FP&A Unlocked

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Mark Proctor to discuss why finance teams struggle with automation, how better data practices can improve reporting, and why FP&A professionals need to think beyond traditional Excel methods. Mark also shares his approach to using AI, building efficient processes, and creating more time for strategic business partnering.

Mark Proctor is the Director of Twenty Seven Solutions Limited, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), and the creator of Excel Off the Grid and Finance Team Accelerator. With 25 years of experience across accounting, financial reporting, FP&A, and business partnering, he helps finance professionals automate repetitive tasks, improve their Excel skills, and build more efficient processes.

Expect to Learn:

• Why data skills are essential for modern FP&A professionals.
• How better data structures can reduce manual Excel work.
• Why end-to-end processes matter more than individual Excel features.
• How to use AI effectively without relying on it for everything.
• Why curiosity and influence are important for business partnering.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “AI cannot fix it all for you. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't use AI.” - Mark Proctor
• “The one piece of advice I would give is the first normal form inside a table in Excel.” - Mark Proctor

Mark explains why finance teams need to move beyond manual spreadsheets and adopt a data-first approach. By building better processes and using tools such as Power Query and Power Pivot, FP&A professionals can save time, improve reporting, and focus more on supporting business decisions.

Follow Mark:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markstephenproctor/
• Website: https://exceloffthegrid.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Watch the Reporting Intelligence demo:

https://www.insightsoftware.com/lineos/resources/Reporting-intelligence-demo/?utm_source=thefpaguy&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=lineos-influencer-oct&utm_content=newsletter1

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

[00:00] - Introduction

[04:50] - Defining Great FP&A

[07:17] - Journey Into Accounting

[16:21] - AI in Finance

[22:32] - Data Challenges in Finance

[28:17] - Rethinking Excel

[31:30] - Data-Driven Processes

[38:24] - File Management & Version Control

[42:45] - Structured Data Basics

[45:44] - Improving Finance Processes

[50:29] - Essential FP&A Skills

[55:47] - Closing Remarks & Thanks

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Jon Laudie to discuss how FP&A can become a critical business function, why finance and operations need to work together, and how FP&A can prepare professionals for senior leadership. Jon also shares what he has learned from serving as both President and CFO of Zerorez and how that experience has changed his approach to leadership.

Jon Laudie is the President and CFO of Zerorez. He began his career in M&A and valuation before moving into corporate and operational FP&A roles at technology and consumer companies. His experience also includes investor relations, M&A integration, and building FP&A capabilities. Jon is also the co-author of Roots, Relationships and Results.

Expect to Learn:

• How to build an FP&A function that the business values and trusts.
• Why change management is critical to FP&A transformation.
• How FP&A can prepare professionals for operational leadership.
• Why trust and relationships are essential to effective leadership.
• Which technical and soft skills can help FP&A professionals become CFOs.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “If you're not bringing the people along with you, the change management is nearly impossible and FP&A is not going to be successful.” - Jon Laudie
• “You have to be a strategic partner at the executive table.” - Jon Laudie

Jon explains that successful FP&A transformation starts by meeting the business where it is rather than immediately pushing best practices. Building trust through better data, visibility, and useful insights creates a foundation for more advanced planning and forecasting.

Follow Jon:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonlaudie/
• Website: rootsrelationshipsresults.com

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Watch the Reporting Intelligence demo:

https://www.insightsoftware.com/lineos/resources/Reporting-intelligence-demo/?utm_source=thefpaguy&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=lineos-influencer-oct&utm_content=newsletter1

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

[00:00] - Finance Meets Operations

[01:32] - Jon’s Career Journey

[05:41] - Building FP&A at Zerorez

[10:19] - Change Management

[16:26] - President & CFO

[24:13] - Finance & Operations

[31:52] - Writing the Book

[34:32] - Leadership Lessons

[42:48] - Trust & Relationships

[51:18] - The “As Soon As” Trap

[56:46] - Skills for Future CFOs

[59:33] - Rapid Fire & Closing Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with David Den Boer to debate the future of enterprise performance management, Excel, and AI. They explore whether traditional EPM platforms are being disrupted, how AI could reshape forecasting and finance workflows, and why governance, transparency, and accountability still matter.

David Den Boer is the CEO and Founder of Column5 Consulting and Darwin Analytics. He began his career as an EPM administrator at a Fortune 500 company and later worked with OutlookSoft, which was acquired by SAP and became part of SAP BPC. With more than 20 years of experience in EPM, David works with large enterprises on performance management and develops practical solutions designed to help organizations get more value from their EPM environments.

