Charles Marentette, CFO of Artisight
As Chief Financial Officer of Artisight, Charles Marentette brings more than two decades of financial leadership to a fast-growing healthcare technology company focused on transforming hospital operations through AI and IoT. Based in Minneapolis, he joined Artisight after serving as CFO of Gravie, where he helped guide significant expansion, including leading major funding rounds and scaling the organization during a period of rapid growth. Earlier in his career, Charles held senior finance roles at Walser Automotive Group, Ceridian, and Best Buy, building deep expertise across corporate finance, investor relations, and strategic planning. Charles’ experience leading high-growth organizations through complex financial decisions and disciplined scaling made Scouts Talent curious to learn more…
If you could try a different job for a day, what would you choose?
An archeologist. I’m drawn to the idea of the discovery. Maybe I just loved Indiana Jones as a kid!
What advice would you give someone starting out in their career?
- Seek out roles/companies/bosses that allow you to do more than you are likely “ready” to do. I look back at early experiences and say, “I can’t believe they let me be in charge of that, I didn’t know anything!”.
- Answer the unasked questions in your work—operate as if YOU (not your boss) are going to present it to the CEO. Have you asked yourself all the questions that the CEO is going to ask you?
What is your mantra?
I don’t know if I have a mantra, but optimism and a “glass half full” mindset are part of my DNA
How do you get yourself out of a slump?
Slumps, for me, come from a grind into the details and execution, and facing resistance to change. That can wear me down. Going back to the highest order priority helps me reset. What is the big picture goal and why we do we need to achieve it?It re-anchors and provides clarity on the what and the why—gives the energy to get back in to the how.
What companies or leaders do you admire?
Companies that define their core competency—their reason to exist—at the highest order possible. Constantly asking itself, “what are we, or can we be, uniquely great at?”. Netflix is a classic, albeit cliché, example. They didn’t define themselves as being in the business of mailing DVDs.
What has been the biggest shift you’ve noticed in your industry in the last decade?
The continued unsustainable increase in the cost of US healthcare
Who has been most instrumental in your career?
I can’t point to one person. Rather, I point to small lessons or interactions with a handful of leaders throughout my career. Moments that were not massive in and of themselves, but they were kernels of learnings that grew with time. The takeaway for me is to always be listening, observing, reflecting, and learning.
What is your go-to celebration meal, drink or tradition?
For big projects that play out over 6+ months—I like to plan a post-project trip/event to invest in myself (as we often have to sacrifice a bit of self in those big projects). I went to a tennis camp one year, a sailing certification class, and a wellness retreat are other examples. Gives me something to look forward to during the grind of the project!
