The wrap-up conversation you weren't supposed to hear - four hosts getting real about conferences, careers, and the future of OneStream

Our hosts step away from interviewing guests to have an honest conversation about what they've learned, where they're going, and why this little corner of the tech world matters so much.

The hosts get surprisingly vulnerable about the conference experience - from Cameron's revelation about being "selectively extroverted" to the reality that they all went to bed by 11 PM. They explore the paradox of being seen as "rock stars" on stage while being regular people who just want to solve problems and teach others.

Key insights:

Watch four cube veterans get genuinely excited about OneStream's dynamic cubes announcement. While they acknowledge that customers care more about narrative reporting and AI voices asking "what was my budget here?", they can't help but geek out over the technical implications.

The technical perspective:

Perhaps most compelling is watching Cameron and Celvin process their career transitions in real time. For the first time since 1996, Cameron isn't doing implementations - he's moved to product management. Celvin is now development manager. They're questioning whether it's surprising they're not doing the "geeky technical presentations" they used to.

Career reflections:

The hosts reveal the substantial investment Black Diamond made in this podcast experiment - from the vice presidential suite at Harrah's to the full production crew. They're genuinely uncertain if it will continue, making this conversation feel like both a celebration and a potential goodbye.

The business reality:

At its heart, this episode captures something universal about specialized technical communities. Whether you work with OneStream, other planning platforms, or any niche technology, you'll recognize the themes: the isolation of deep expertise, the magic of finding "your people," and the responsibility that comes with knowledge.

Perfect for anyone who's ever felt alone in their technical expertise, wondered about the real personalities behind conference presentations, or is navigating their own career evolution from implementer to something else entirely. This is community building in its most authentic form.

From the C-suite perspective: How a conscious decision to be OneStream-only transformed a consulting firm into a product powerhouse

Randy Werder, CEO and Co-founder of Black Diamond Advisory, says BDA isn't just another consulting success story—it's the strategic blueprint of how to build a modern technology services company.

Randy shares the pivotal moment when BDA's founders made a controversial choice: they would only do OneStream. No Oracle, no Anaplan, no hedge bets. Coming from a previous firm where competing technologies created constant internal conflict, they saw opportunity in complete commitment.

Key insights from the CEO:

Randy gets refreshingly honest about scaling pains: "Everything breaks at 100 people." He shares the specific challenges at 20, 50, and 100+ employees, and how maintaining culture while scaling requires constant reinvestment in what matters most.

While others are nervous about AI disruption, Randy is "excited" because "with any innovation, there's opportunity." He reveals BDA's investment strategy around AI and machine learning, OneStream's potential IPO, and why he's doubling down on the OneStream bet.

Perhaps most compelling is Randy's focus on people over process. He shares stories of "overly collaborative" culture (where 50 people respond to help requests), the Expert Roundtable's nail-biting launch moment (when all pilot participants initially ghosted the paid version, then signed up within 24 hours), and why innovation became a core company value.

Perfect for executives considering technology partnerships, anyone curious about strategic decision-making in professional services, or leaders thinking about how to scale culture alongside growth. This is strategy from the C-suite, with the honesty that only comes from someone who's lived through every growth stage.

What happens when your CTO admits he built most of your products because he was "just lazy" and didn't want to hack XML anymore?

Damon Mittleider, Black Diamond Advisory's Chief Technology Officer  takes a rare look behind the scenes of how a consulting firm became a software innovator in the OneStream ecosystem.

Damon reveals how BDA's product vision emerged from day one—not as an afterthought, but as a core strategy. Coming from the Oracle Hyperion world where every implementation was a custom rebuild, he recognized OneStream's object-oriented architecture could support something revolutionary: truly reusable, transportable solutions.

What you'll discover:

This isn't about individual tools—it's about architectural thinking. Every BDA solution is designed to be a component in larger industry solutions, creating an ecosystem of capabilities that build on each other rather than reinventing the wheel.

Damon shares a refreshingly honest perspective on OneStream's marketplace: still maturing, incredibly valuable for marketing and recognition, but the real value comes from having the structured thinking of a software company within the consulting space.

Perfect for anyone curious about the intersection of consulting and software development, the technical possibilities within OneStream, or what it takes to innovate at the pace of platform evolution. Plus, you'll get Damon's retirement plan: opening a petting zoo to escape technology forever.

What happens when a company gets so serious about modernization they create an entire "Digital Ambition" department?