Expect to Learn:

• Why Excel and EPM platforms may be harder to replace than expected.
• How AI is changing the build-versus-buy decision for finance technology.
• Where AI can support forecasting without removing human accountability.
• Why reproducibility, auditability, and governance still matter.
• How finance teams should balance AI innovation with existing EPM systems.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “There’s really no benefit to avoiding Excel.” - David Den Boer
• “Everyone has to have an AI strategy as far out as they can see, which might be six months.” - David Den Boer

David explains that AI can significantly reduce the cost of building and extending finance solutions, but large organizations still need deterministic calculations, multi-user workflows, auditability, and clear accountability.

Follow David:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviddenboer/
• Website: https://column5.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

[00:00] - Trailer

[03:46] - What Great FP&A Looks Like

[04:08] - Is Excel Dead?

[06:50] - Is EPM Dead?

[14:18] - Build vs. Buy

[18:40] - AI-Led Forecasting

[26:22] - Reproducibility & Auditability

[31:33] - The Cost of Change

[39:06] - AI & EPM Together

[45:24] - Skills & Closing Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Snyder sit down with Valerie Martin to discuss how AI is changing FP&A, leadership, and business partnering. They explore why greater efficiency does not automatically create greater value and how finance teams can use AI without losing judgment, context, or trust with the business.

Valerie Martin is a Finance Executive specializing in FP&A and strategic finance, with experience across GTM, SaaS, AI, and value creation. A former Autodesk finance leader and San Francisco FP&A Board Ambassador, Valerie brings extensive experience in business partnering, finance transformation, and helping organizations make better strategic decisions.

Expect to Learn:

• Why AI efficiency does not always create more value.
• How AI is changing the skills FP&A teams need.
• Why judgment and business context still matter.
• How leaders should rethink training and development.
• Why communication and trust remain critical in FP&A.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “AI could help us get the answer faster, but you can't outsource accountability.” - Valerie Martin
• “The measurement is about the value, not the production.” - Glenn Snyder

Valerie explains that AI can automate variance analysis, reporting, data cleanup, and other repetitive work, but faster production is only useful if teams turn that saved time into greater business value. As AI takes on more technical work, FP&A professionals need to strengthen their judgment, curiosity, business acumen, and communication skills.

Follow Valerie:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-martin-342878/
• Email: [email protected]

Follow Glenn:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyder

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Watch the Reporting Intelligence demo:

https://www.insightsoftware.com/lineos/resources/Reporting-intelligence-demo/?utm_source=thefpaguy&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=lineos-influencer-oct&utm_content=newsletter1

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

[00:00] -Trailer

[01:17] - Hard-Coded Opinion

[04:54] - How AI Is Changing FP&A Skills

[06:16] - Where AI Adds the Most Value

[13:51] - When AI Efficiency Doesn't Create Value

[15:03] - Judgment, Context & Accountability

[19:46] - Redesigning FP&A Work for AI

[20:51] - Why Communication Still Matters

[27:35] - Turning Saved Time Into Greater Value

[34:20] - What Differentiates Finance in the AI Era

[41:22] - How FP&A Professionals Stay Valuable

[46:27] - Closing & CPE Information

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Chithra Rajagopalan, Head of Finance at Obsidian Security, to discuss what great FP&A looks like in high-growth companies, why strong data foundations matter, and how finance teams can become more strategic business partners. Chithra shares lessons from scaling finance teams, supporting hypergrowth companies, and using data to influence better decisions.

Chithra Rajagopalan is a finance leader with experience across high-growth SaaS and AI security companies. She currently serves as Head of Finance at Obsidian Security, where she oversees financial strategy and operations. Her previous roles include finance leadership positions at Glue, ClickUp, and People.ai, following earlier experience at Deloitte and Ernst & Young.

Expect to Learn:

• Why great FP&A goes beyond reporting.
• How strong data foundations support better decisions.
• What finance teams need during hypergrowth.
• How AI is changing finance roles and workflows.
• Why cybersecurity matters when finance adopts AI.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “Accounting is always going to give you exposure to what already happened. You still need a strong FP&A partner to know what to do in the future.” - Chithra Rajagopalan
• “You can have as much data as you want, but if you don’t utilize it to make decisions, surface risk, or hold people accountable, it’s pointless.” - Chithra Rajagopalan

Chithra explains that strong FP&A starts with reliable data, business understanding, communication, and the ability to prioritize what actually moves the business forward. For finance professionals, the growing use of AI also means shifting from task execution toward an orchestration mindset, where teams understand systems, workflows, automation, and business strategy rather than simply producing reports.

