# INTERVIEW | Make Money by Scaling Profits, Not Just Revenue with Cruz Gamboa

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/travis-makes-money-6588893/interview-make-money-by-scaling-profits-not-just-revenue-with-cruz-gamboa
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/travis-makes-money-6588893/interview-make-money-by-scaling-profits-not-just-revenue-with-cruz-gamboa.md
Podcast: [Travis Makes Money](https://stenobird.com/podcast/travis-makes-money-6588893)
Published: 2026-06-06T08:15:00+00:00
Episode link: https://prefix.up.audio/s/pdrl.fm/d318d2/mgln.ai/e/211/traffic.megaphone.fm/TNM5104244705.mp3
Audio file: https://prefix.up.audio/s/pdrl.fm/d318d2/mgln.ai/e/211/traffic.megaphone.fm/TNM5104244705.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1693

## Resource

Cruz Gamboa is the founder of Ascend Growth Ventures and ScalingCFO.io, where he helps founder-led businesses scale profitably through proven financial operating systems. A former GE and GE Capital executive with more than 20 years of experience and over $2 billion in structured deals, Cruz has worked across the U.S. and Latin America helping businesses create sustainable growth. In this episode, he shares his journey from selling oranges door-to-door in Venezuela to becoming a sought-after CFO, coach, and entrepreneur, while revealing why profitability—not revenue—is the key to building a valuable company. On this episode we talk about: Cruz's journey from Venezuela to the United States on a full scholarship Lessons learned from a 20+ year career at GE and GE Capital Why entrepreneurship offers greater upside than the traditional corporate path The difference between growth and true business scaling How founders can build profitable, sellable businesses through financial systems Top 3 Takeaways Growth and scaling are not the same thing. Growing revenue without improving profitability can actually reduce the long-term value of a business. Focus on what you can control. Success comes from creating value, developing skills, and taking ownership rather than blaming external circumstances. Build systems that increase profits as revenue grows. A scalable business is one that can handle more customers and opportunities while becoming more profitable over time. Notable Quotes "Entrepreneurship puts you in the steering wheel of your own life." "Scaling is about profitability, not just revenues." "When you're doing work that is aligned with you, the probability of burnout drops dramatically." Connect with Cruz Gamboa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cruzgamboa Website: ht…

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## Transcript

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