FinOps in Action

PointFive

Welcome to FinOps in Action! Join host, Taylor Houck, 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.

  1. Stop Guessing, Start Saving ft. Loic Fournier, AWS | Ep #63

    2 DAYS AGO

    Stop Guessing, Start Saving ft. Loic Fournier, AWS | Ep #63

    What does it really take to turn cloud cost chaos into a sustainable FinOps practice, and why do most organizations get it wrong from the start? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Loic Fournier, Senior Technical Account Manager at AWS and 2025 AWS Technical Field Community Legend. With over 25 years in technology, from mainframes to modern cloud, Loic has become one of the most recognized voices in AWS cost optimization. Loic shared how the biggest mistake organizations make is treating FinOps as a one-time project rather than an ongoing practice, and what it actually takes to build governance that sticks across people, processes, and technology. We also covered the AWS native tools available to every organization for free, the link between cost optimization and sustainability, and how AI workloads are reshaping FinOps priorities heading into 2026.   Here’s what we talked about: Why FinOps fails when treated as a projectThe three pillars of FinOps governanceHow to get executive buy-inAWS free tools you should activate todayThe hidden savings hiding in your EBS volumesFinOps as a proxy for sustainabilityManaging AI costs before they spiralChapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Loic’s Background01:29 – The #1 Mistake in FinOps Adoption: Project vs. Practice03:14 – Building FinOps Governance: People, Process & Technology05:15 – Real-World Story: Going from Zero to 30% Cost Savings in 2 Years08:30 – The CFM Capacity Assessment & Measuring FinOps Maturity10:33 – What Separates High-Scoring vs. Low-Scoring FinOps Organizations13:00 – AWS Free Tools: Cost Optimization Hub & Compute Optimizer Explained17:16 – The Efficiency Score: Turning Potential Savings into Real Savings19:38 – The Most Common (and Costly) Cloud Waste: EC2, EBS & Databases25:08 – The Cloud Efficiency Hub & Why FinOps = Sustainability29:35 – AI & FinOps in 2026: Managing Model Costs with Bedrock & Routing37:14 – Life in Geneva, Midnight Climbing & Closing Thoughts 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “FinOps is a proxy for sustainability. When you help a customer perform better in FinOps, you are also helping save the world a little bit.”- Loic FournierLinks: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loicfournier/Website: https://aws.amazon.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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    40 min
  2. Making Cost a First-Class Engineering Concern ft. Jai Padmanabhan | Ep #62

    26 MAR

    Making Cost a First-Class Engineering Concern ft. Jai Padmanabhan | Ep #62

    Why does cloud cost optimization only start after it’s already too late? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Jai Padmanabhan, who shares why cloud cost is no longer just a finance concern; it’s a core responsibility for engineering teams. Drawing on decades of experience leading platforms in complex and regulated environments, Jai explains how the shift to the cloud fundamentally changed how organizations think about cost, and why treating it as an afterthought leads to reactive, high-pressure optimization later on. He breaks down how teams can build cost awareness into their day-to-day workflows, from setting budgets and enforcing guardrails to leveraging automation that scales infrastructure up and down based on real demand.  Jai also explores the trade-offs between efficiency and reliability, emphasizing why SLAs should always take priority in production and how over-optimization can introduce unintended consequences. From storage strategies in regulated industries to the hidden complexity of data transfer costs, he shares practical insights on where organizations commonly overspend and how to avoid it.   Here’s what we talked about: The dangers of reactive cost optimization after the bill shows upBuilding cost awareness into engineering teams through budgets and guardrailsHow Kubernetes changes the approach to cost optimizationStorage optimization strategies, especially in regulated industriesHow AI usage is impacting cloud spend (and why it’s still early)Why FinOps should be treated as everyone’s responsibility Chapters: 00:00 - FinOps First Class & Guest Intro 01:14 - Cost Becomes Engineering 06:59 - Kubernetes Autoscaling 10:26 - Risk Versus Savings 12:48 - Dev Prod Mindset 14:36 - Storage In Regulated 18:31 - Big Savings Surprises 22:24 - Day One Playbook 24:40 - AI Spend Management 27:57 - Security And Compliance 31:58 - Final FinOps Advice 37:03 - Connect And Wrap  🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “ Treat cloud costs as if you were paying a bill from your credit card.” - Jai Padmanabhan Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaishankar-padmanabhan-software-executive/  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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    37 min
  3. Why Cloud Visibility Is the Foundation of FinOps ft. Stijn Depril, Euroclear | Ep #61

    19 MAR

    Why Cloud Visibility Is the Foundation of FinOps ft. Stijn Depril, Euroclear | Ep #61

