In this episode of Future Finance, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Glenn Hopper about his new book, The AI-Ready CFO, and what finance leaders need to do to successfully adopt AI. Glenn explains why CFOs must take a leadership role in AI strategy, how finance can balance innovation with risk management, and why successful AI implementation starts with data readiness, process improvement, and strong governance.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why CFOs should lead AI adoption.
• How finance can balance AI, speed, and risk.
• Why data readiness is essential before AI implementation.
• How to build trust through governance and transparency.
• How to create effective AI pilots and scale success.

Glenn explains that AI adoption is not just about choosing new tools. Finance leaders need to understand their current processes, establish a baseline, identify opportunities, run focused pilots, and use evidence to decide what should be scaled.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Glenn’s new book: The AI-Ready CFO

https://robocfo.ai/ai-ready-cfo

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

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

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer: The AI-Ready CFO

[03:54] - The AI-Ready CFO Explained

[08:59] - The Changing CFO Role

[13:27] - Why Finance Should Lead AI

[16:46] - AI Change Management

[21:32] - Building an AI Strategy

[27:39] - Trust, Governance & AI

[32:32] - Transparent AI Processes

[36:30] - AI Build vs. Buy

[40:02] - Building AI Agents

[43:21] - Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Future Finance, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Glenn Hopper about his new book, The AI-Ready CFO, and how finance leaders can successfully navigate AI adoption. Glenn explains why CFOs need to take ownership of AI strategy, how to balance speed with risk, and why strong governance, data readiness, and change management are essential for building trust in AI.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why CFOs need to play a leading role in AI adoption.
• How finance teams can balance AI speed with governance and risk management.
• Why data readiness and process documentation are critical before implementing AI.
• How to build trust in AI through transparency, audit trails, and human oversight.
• How CFOs can create effective AI pilot programs and scale successful initiatives.

AI adoption is not just about selecting new tools. Glenn explains that successful implementation starts with understanding current processes, improving data readiness, creating measurable baselines, and building systems that allow people to trust AI outputs. For CFOs, the future role is not becoming an AI engineer, but becoming the leader who ensures AI is used responsibly and effectively across the organization.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Glenn’s new book: The AI-Ready CFO

https://robocfo.ai/ai-ready-cfo

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

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

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer: The AI-Ready CFO

[03:54] - The AI-Ready CFO Explained

[08:59] - The Changing CFO Role

[13:27] - Why Finance Should Lead AI

[16:46] - AI Change Management

[21:32] - Building an AI Strategy

[27:39] - Trust, Governance & AI

[32:32] - Transparent AI Processes

[36:30] - AI Build vs. Buy

[40:02] - Building AI Agents

[43:21] - Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Future Finance, Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper discuss AI fatigue and why finance professionals should focus less on chasing new models and more on using AI effectively. They share practical ways to improve AI results through better instructions, reference files, context, and data foundations.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why AI fatigue is becoming a real challenge.
• Why prompting alone is no longer enough.
• How context and reference files improve AI results.
• Why clean data and clear KPIs matter.
• How finance teams can start using AI more effectively.

Paul and Glenn emphasize that finance teams do not need to build complicated systems immediately. Starting with clear data definitions, documented sources, and simple context files can already make AI much more useful.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

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

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Introduction

[01:07] - AI Fatigue

[04:09] - Using AI Effectively

[05:44] - The Changing Role of Prompting

[07:40] - AI for Financial Modelling

[11:37] - AI and Finance Data

[14:47] - Building a Data Foundation

[18:10] - Practical AI Tips

[19:08] - Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper discuss AI fatigue, better ways for finance teams to use AI, and the growing challenge of forecasting AI costs. They explore why finance leaders should focus less on chasing new models and more on building the data, context, and workflows needed to get real value from AI.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why finance teams should stop chasing every new AI model.
• Why context is becoming more important than prompting alone.
• How better KPIs and data foundations improve AI results.
• How organizations can forecast and manage AI token costs.
• Why AI success should be measured by business outcomes.

Paul and Glenn explain why effective AI adoption isn't about using the most tokens or knowing every new tool. It's about using AI to help finance make better, faster decisions.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

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

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] – Trailer

[03:17] – AI Fatigue & Model Overload

[09:38] – Beyond Prompt Engineering

[16:03] – Building Better AI Context

[24:29] – Organizing Finance Knowledge

[27:29] – Token Maxing & AI Costs

[32:06] – Forecasting Token Spend

[38:23] – Focusing on Business Value

[41:43] – Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper welcome Alex Curran, CEO of Aptitude Software, to discuss AI-native ERP, the changing role of CFOs, and how finance teams can prepare for AI adoption. Alex explains why strong data foundations, flexible architecture, and real-time finance systems are becoming essential.