Follow Chithra:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chithra-rajagopalan-mba
• Website: https://www.obsidiansecurity.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

[00:00] - Trailer

[05:07] - What Great FP&A Looks Like

[11:16] - Building Finance During Hypergrowth

[15:19] - Creating a Culture of Data

[17:52] - Three Foundations of Strong FP&A Teams

[29:31] - Inside Obsidian Security

[34:38] - AI, Finance & Cybersecurity

[39:42] - Moving Beyond AI Hype

[44:43] - Why Finance Needs AI Guardrails

[47:24] - The Skills FP&A Professionals Need

[50:01] - The Future of Finance Teams

[57:08] - Why Startup Chaos Builds Better Leaders

[59:15] - Closing Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Eric Alexander about building effective FP&A functions, developing business acumen, and preparing finance professionals for leadership. Eric explains why finance teams need to look beyond the numbers, understand the business, communicate effectively, and develop the leadership skills needed to create greater impact.

Eric Alexander is the President of Six Arrows Consulting and an advisor, speaker, and author with nearly 40 years of financial management experience, including 20 years in CFO roles. He served as CFO of Happy State Bank and now provides leadership development, strategic planning, finance function, and advisory services to community banks and mid-market companies. He is also the author of Stewardship Leadership for Stinking Accountants: Serving as the CFO.

Expect to Learn:

• Why business understanding matters beyond technical skills.
• How to build a stronger FP&A function.
• Why CFOs need leadership and communication skills.
• How to make better decisions through constructive disagreement.
• Why stewardship is essential to effective finance leadership.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• "Numbers that are done correctly relative to the business issue and then communicated well... that's good FP&A." - Eric Alexander
• "If I live in my little silo by myself and ignore the effects upstream and downstream, I'm missing opportunities." - Eric Alexander

Eric emphasizes that strong finance professionals need more than technical expertise. They must understand the business behind the numbers, communicate their insights, collaborate across functions, and help leaders make better decisions. As professionals move toward CFO roles, leadership, strategy, communication, and stewardship become increasingly important

Follow Eric:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-alexander-sixarrowsconsulting/
• Website: https://ericralexander.com/
• Company: https://sixarrowsconsulting.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[03:55] - What Great FP&A Looks Like

[04:47] - Building a Strong FP&A Function

[07:43] - Understanding the Business Behind the Numbers

[09:23] - Building Business Acumen

[13:39] - Moving From Accounting to FP&A

[16:19] - The Path to CFO

[20:31] - Leadership & Constructive Disagreement

[26:06] - Pre-Mortems & Better Decisions

[30:03] - Point Estimates vs. Ranges

[38:10] - Stewardship Leadership & The CFO Role

[43:57] - Technical & Human Skills for FP&A

[46:19] - Personal Questions & Closing Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Soufyan Hamid about financial storytelling, finance business partnering, and how finance professionals can move from reporting numbers to influencing business decisions. Soufyan explains why numbers need context, how finance teams can systematize storytelling, and why communication, business acumen, and empathy are essential skills for creating strategic impact.

Soufyan Hamid is a finance professional, corporate trainer, EMBA lecturer, and keynote speaker who specializes in systematizing storytelling for finance teams. He helps finance professionals strengthen their communication and financial storytelling skills.

Expect to Learn:

• What the “precision trap” means for FP&A.
• Why timely analysis can be more valuable than perfect accuracy.
• How to choose the right level of accuracy for a decision.
• What questions to ask before starting an analysis.
• How finance professionals can become better business partners.
• How the DERP framework improves variance analysis.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• "The first technical skill...that I would love for teams to develop is the driver tree." - Soufyan Hamid
• "The numbers will never share a story by themselves." - Soufyan Hamid

Soufyan explains that effective financial storytelling is about more than presenting numbers. Finance professionals need to understand their audience, prioritize what matters, provide context, and help the business make better decisions.

Follow Soufyan:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soufyanhamid/
• Website: https://www.thefinancecircle.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[03:13] - What Great FP&A Looks Like

[05:46] - Why Finance Needs Storytelling

[12:28] - Making Financial Storytelling Useful

[16:02] - Why Numbers Need Context

[19:57] - Systematizing Storytelling & the FP&A Maturity Model

[29:38] - Storytelling, Business Partnering & Influence

[34:21] - Common Finance Presentation Mistakes

[40:13] - Complexity Is a Failure of Empathy

[46:05] - Technical & Human Skills for FP&A

[49:53] - The Mindset Shift: Learning to Prioritize

[56:15] - Building Better Finance Teams & Closing Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Asif Masani about his new book, The Precision Trap, and why finance teams can focus too much on accuracy and miss the decision window. Asif explains how FP&A professionals can deliver timely analysis, influence business decisions, and become stronger business partners.

Asif Masani is a Director at FP&A Professionals Institute and FP&A Jobs, an author, and Udemy instructor focused on helping finance professionals develop their FP&A skills. He is the author of All About FP&A, From Accounting to FP&A, and Data Storytelling Playbook.