    If you can’t see where your cloud spend is going, how can you possibly control it? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Stijn Depril, FinOps Architect at Euroclear and Co-Founder of Costra. He shares why cloud visibility is the starting point for any successful FinOps practice. Drawing on decades of experience in infrastructure and cloud architecture, he explains how many organizations rushed into the cloud without fully understanding the financial implications and why FinOps is ultimately about building the right culture, not just cutting costs. Stijn discusses the importance of governance, leadership buy-in, and engineering collaboration when managing cloud spend. He also explains why engineers hold more influence over cost optimization than many organizations realize, and how FinOps teams can empower them to make smarter decisions without slowing innovation. The conversation explores what it really takes to move from reactive cost management to a proactive, organization-wide mindset around cloud efficiency.   Here’s what we talked about: Why visibility is the foundation of effective FinOpsThe risks of moving to the cloud without cost awarenessHow governance helps guide engineers toward optimizationWhy FinOps is as much a cultural shift as it is a financial disciplineThe role engineers play in controlling cloud spendWhat leadership support means for a successful FinOps program Chapters: 0:00 Intro 2:16 Stijn's FinOps Origin Story 4:07 Financial Problem or Engineering Problem? 5:59 Where FinOps Goes Right (and Wrong) 9:05 Should FinOps Be on the Pitch? Crawl, Walk, Run 11:31 What Does a FinOps Architect Actually Do? 16:44 Optimization in Action (The Hackathon Story) 32:17 AI and FinOps: Opportunities & Risks 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “I don’t need to have all the trophies on my back here. That’s not necessary. I want the organization and the engineers and the architects to do the right job for the organization.” - Stijn Depril Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdepril/ Costra: https://costra.io/ Website: https://www.euroclear.com/en.html  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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    42 min
  4. From Granular Optimizations to Wide Impact ft. Chandan Bukkapatnam, Procore Technologies | Ep #60

    12 MAR

    From Granular Optimizations to Wide Impact ft. Chandan Bukkapatnam, Procore Technologies | Ep #60

    How do you move from chasing $15 cloud savings to building a scalable FinOps program that actually drives impact? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Chandan Bukkapatnam, Senior Cloud FinOps Analyst at Procore Technologies, to unpack what it really takes to mature a FinOps practice from tactical cost-cutting to strategic influence. Chandan shares how he intentionally built his career at the intersection of cloud architecture and finance, why he initially focused too heavily on granular optimizations, and how automation changed everything. He explains why small “one-off” savings often waste engineering time, and how building systems is what truly scales cloud cost optimization. The conversation also explores one of the most important skills in FinOps: influencing without authority. Chandan breaks down how to build trust with engineers, secure leadership buy-in, and meet finance and engineering teams where they are, using the language that matters to each. Finally, the episode dives into the future of FinOps in an AI-driven world. From FinOps for AI workloads to AI for FinOps automation, Chandan shares how he sees artificial intelligence amplifying the practitioner’s role.  Here’s what we talked about: Why focusing on tiny cloud savings can backfireHow to prioritize high-impact cloud cost optimizationBuilding automation workflows that scaleGaining leadership buy-in for FinOps initiativesFinOps for AI vs. AI for FinOpsThe evolving strategic role of FinOps practitioners 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “ AI is taking over the world… but context is still number one.” - Chandan Bukkapatnam Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandan426/ Website: https://www.procore.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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    40 min
  5. Building a Cost-Aware Culture in the Age of AI ft. Henrique Amorim, Crayon | Ep #59

    5 MAR

    Building a Cost-Aware Culture in the Age of AI ft. Henrique Amorim, Crayon | Ep #59

    What if the biggest mistake new FinOps teams make isn’t missing savings, but executing them too soon? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Henrique Amorim, Business Analyst and FinOps Specialist at Crayon. He shares an honest look at what it really takes to build a successful FinOps practice. From resisting the urge to immediately slash costs to navigating engineering relationships and preparing for the AI-driven future of cloud spend, this conversation goes far beyond surface-level optimization tips. Henrique breaks down why FinOps isn’t about being the “cost police”. It’s about building influence, trust, and a culture of cost awareness across engineering, finance, and leadership. If you’re working in cloud cost optimization, FinOps, or AI cost management, this episode will challenge how you think about leverage, execution, and long-term impact.   Here’s what we talked about: Why you should treat early cloud savings as strategic leverageThe difference between theoretical savings and truly actionable optimizationsHow AI is reshaping the FinOps functionThe importance of building dashboards, processes, and visibility before scaling savingsWhy some “cost inefficiencies” are actually architectural featuresThe role of community in accelerating your FinOps maturityManaging up: how to communicate FinOps impact to executives 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “Identify those savings and keep them as an ace up your sleeve while using that as leverage to get your roots in the system.” - Henrique Amorim Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henriqueamorim/ Website: https://www.crayon.com/us/  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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    48 min
  6. Fail Fast, Optimize Smarter: Lessons in FinOps ft. Rense Siegmund, Gasunie | Ep #58

