it lightly.

My network has become the most valuable part of my business, and I mean that literally. Referrals from past clients, partners who think of me for new opportunities, and even talented employees who come recommended from trusted connections.

The compounding effect of relationships surprises me every time. One introduction leads to another, which leads to another. Former clients become my biggest advocates. Partners from one deal surface three more opportunities. The phone keeps ringing because people I've worked with are willing to vouch for me, and that trust feels earned but never guaranteed.

PointCFO has become the go-to team for finance help in sports. We're the name that comes up when sports companies need CFO-level expertise without the full-time commitment.

I don't take that lightly. 

Building this reputation happened one client at a time, one delivered project after another. Hearing our name mentioned in rooms we're not even in feels surreal. The brand has grown beyond what I imagined when this started, and that recognition comes with the responsibility to keep delivering for every client who trusts us.

My clients are all up and to the right on their growth charts, which makes my job easier but also more meaningful. They bring me into their teams, despite the fractional arrangement, and treat my input like it matters.

They let me work in my own style, value directness, and trust my financial guidance even when it challenges their assumptions. Some have become friends, all have become teachers in their own way. The impact we make together, watching their businesses grow, seeing strategies pay off - that's what makes the late nights and tough conversations worth it. They're giving me the chance to be part of something bigger, and that trust drives everything else on this list.

Look, I know gratitude posts can feel performative and cliche, but I learned something putting this list to paper: success rarely happens in isolation. Every win this year has been connected to someone taking a chance, making an introduction, or trusting me with their business.

Your version of this list likely looks different. Maybe you're thankful for the coworker who covered for you in March. Or the client who renewed despite that rough quarter. Or just the fact that you get paid to work in an industry you love.   

Whatever made your year bearable, memorable, or profitable deserves a moment of recognition. Even we financial nerds can admit that careers are built on more than numbers. They're built on people who show up, opportunities that surprise us, and work that occasionally feels like the opposite of work.

Happy Thanksgiving. May your turkey be juicy, your family arguments brief, and your Q4 profitable.