Expect to Learn:

• What the “precision trap” means for FP&A.
• Why timely analysis can be more valuable than perfect accuracy.
• How to choose the right level of accuracy for a decision.
• What questions to ask before starting an analysis.
• How finance professionals can become better business partners.
• How the DERP framework improves variance analysis.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• "Finance people are very good at doing analysis, but they're not very good at influencing decisions." - Asif Masani
• "The decision that could wait earlier for three weeks, can't wait today for three days." - Asif Masani

The key to avoiding the precision trap is understanding what decision the analysis needs to support, who needs it, and when they need it. Asif explains why finance professionals should focus on delivering useful analysis at the right time and earning a place in important business decisions.

Follow Asif:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asifmasani/
• Website: https://fpnaprofessionals.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[04:58] - What Great FP&A Looks Like

[10:30] - Building the FP&A Professionals Institute

[18:33] - Understanding the Precision Trap

[20:35] - Why Timely Analysis Matters

[29:44] - Spotting the Precision Trap in Organizations

[35:16] - Essential FP&A Skills

[38:04] - The DERP Framework

[39:54] - Getting to Know Asif

[44:56] - Final Advice for Finance Professionals

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Zach Rial and Chris Ortega, alongside co-host Glenn Snyder, to discuss budgeting and forecasting best practices. The conversation explores how finance teams should think about the purpose of budgeting, balancing control with agility, involving the business in the planning process, and using forecasting as a tool for better decision-making.

Zach Rial is a finance leader at AskElephant, a startup focused on revenue and conversation intelligence. He brings experience as an operator who uses finance, FP&A, and business insights to help companies grow and improve decision-making. Chris Ortega is the CEO of Fresh FP&A, a global fractional CFO and advisory firm supporting small and medium-sized businesses. Chris has over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, and leadership roles, helping organizations build, scale, and prepare for growth.

Expect to Learn:

• The real purpose of budgeting and forecasting
• How to create a business-focused planning process
• Why trust and partnership are essential for FP&A teams
• How to balance budget discipline with flexibility
• Best practices for managing AI costs and governance

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “A budget is the direction of where you want to go, but things change so much in a business.” - Chris Ortega
• “The budget process should not be a finance exercise. It’s an organizational exercise.” - Glenn Snyder

Effective budgeting is not about predicting the future perfectly, it is about creating alignment, understanding business drivers, and enabling better decisions. The strongest FP&A teams use budgets and forecasts as tools to guide the business, build trust, and help leaders navigate uncertainty.

Follow Zach:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyrial/

Follow Chris:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freshcfo/

Follow Glenn:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyder/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Introduction

[06:20] - The Purpose of Budgeting

[12:26] - Making Budgeting a Business Process

[17:24] - Building a Better Planning Approach

[26:51] - Practical Budgeting and Forecasting Tips

[37:44] - Building Trust With Business Partners

[44:35] - Managing AI Costs and Governance

[54:18] - Balancing Budget Control and Agility

[58:35] - Final Advice

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Brock Beyer and Natalia Kudinova to discuss how vibe coding is changing the way finance professionals automate work and build practical tools. They explore real-world use cases, AI token costs, security and maintenance concerns, and why finance teams should start with simple, repetitive processes rather than business-critical systems.

Brock Beyer is the CPA Controller at Jump, where he has used vibe coding to build internal productivity tools. Natalia Kudinova is a Senior Director at ABBYY with experience across finance leadership, treasury, tax, reporting, transformation, and process improvement.

Expect to Learn:

• What vibe coding means for finance professionals
• Practical finance processes you can automate with AI
• How to manage AI token usage and costs
• Why security and human oversight remain essential
• How to start small and learn through experimentation

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “You don't have to feel this pressure to vibe code every single tool.” - Brock Beyer
• “Start with the tasks that you are most tired of doing manually.” - Natalia Kudinova

Vibe coding is giving finance professionals new ways to automate repetitive work and build practical tools without traditional coding expertise. The key is to start small, focus on well-defined processes, and keep humans involved in reviewing results. As AI adoption grows, security, cost, and maintainability will remain critical considerations.

Follow Natalia:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-kudinova-aca/

Follow Brock:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brockbeyer/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[03:12] - What Great FP&A Looks Like

[04:59] - What Is Vibe Coding?

[09:36] - Getting Started With Vibe Coding

[16:02] - Where Vibe Coding Makes Sense

[20:21] - AI Token Costs and ROI

[34:12] - Best Finance Processes to Automate

[41:53] - What You Shouldn't Vibe Code

[46:17] - Maintenance and Security

[54:17] - Final Advice