The FP&A Guy Network

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 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 Financial Modeler’s Corner, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Oren Klaff about how financial modeling can become a powerful tool for deal-making, investment decisions, and career growth. Oren explains why modelers should focus on identifying key sensitivities, communicating insights effectively, and helping buyers and sellers find ways to make deals work rather than simply pointing out flaws.

Oren Klaff is a Private Equity Fund Manager and the bestselling author of Pitch Anything. Based in Beverly Hills, California, he focuses on recruiting smart people to join his portfolio companies. Oren began his career as a financial analyst in private equity before moving into deal-making and capital raising. His experience in financial modeling has played a key role in his approach to deal-making and raising capital.

Expect to Learn:

• How financial modeling can help you transition into deal-making and capital raising.
• Why identifying sensitive assumptions is more valuable than simply finding errors.
• How analysts can avoid antagonizing other parties and instead help move deals forward.
• What makes a financial model professional, usable, and trustworthy.
• Why simplicity and structure matter when building models for business users.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• "Excel will never die. Rock and roll will never die, and Excel will never die." - Oren Klaff
• "The shortest path to high status is finding something wrong." - Oren Klaff

Oren explains that the real value of a modeler goes beyond building technically complex spreadsheets. The best modelers help decision-makers understand what matters, communicate uncertainty, and find practical ways to move a deal forward. A strong model should also be simple enough for business users to operate and robust enough to withstand scrutiny.

Join FMI’s Global Conference:

Take your financial modeling skills to the next level with FMI’s Global Financial Modeling Conference. Experience 24 hours of learning, networking, and practical insights from leading experts across the finance community.

Register today: https://fminstitute.com/conference/

Follow Oren:

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

Follow Financial Modeler's Corner:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-modeler-s-corner/

Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7079020077076905984

Sign up for the Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation today and get 15% off using the code “Podcast” at https://bit.ly/497oAqW

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

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[05:20] - Finding Insight in the Numbers

[07:28] - Moving From Analyst to Deal Maker

[10:58] - Using Modeling Without Antagonizing the Other Side

[15:26] - Price, Terms, and Making Deals Work

[20:11] - Real-World Applications of Modeling in Deals

[23:24] - Modeling Horror Stories & What Good Models Look Like

[31:25] - Building Models That Help Raise Money

[35:20] - Storytelling With Numbers

[40:13] - Pitch Anything and the Role of Status

[43:24] - Rapid Fire: Excel, AI, Sensitivity Analysis & More

[44:53] - Final Advice for Advancing Your Modeling Career

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 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 Financial Modeler’s Corner, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Marli van Staden-Basson about best-practice financial modeling, AI, model design, and the skills needed to build reliable models. Marli explains why transparency, usability, and risk management matter, and how AI makes strong modeling practices even more important.

Marli van Staden-Basson is the founder and financial modeling specialist at Near Future Limited, with over 20 years of experience in corporate and infrastructure finance. She specializes in renewable energy and digital infrastructure modeling, including complex model development and independent model audits.

Expect to Learn:

• What best-practice financial modeling really means.
• Why model design and transparency are so important.
• How AI is changing financial modeling.
• Common modeling mistakes and practices to avoid.
• How to design models around the people who use them.
• Why human review remains essential when using AI.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• "You are still the last line of defence as the human modeler." - Marli van Staden-Basson
• "A good financial model should really be doing a single thing." - Marli van Staden-Basson

AI can make modeling faster, but Marli explains why it does not replace good modeling practices. Clear design, purposeful structure, checks, and human judgement remain essential for creating models that are reliable and easy to review.

Follow Marli:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marli-van-staden-basson-7119ba28/

Follow Financial Modeler's Corner:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-modeler-s-corner/

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

Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7079020077076905984

Sign up for the Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation today and get 15% off using the code “Podcast” at https://bit.ly/497oAqW

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[03:29] - Building a Career in Financial Modeling

[07:18] - Breaking the Modeler Stereotype

[10:54] - Financial Modeling Horror Stories

[18:49] - Starting a Financial Modeling Consultancy

[24:28] - AI and Best-Practice Modeling

[30:26] - Why Model Design Matters

[37:07] - Tips for Building Better Models

[41:23] - Worst Modeling Practices to Avoid

[47:43] - Excel Rapid Fire

[51:05] - AI and the Future of Modeling

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 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 Financial Modeler’s Corner, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Diarmuid Early about what separates great financial modelers from technically capable ones, the rise of AI in financial modeling, and why judgment remains essential. Diarmuid shares lessons from his career, his experience as a three-time World Financial Modeling Champion, and why understanding what a model actually means matters more than simply building it correctly.

Diarmuid Early is the founder of Early Days Consulting, a data analytics and financial modeling consultancy. He previously worked at Boston Consulting Group and spent nearly a decade in Deutsche Bank’s Origination and Advisory division. He holds a PhD in computer science and is a three-time World Financial Modeling Champion, Excel MVP, and Master Financial Modeler

Expect to Learn:

• Why great modelers think beyond simply building the model
• How assumptions and business understanding drive valuable financial models
• Where AI currently fits into financial modeling
• Why AI-generated models still require careful human review
• Why continuous learning remains essential for financial modelers

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• “The hard part is getting everybody aligned. What are the assumptions?” - Diarmuid Early
• “There is a smart way to do it. And so if you're banging your head against it, go find the smart way.” - Diarmuid Early

AI will continue to take on more of the technical work involved in financial modeling, but speed alone does not make a model useful or reliable. Strong modelers will continue to stand out through their ability to develop credible assumptions, interpret results, exercise judgment, and understand the decisions a model is meant to support.

Follow Diarmuid:

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

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

Follow Financial Modeler's Corner:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-modeler-s-corner/

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

Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7079020077076905984

Sign up for the Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation today and get 15% off using the code “Podcast” at https://bit.ly/497oAqW

In Today's Episode:

[00:00] - Trailer

[03:31] - Diarmuid’s Journey Into Financial Modeling

[06:00] - Financial Modeler Stereotypes

[08:20] - Career Advice for Aspiring Modelers

[12:46] - Financial Modeling Competitions

[14:59] - Consulting, Coaching, and Career Evolution

[18:25] - Meeting Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella

[21:08] - AI and the Future of Financial Modeling

[25:41] - Why AI-Generated Models Still Need Review

[31:09] - Financial Modeling Standards and Best Practices

[35:19] - Diarmuid’s Most Challenging Modeling Case

[39:28] - Excel Shortcuts and Modeling Tools

[41:38] - Rapid-Fire Modeling Questions

[46:01] - Continuous Learning and 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