Building a Finance Powerhouse:
The GSS Model for Success

Featuring Will Fleming

Episode summary


Global Shared Services (GSS) started as an internal finance division within a Fortune 100 company. Now, it's a leader in outsourced financial services for the restaurant industry. In this episode, Nick Stauff sits down with Will Fleming, President of GSS, to explore the company’s journey—from its origins in telecommunications to becoming a trusted partner for thousands of restaurant locations. Will shares why GSS pivoted to hospitality and how its model helps restaurant operators access Fortune 100-level financial expertise without the overhead.


Beyond finance, culture is a core pillar of GSS. Will discusses how the company invests in career growth, leadership training, and customer service to create a high-touch experience for clients. He explains why GSS prioritizes soft skills as much as technical expertise and how this focus has fueled its rapid expansion.

Looking ahead, Will shares his vision for GSS, including plans to double in size and expand into adjacent industries. He also reflects on the future of remote financial services and why a hybrid approach will likely define the next era of outsourced accounting.


Guest-at-a-Glance

Will Fleming

President

Global Shared Services (GSS)


Led GSS from a Fortune 100 division to a restaurant finance leader.

Episode summary

GSS’s Origin Story and Strategic Shift

Timestamp: [00:02:00]


Will Fleming shares how GSS started as a finance and accounting division within a Fortune 100 telecommunications company. Initially serving large corporations, the division provided accounting, billing, and financial services at a global scale. In 2014, GSS spun off as an independent entity and identified an opportunity in the restaurant industry, where financial services were often underdeveloped due to tight margins. The transition allowed GSS to bring high-quality financial services to restaurants that lacked the resources for an in-house finance team. Fleming explains how this pivot set the foundation for GSS’s rapid expansion in the hospitality sector.


"GSS was started more than 20 years ago, uh, within a Fortune 100 company. We were a shared services division for their telecommunications group, and we provided services globally. They were accounting, general accounting, billing, and other finance and accounting services... I felt like this could be a very successful standalone entity for smaller companies—companies that may not have the same wherewithal or scale to provide that kind of service."

The Remote Work Model and Its Impact

Timestamp: [00:11:00]


Will Fleming discusses how GSS has embraced a hybrid remote work model, balancing in-office and remote operations. While the pandemic accelerated acceptance of remote financial services, Fleming believes a hybrid approach is the most effective for maintaining collaboration and customer service excellence. He explains how technology plays a key role in keeping teams connected, even across different time zones. The conversation also touches on the challenges of remote service models and how maintaining strong relationships with clients is critical for success.



"I think it makes sense if you look at a business. You look at real estate costs. It might make sense to piggyback on the home infrastructure in some cases. There is value to having a collaborative approach. I mean, we have a hybrid model. I would say we're probably 60 percent in the office, 40 percent out of the office… But the mission from the start within the industry focused on providing a remote service in a distributed business."

The Role of Soft Skills in Financial Services

Timestamp: [00:10:00]


GSS doesn’t just focus on technical expertise—it prioritizes leadership and customer service skills. Fleming emphasizes that while many employees enter the company with accounting degrees and technical training, developing strong soft skills is what helps them advance in their careers and provide better service to clients. GSS invests in leadership training, communication skills, and customer service excellence, ensuring employees grow beyond just financial expertise. This people-first approach has been key to retaining top talent and delivering a high-touch service experience to restaurant clients.


"Our probably average age of our employees is 27, 28. They typically have either a CPA credential or at least an accounting or business degree, with three to four years of experience. But what that age group struggles with is advancing their career past the hard skills. And what we focus on at that point is developing their soft skills—really, their leadership. We're trying to develop leaders at every level of the company so they can advance this culture of customer service."

GSS’s Growth Plans and Industry Expansion

Timestamp: [00:14:00]


Looking ahead, Fleming envisions significant growth for GSS, including doubling its size over the next five years. While the restaurant industry remains the core focus, he sees potential expansion into adjacent sectors like retail. He explains that GSS’s service model is well-suited for other industries with similar operational structures. Fleming also shares his excitement about scaling the company, investing in more talent, and further refining GSS’s financial service offerings to maintain its leadership position in outsourced finance.


"I think in the next five years we could easily double our size. I think there's a lot of growth to be had in the restaurant market. I think our model, as you said, works—people understand it. There are other industries that we work in that we don’t spend a lot of time talking about, but service retail is a natural adjacent sector for us. It's a very durable market, and it's one we know."

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The GSS Model for Success

By William Fleming • April 24, 2025
In this episode, Nick Stauff sits down with Will Fleming, President of GSS, to explore the company’s journey—from its origins in telecommunications to becoming a trusted partner for thousands of restaurant locations.

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Enhancing Your Restaurant’s Digital Presence

By William Fleming • September 22, 2024
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