FinOps in Action

What does it take to successfully manage cloud costs while aligning technical, financial, and business goals?

In this episode, I’m joined by Mike Graff, an IT veteran with over 30 years of experience and the Infrastructure Architecture Director at Dolby Laboratories. Mike brings a wealth of knowledge on navigating the intersection of FinOps and engineering, offering unique insights into how to tackle the toughest challenges in cloud cost management.

We dive into key topics, including:

• Why technical skills, business acumen, and communication are critical for FinOps success.
• The journey from tech to finance—how to balance both worlds effectively.
• The challenges of aligning FinOps goals with engineering teams and driving motivation.
• How evolving FinOps tools and a focus on sustainability are shaping the future of cloud financial operations.
• Personal insights on maintaining a balance between a high-demand career, family, and hobbies.

If you're in FinOps, cloud engineering, or just interested in how financial operations are evolving in the cloud, this episode offers a ton of valuable insights to help you navigate this fast-growing field.

Don't forget to subscribe for more expert insights into cloud cost optimization, FinOps strategies, and the future of cloud financial management!

Quote of the Show:

“ Being able to communicate effectively and distill these highly technical concepts down to something that a business person can understand is just so valuable.” - Michael Graff

Connect with Mike:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelegraff/
• Website: https://cloudyadvice.com/
• Company Website: https://www.dolby.com/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f25a9d18-c12f-4ee4-93f5-2aa96e509b55 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finops-in-action/id1790497808 
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/268443483/ 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/finops-in-action-5958339 
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IpjMc3qxDXZAjic5Zq21t 
• Transistor: finopsinaction.com 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency 

How can cloud cost management, data visibility, and collaboration drive success in FinOps across engineering, finance, and leadership teams?

I’m joined by Dann Berg, a leading FinOps expert and Cloud FinOps Lead at Squarespace. With his diverse background in tech journalism and even co-authoring plays, Dann offers a fresh perspective on the rapidly evolving field of Cloud Financial Operations (FinOps).

During our conversation, we dive into several key topics, including:

• The importance of data visibility for effective cost management across different teams—engineers, finance, and senior leadership.
• How to shorten feedback loops and make faster, more informed decisions when it comes to cloud cost optimization.
• The different types of data sets that are important for each team member—whether you're in engineering, finance, or an executive role.
• Why collaboration and accountability are critical for building a successful FinOps culture.
• The evolving role of FinOps within cloud-native companies and how it compares to traditional enterprises.
• Advice for those transitioning into FinOps roles, especially if you’re coming from a non-technical background.
• Key trends in the FinOps industry, and how it’s expanding as more companies shift to the cloud.

If you’re working in FinOps, cloud engineering, finance, or you’re just curious about how cloud financial management fits into today’s businesses, this episode has a wealth of insights on where the industry is heading and how to succeed in this growing field.

If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to subscribe for more expert interviews and deep dives into cloud cost management, FinOps, and the intersection of finance and technology in the cloud space.

Quote of the Show:
“ Your goal as a FinOps practitioner is to shorten that feedback loop and just make sure people have the data so that they can make informed decisions about what to work on.” - Dann Berg 

Connect with Dann:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannberg/ 
• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/dann.fun 
• Company website: https://www.squarespace.com/ 
• Personal Website: https://dannb.org/ 

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f25a9d18-c12f-4ee4-93f5-2aa96e509b55 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finops-in-action/id1790497808 
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/268443483/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/finops-in-action-5958339 
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IpjMc3qxDXZAjic5Zq21t 
• Transistor: finopsinaction.com 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency 

Welcome to FinOps in Action! Join host, Alon Arvatz, Each week, as he sits down with FinOps experts to explore the toughest challenges between FinOps and Engineering. This show is brought to you by PointFive - empowering teams to optimize cloud costs with deep detection and remediation tools that drive action.