Amanda Christensen and Dane Arbuckle from Richardson International are two managers who were pulled from their day jobs and given one mission: make OneStream's Phase 2 implementation succeed, no matter what.

Richardson tried something most companies won't: they assigned full-time resources to their OneStream project instead of hoping part-time efforts would work. Amanda and Dane reveal what it's like to be completely dedicated to digital transformation while learning an entirely new platform from scratch.

What you'll discover:

These aren't seasoned performance management veterans—they're finance professionals thrown into the deep end of a major transformation. Their fresh perspective on everything from narrative reporting to AI integration offers a grounded view of what adoption actually looks like when you're learning as you go.

Perfect for anyone managing digital transformation, wondering about full-time project dedication, or curious about real-world OneStream implementations in complex industries.

What happens when someone who's "grown up" in the Oracle ecosystem discovers OneStream?

Mike Burens from Univar Solutions, a finance systems veteran moved from Oracle HFM and BPC to OneStream and discovered what he'd been missing all along...

Mike shares what it actually means to consolidate from separate planning and consolidation systems onto one platform. After nine months on OneStream, his team is experiencing something they never had before: everyone looking at the same data, speaking the same language, using a single global chart of accounts.

What you'll discover:

Coming from the world of massive enterprise vendors, Mike reveals what it's like to work with a company that's still focused on growth and customer success. Sometimes smaller really is better—especially when you can feel the difference in partnership and attention immediately.

As someone who's "been in this industry a really long time" and seen trends come and go, Mike offers a grounded perspective on AI in finance. The technology is impressive, but the real challenge isn't technical—it's getting CFO organizations comfortable with leveraging AI from security and cultural perspectives.

Perfect for finance leaders evaluating platforms, anyone curious about vendor relationships in enterprise software, or those wondering whether the AI hype in finance will actually stick.

What happens when a legacy manufacturing company finally breaks free from spreadsheet chaos?

We sat down with Ryan Smith, Corporate Accounting Manager at Anderson Corporation, to explore their ongoing transformation from outdated consolidation tools to OneStream's integrated platform.

Ryan shares the honest reality of moving a traditional organization away from Excel-based processes that "work very well" toward a more streamlined, analytical approach. This isn't a success story about overnight change—it's about the messy, ongoing journey of getting people to embrace new ways of working.

Key insights covered:

Ryan's candid take on the struggles of change management offers a refreshing perspective on what digital transformation actually looks like in practice. He discusses losing employees due to tedious manual processes and the ongoing effort to give teams the analytical tools they want to use.

Perfect for finance leaders wrestling with legacy systems, change management challenges, or anyone curious about the human side of technology adoption.

Hosts Greg Beaton and Ashwin Manthena chat with Adrian Griffin, Financial Systems Manager at Subaru of America, about the company's transition to OneStream. This goes beyond typical software implementation—it's about changing how teams work and think about their processes.

Adrian walks through Subaru's journey from traditional financial methods to a more integrated, user-friendly system. He shares practical insights about getting teams on board with change and building systems that actually make sense to the people using them.

Key topics covered:

Whether you're in finance, IT, or leadership, Adrian's experience offers a realistic look at what digital transformation actually looks like on the ground. It's not just about the technology—it's about the people and processes that make it work.

Perfect for anyone curious about modernizing financial operations or leading successful tech implementations.

Join hosts Cameron Lackpour and Ashwin Manthena as they chat with Jerri Ciambriello, Director of Financial Systems and Reporting at Hubble Incorporated. Discover the transformative journey of Hubble's financial systems, moving from traditional spreadsheets to advanced forecasting with OneStream implementations.

Jerri shares insights from multiple CPM implementations and reveals how a partnership with Black Diamond Advisory revamped their planning processes. Listen in to learn about the strategic steps taken, challenges faced during the transition, and the exciting future possibilities with machine learning and AI.

In this episode of the Splash 2024 Black Diamond Advisory YouTube Podcast, hosts Cameron Lackpour and Celvin Kattookaran are joined by special guest David Blanco to explore the intricate dynamics of cross-cultural interactions in the realm of performance management. David shares his journey from Latin America to North America, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities faced when working across different cultures.

The conversation veers into the comparison between business practices in Latin America and North America, delving into the varied approaches to customer relationships and the meticulous care required in planning amidst economic pressures. The trio also examines the evolution of OneStream technology and its impact on global consultancy practices.

Listeners are encouraged to reflect on the broader implications of cultural sensitivity in consulting and technology adaptation, enriched by personal anecdotes and industry insights from David's vast experience.