    26 FEB

    Fail Fast, Optimize Smarter: Lessons in FinOps ft. Rense Siegmund, Gasunie | Ep #58

    What is FinOps really? Is it just about cutting cloud costs? In this episode of FinOps in Action, Rense Siegmund, Founder of FinOps Academy and FinOps Lead at Gasunie, shares a practical perspective on what FinOps actually is and why it’s about far more than technical cloud optimization. With a background in coaching and team development, he brings a unique lens to cloud cost management: collaboration, culture, and data-driven decision-making. If you’ve ever wondered how to scale FinOps beyond a single practitioner, or how small and mid-sized organizations can manage $1M–$3M in annual cloud spend without a dedicated FinOps team, this conversation is packed with insight. Here’s what we talked about: The realities of FinOps for smaller organizations managing $150K–$3M in annual cloud spendHow to embed FinOps into company OKRs and governanceWhy behavior change starts with small, repetitive actionsThe growing impact of AI as a cloud cost driverThe importance of “fail fast, learn fast” in cloud cost optimizationWhy collaboration between engineering, finance, and leadership is the biggest challenge in FinOps 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “Behavior comes from repetitive small actions, so the sooner you get the first actions in the organization, the easier it becomes.” - Rense SiegmundLinks: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rense-siegmund-0b363b1b/ Website: https://www.gasunie.nl/en FinOps Academy: https://finopsacademy.nl/ 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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    35 min
  7. How Culture, Governance, and Visibility Drive Business Value ft. Tamara Lajara, SoftwareOne | Ep #57

    19 FEB

    How Culture, Governance, and Visibility Drive Business Value ft. Tamara Lajara, SoftwareOne | Ep #57

    Why do so many FinOps programs struggle to prove business value? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Tamara Lajara, FinOps Principal Consultant at SoftwareOne, to break down what real FinOps value looks like and why culture, governance, and visibility matter just as much as savings.  Drawing from more than a decade of consulting experience across industries, cloud maturity levels, and organizational cultures, Tamara shares why FinOps succeeds when people, process, and technology are aligned and fails when even one of those elements is ignored. This conversation dives deep into the realities FinOps practitioners face: getting engineering buy-in, navigating organizational politics, avoiding costly long-term cloud commitments, and proving value when ROI isn’t immediate or obvious. Here’s what we talked about: Why FinOps fails when it’s framed only as cost optimizationHow to think about FinOps value across four key pillars: optimization, governance, culture, and visibilityHow to get engineering buy-in when savings aren’t immediate or obviousThe risks of “lift, shift, and commit” cloud strategiesWhy tagging, governance, and accountability unlock future savingsWhat AI will (and won’t) replace in FinOpsHow cloud-native teams think differently about FinOps than legacy organizations 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “It’s about finding the right motivation for each team, not assuming everyone thinks the same way.” - Tamara Lajara Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaralajara/ Website: https://www.softwareone.com/en-us  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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    36 min
  8. Why FinOps Fails Without People: Power of Centers of Excellence ft. Trig Ghosh, Accenture | Ep #56

    12 FEB

    Why FinOps Fails Without People: Power of Centers of Excellence ft. Trig Ghosh, Accenture | Ep #56

    Why does FinOps work better when teams own outcomes instead of being told what to do? In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Trig Ghosh, FinOps SME at Accenture Federal Services, certified FinOps instructor, and founding contributor to the Cloud Efficiency Hub, to unpack what actually drives lasting FinOps success. Trig shares hard-earned lessons from building a FinOps Center of Excellence, aligning finance and engineering teams, and leading FinOps initiatives without a formal full-time team. From incentive alignment to leadership mindset, this episode goes deep on what it really takes to operationalize FinOps inside complex organizations.   Here’s what we talked about: What a FinOps Center of Excellence is, and how it differs from a traditional FinOps teamHow to align finance, engineering, security, and leadership around shared incentivesWhy over-provisioning happens, and how to work with engineers instead of against themHow recognition and ownership drive better FinOps outcomes than mandatesTrig’s practical definition of what FinOps actually isHow FinOps is evolving in a world of AI-driven cloud spend 🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/  Quote of the Show: “ To lead a FinOps team, you have to understand the incentives of all of these different personas. You have to be able to step into their shoes.” - Trig GhoshLinks: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trig-ghosh/ Website: https://www.accenture.com/us-en 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 Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/ Transistor: finopsinaction.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

    32 min
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About

Welcome to FinOps in Action! Join host, Taylor Houck, 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.

Information

  • Creator
    PointFive
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    65
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © PointFive