Offerpad owes much of its success to Senior Vice President, Finance James Grout who has played a critical role in the company’s journey over the last 5-plus years. From investor presentations to his immeasurable contributions in taking the company public, and getting multiple CFOs ramped up on the business. Over the last year Grout has stepped up to serve as acting CFO himself. His insight and alignment are sought after from senior leadership and for good reason. He has this amazing ability to view the business from a bird’s-eye view but also still be well aware of the details and nuances of the business.

At Offerpad, one of the core values is “Results Rule” and Grout gets results. He is an empathetic leader, which allows his team to feel empowered and supported in their work, enabling them to succeed and surpass goals and expectations. He has built a high-caliber team which he leads by example, holding himself to the highest standards. He is the embodiment of another one of the company’s core values: “Every day matters” , always willing to roll up his sleeves and get work done. 

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

To be effective at influencing and providing value to a business partner, you must build a strong rapport based on trust from the onset. An important initial step is to start with a genuine curiosity and desire to fully understand what they do, how they do it, and what they care about most when making decisions. This takes the form of asking clarifying questions about anything and everything to educate yourself well enough to provide effective analysis and recommendations and even represent their voice appropriately. Investing the time upfront demonstrates your willingness to learn and adapt and is critical in building that rapport.

Name:

James Grout

Age:

35

Title:

Senior Vice President, Finance

Company Name:

Offerpad