How can FinOps leaders drive both cost efficiency and innovation?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Preston Tauscher, Senior Product Owner of FinOps at AvidXchange, who brings over three decades of experience in digital transformation. Preston shares how his leadership journey has shaped his approach to cloud financial operations, offering practical insights for FinOps practitioners navigating complex enterprise environments.

Together, we dive into key topics, including:

• How AvidXchange uses unit costs and Tag-a-thons to optimize cloud spend and drive operational excellence

• The importance of metrics-based management and actionable reporting
  • Sell the ‘WHY’... to help center FinOps Persona’s on the VALUE of embracing change

• Strategies for predicting costs of new products using historical data

• How to foster a culture of accountability and innovation
  • Focus on ‘Data’ and building ‘Relationships’ across the Organization to drive positive change
  • Organizations always have differing Priorities - use Data & Value to drive alignment on the most important efforts

• Preston’s career reflections and advice for aspiring FinOps leaders

Whether you're scaling FinOps in a growing organization or refining your cost optimization strategy, this episode is packed with real-world lessons and leadership takeaways.

Don’t forget to subscribe for more expert interviews, FinOps best practices, and cloud cost optimization insights!

Quote of the Show:

• “Everybody is always interested in the cost optimization and savings, and there are many different metrics used across Information Technology, but the one common metric that everybody gets is Dollars. ” - Preston Tauscher

Connect with Preston:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prestontauscher/ 
• Company website: https://www.avidxchange.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