Alex Curran is the CEO of Aptitude Software, a company with decades of experience building finance solutions for complex organizations. After more than 12 years at Aptitude, Alex became CEO in late 2023 and now leads the company’s focus on AI-native finance technology, including the Fynapse platform.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why CFOs are becoming strategic partners in business decisions.
• Why clean, detailed data is essential for effective AI adoption.
• What makes an ERP system truly AI-native.
• How CFOs can evaluate legacy and newer AI-native ERP platforms.
• Why flexible AI models and real-time finance are becoming more important.

Alex explains that successful AI adoption requires more than adding AI features to existing finance systems. Organizations need the right data and architecture to support changing AI technologies while meeting complex finance requirements.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow Alex:

Website: http://fynapse.app/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-curran-9aa593b/

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:56] – Meet Alex Curran

[02:32] – Aptitude Software and Fynapse

[05:16] – The Changing CFO Role

[07:03] – Finance’s Data Problem

[10:53] – AI-Native Finance Systems

[14:33] – Evaluating ERP Options

[17:32] – The Future of AI-Native ERP

[18:59] – Closing Thoughts

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper welcome Alex Curran, CEO of Aptitude Software, to discuss the future of finance systems, AI-native ERP, and how organizations can prepare their finance functions for a rapidly changing technology landscape. Alex shares how finance teams can move beyond outdated systems, improve data foundations, and use AI to enable faster, more informed decision-making.

Alex Curran is the CEO of Aptitude Software, a company that has spent over 40 years building finance solutions for complex organizations. After joining Aptitude over 12 years ago, Alex progressed through multiple leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2023. She now leads the company’s focus on AI-native finance technology and modern ERP solutions.

In this episode, you will discover:

• Why CFOs are expected to become strategic partners in business decisions.
• Why clean data and strong architecture are essential for successful AI adoption.
• How AI-native ERP systems differ from traditional finance platforms.
• Why real-time finance and continuous close are becoming possible.
• How AI will change finance roles and create new opportunities.

Alex explains why the future of finance is not just about adding AI tools, but about building the right systems, data foundations, and processes to make AI valuable and trustworthy.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow Alex:

Website: http://fynapse.app/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-curran-9aa593b/

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

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] – Trailer

[05:22] – The Modern CFO Role

[11:36] – Building Flexible AI Systems

[15:16] – Evaluating ERP Solutions

[19:08] – Legacy ERP vs AI-Native ERP

[23:39] – Real-Time Finance & Continuous Close

[27:02] – AI’s Impact on Finance Teams

[30:24] – The Future of Accountants

[35:44] – AI Questions & Leadership Lessons

[36:53] – Finance System Implementation Challenges

[38:40] – Alex’s CEO Journey

[40:04] – Closing Thoughts on Finance’s Future

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper welcome Robert Collie to discuss artificial intelligence, data analytics, and the future of work. Robert shares his journey from helping build Power Pivot and Power BI at Microsoft to founding P3 Adaptive. He explains how AI is changing the role of finance and data professionals, why strong data foundations still matter, and why continuous learning is essential in an AI-driven world.

Robert Collie is the founder and CEO of P3 Adaptive, a Microsoft analytics and AI consulting firm. During his 13 years at Microsoft, he helped lead the development of Power Pivot and Power BI. He is also the author of Power Pivot and Power BI and the upcoming book Fair Game: Customizing AI to Your Business Is Easier Than You Think.

In this episode, you will discover:

• How Power Pivot and Power BI transformed data analytics.
• Why AI is creating new opportunities for finance professionals.
• Why adapting skills is critical in the AI era.
• How businesses can make AI practical and accessible.

Robert shares practical insights on combining data expertise, AI, and human judgment to create value in the future of work.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow Robert:

Website: https://p3adaptive.com/

Book: https://fairgamebook.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcollie/

In Today’s Episode:

[03:58] - Building Power Pivot and Power BI at Microsoft

[08:56] - Leaving Microsoft and Founding P3 Adaptive

[13:36] - AI and the Future of Work

[17:13] - Introducing Fair Game

[19:41] - Making AI Practical and Accessible

[21:31] - Helping Everyone Understand AI

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper welcome Robert Collie, founder and CEO of P3 Adaptive, for a conversation about artificial intelligence, data analytics, and how finance professionals can prepare for the future of work. Robert shares his journey from helping build Power BI at Microsoft to founding P3 Adaptive and explains why AI is creating both disruption and new opportunities for finance and data professionals.

Robert Collie is the founder and CEO of P3 Adaptive, a Microsoft analytics and AI consulting firm. During his 13 years at Microsoft, Robert helped lead the development of Power Pivot and Power BI. He is also the author of the bestselling Power Pivot and Power BI book and hosts the Raw Data with Rob Collie podcast. His upcoming book, Fair Game: Customizing AI to Your Business is Easier Than You Think, explores how organizations can make AI practical and accessible.

In this episode, you will discover:

• How Power BI and Power Pivot changed the way organizations use data.
• Why AI is creating new opportunities for finance and data professionals.
• Why sitting still with current skills can create career risks.
• How companies can build AI systems using strong data foundations.
• Why semantic models are becoming essential for AI adoption.

Robert brings decades of experience in business intelligence, analytics, and AI, sharing practical lessons on how finance leaders and data professionals can adapt, learn, and create value in a rapidly changing environment.

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow Robert:

Website: https://p3adaptive.com/

Book: https://fairgamebook.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robcollie/

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] – Trailer

[00:00] – How AI is changing jobs

[02:43] – Robert’s Microsoft journey

[06:06] – Power BI and Power Pivot impact

[11:25] – Leaving Microsoft for P3 Adaptive

[15:43] – AI and the future of data work

[19:33] – Making AI accessible

[25:13] – AI tools and better workflows

[31:11] – AI in career planning

[33:38] – AI changing finance and consulting

[35:16] – Why semantic models matter

[38:35] – Building a strong company culture

[40:34] – Robert’s AI book and future plans

In this episode of Future Finance, host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Hopper are joined by guest Alex Brower, co-founder and CEO of QFlow.ai, to explore why forecasting problems often begin with the data layer. They discuss data plumbing, semantic alignment, Model Context Protocols (MCPs), vibe coding, and how finance and go-to-market teams can work from shared definitions to improve forecast quality and analysis.

Alex Brower is the co-founder and CEO of QFlow.ai, helping finance and go-to-market teams connect data, improve forecast accuracy, and boost analyst productivity by up to five times. He previously led finance and marketing at high-growth tech firms like AppTelligent (acquired by VMware) and Cloud Academy (acquired by QA).

In this episode, you will discover:

• How data hygiene and shared definitions improve forecasting
• Why unified data alone does not solve business alignment issues
• MCP vs semantic layers for reliable analysis
• The risks of untested AI-generated analysis
• Why AI cost and governance matter

Alex explains how QFlow helps companies prepare data, run planning workflows, and turn analysis into board-ready stories.

Follow Alex:

Website: https://qflow.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbrower/

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow QFlow.ai:

Website - https://bit.ly/4i1Ekjg

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] – Introduction

[02:15] – Data & Forecasting Challenges

[06:43] – MCP vs Semantic Layers

[09:55] – AI Coding Risks

[15:52] – QFlow Data Preparation

[18:10] – Planning & Business Insights

[20:51] – Closing Thoughts

Future Finance host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Hopper are joined by Alex Brower, co-founder and CEO of QFlow.ai, to unpack why forecasting often breaks down even when teams have plenty of data. The discussion focuses on how finance and go-to-market teams can work from shared inputs, improve planning accuracy, and use AI without losing the structure needed for reliable decisions.

Alex Brower is the co-founder and CEO of QFlow.ai, helping finance and go-to-market teams connect data, improve forecast accuracy, and boost analyst productivity up to five times. He previously led finance and marketing at high-growth tech firms like AppTelligent (acquired by VMware) and Cloud Academy (acquired by QA).

In this episode, you will discover:

• Fix data plumbing before system consolidation.
• Use data dictionaries for consistent definitions.
• AI helps, but semantic logic is still needed.
• Vibe coding can create hidden costs if untested.
• Start with key unanswered questions, then plan solutions.

Alex shares lessons from leading finance, operations, and marketing teams at high-growth companies, including what he learned from living the forecast tension on both sides of the table.

Follow Alex:

Website: https://qflow.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbrower/

Follow Glenn:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow QFlow.ai:

Website - https://bit.ly/4i1Ekjg

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:

[00:00] – Trailer

[03:44] – Finance-to-marketing journey & QFlow’s solution

[07:10] – Data plumbing vs. alignment

[11:37] – MCPs, AI, and logic layers

[14:50] – Risks of vibe coding & maintainability

[21:56] – How QFlow handles data, planning, and storytelling

[30:57] – Alignment before strategy & reducing fact-hunting

[35:39] – Where CFOs/FP&A should start modernizing

[44:03] – Closing & sponsor sign-off