Audible’s Chief Financial & Growth Officer sounds off on AI, Buy vs. Build, and the Future of Enterprise Growth
Audible has been a longtime partner to nvp capital and a founding anchor of the nvp galaxy of corporate partners. In this episode of Between Two Quarters, we sat down with Cynthia Chu, Chief Financial & Growth Officer at Audible, for a candid conversation on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the enterprise—and what it means for vendors, founders, and enterprise leaders.
Over her decade at Audible, Chu has led strategy across finance, marketing, and customer experience, giving her a rare, holistic view of how AI is changing operations, decision-making, and customer engagement.
Speed and Seamless Integration: The New Enterprise Standard
One theme came up again and again: velocity and integration are no longer optional—they’re mission-critical.
Chu explained that in today’s AI-driven market, enterprise software must deliver value fast. Solutions that take months to deploy or operate in silos will simply be outpaced. “The expectation now is immediate impact and seamless fit,” she noted. For technology providers, that means prioritizing integration into existing enterprise ecosystems and ensuring rapid, measurable results.
The Buy-vs-Build Decision—Now Through an AI Lens
AI hasn’t just changed what enterprises buy—it’s changed how they decide. Chu shared how her team evaluates the classic buy vs. build question through both a business and customer lens.
The goal: maximize business value while elevating the customer experience. That means investments aren’t judged solely on cost or technical capability, but on whether they advance growth, improve customer journeys, and adapt quickly to changing needs.
Selling to the Enterprise? Here’s What Works in an AI Era
For founders and go-to-market leaders, Chu’s advice was clear: know the enterprise from the inside out.
Beyond pitching product features, successful vendors show how their solution aligns with strategic priorities, integrates with existing systems, and accelerates outcomes. Enterprise sales cycles are long and competitive—but those who demonstrate business impact and operational fit have a clear edge.
Chu’s perspective is a reminder that AI’s impact on the enterprise is real, rapid, and irreversible. The winners—whether inside large organizations or selling to them—will be those who move fast, integrate seamlessly, and never lose sight of the customer.
🎥 Watch the full conversation with Cynthia Chu here:
