CPM Customer Success: Tips for Office of Finance Executives on their Corporate Performance Management journey Andy Smetana

In this episode, Andy welcomes Sherry from OSI Group to the CPM Customer Success Podcast. Sherry shares her insights and experiences in leading a successful finance transformation at OSI Group. She delves into her career background, her passion for bringing order to chaos, and the significant changes she has driven at the company. Tune in to hear about her challenges, the strategies implemented, and the lessons learned along the way. This episode is packed with practical advice and inspiration for anyone looking to drive meaningful organizational change.
Sherry DeMeulenaere is EVP, CFO, and Treasurer of OSI Group, LLC. OSI Group, LLC is a global food processor servicing quick service restaurants, retail and food service distributors. Sherry joined OSI Group, LLC in March 2008 as the VP Treasurer, responsible for global treasury and risk management as well as domestic AP, AR and payroll. In March 2014, Sherry was promoted to EVP and CFO adding accounting and tax to her Treasury responsibilities.
 
Key Highlights:
[00:01 - 10:06] Sherry's Background and Career Journey
Sherry’s passion for finance and her journey from uncertainty to structure.
Gained intimate knowledge of a global company and improved information management.
The importance of understanding global operations for effective leadership
Extensive global selection process and critical partnership with Nova for successful implementation.
[10:07 - 14:17] Managing Global Change in Financial Systems
Conducted podcasts to explain the need for global change and alignment.
Strong support from the COO and President ensured top-down commitment.
Held sessions with finance and management teams to gather accurate requirements.
Emphasized data integrity improvements and addressed key decisions upfront.
[14:18 - 22:33] Lessons Learned During Financial System Implementation
Ensure sufficient staffing with detail-oriented individuals for thorough data validation.
Clearly communicate the need for a shakeout period post-implementation.
Leveraged OneStream's workflow and tools for efficiency and tailored information analysis.
Improved data drill-down capabilities for better financial reporting and decision-making.
[22:34 - 33:52] Benefits of OneStream's Drill-Down Capability
Provides clear visibility into data sources, unlike HFM.
Allows users globally to access and resolve discrepancies quickly.
Facilitates detailed account-level analysis for accurate reporting.
Builds confidence in data accuracy for strategic decisions and presentations.
[33:53 - 37:23] Closing Segment
Prepare thoroughly and communicate consistently with your management team.
Select a knowledgeable implementation partner to train your team for independent management.
Establish a dedicated team for system ownership and maintenance from the start.
Begin with manageable projects and gradually expand, avoiding the urge to solve everything at once.
 
If you liked this episode of the show, CPM Customer Success, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
Get in touch with Andy:
Email: Andy.Smetana@NovaAdvisory.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-smetana/
 
Thank you for tuning in! 
Tweetable Quotes:
“You could buy a great system, if you don't have a good implementation partner, that's not going to work out.”  - Sherry DeMeulenaere
“Pick some people who are really, really detail-oriented and love to run validations, and are really sharp at that.” - Sherry DeMeulenaere
“What we liked about OneStream when we picked it was that it had modules. You could expand it. You could start small and build out.”  - Sherry DeMeulenaere

This episode of the CPM Customer Success Podcast dives into the upcoming OneStream Splash conference in Las Vegas. Randy Cramp, Senior Sales Director at OneStream, joins the show to discuss how attendees can get the most out of the event. 

Cramp emphasizes the importance of planning and suggests reviewing the conference app to curate a personalized agenda. He also highlights networking opportunities, recommending attendees connect with other customers, partners, and OneStream specialists. 

The episode explores valuable sessions, including those focused on OneStream's AI capabilities showcased in the AI Hub. Cramp stresses the importance of asking questions, particularly for potential customers seeking to understand how OneStream can address their specific needs. 

Selecting the right partner is also a key topic. Cramp advises attendees to explore the partner expo and inquire about a partner's experience and methodology. 

Randy concludes with a customer success story, illustrating how a OneStream user continuously identified opportunities to solve problems and deliver value across the organization. 

Today's podcast episode dives into the dynamic world of the OneStream Splash conference, the annual watershed event for OneStream customers and prospects. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Las Vegas from May 20-23, this episode offers "7 Tips to Maximize Your Splash, at Splash," ensuring you ride the wave of opportunities during the event. Whether you're a seasoned OneStream customer or a prospective user, you'll learn how to navigate the event effectively—from crafting a personalized agenda to strategic networking and exploring innovations for today’s Office of Finance leaders. Tune in to transform your conference experience into a pivotal professional development opportunity, all while enjoying the energy that only OneStream's premier Splash event can offer. 

In this episode, Andy Smetana discusses the importance of change management in OneStream projects with Susan Maron. Susan emphasizes the need for change management to start from day one and continue throughout the project. She highlights that neglecting change management can lead to hasty decisions, lack of user trust, and inefficiencies. It's crucial to involve experts and consider written support, whether the project is in-person or remote, to ensure a smooth transition and avoid surprises.
Susan Maron is the Chief of Staff for Nova Advisory, which is our fancy way of saying she supports team culture and operations.  Some days, Susan works with our team members on new thinking and processes and some days she works with our CEO, Nate Coate, on Nova's strategic roadmap.  Susan's expertise and leadership in Change Management across our largest clients are instrumental in the details for today's Podcast.
 
Key Highlights:
[00:01 - 09:22] Defining Organizational Management
Nova Advisory's focus is on organizational change management, especially in training and communication.
It is crucial to align terminology and grasp change management's broad impact.
Vital for tackling anticipated change management challenges.
[09:23 - 12:46] Challenges in Change Management and Client Involvement
All projects, including OneStream implementations, face expected surprises.
Common problems include time-consuming data reconciliation and unexpected discrepancies.
Only underestimating time leads to complete stakeholder involvement and overlooked aspects.
[12:47 - 21:56] Client's Role and Considerations in Change Management
Clients must evaluate their resources and time for internal change management.
Limited expertise risks suboptimal outcomes when handling change internally.
Effective change management starts from day one and continues throughout all phases.
[21:57 - 27:39] Closing Segment
The critical role of written support in both in-person and remote settings.
In-person collaboration is vital for key milestones like project kickoff and user acceptance testing.
Successful remote project implementations during COVID-19 highlight remote work advantages.
The simplicity and effectiveness of clear communication and planning in change management.
 
If you liked this episode of the show, CPM Customer Success, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, share, and subscribe!
 
Get in touch with Andy:
Email: Andy.Smetana@NovaAdvisory.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-smetana/
 
Thank you for tuning in!
 
Tweetable Quotes:
“Sometimes it's not about having the right people. It's about those people having the right time.” - Susan Maron
“The point is to stay, to anticipate what those challenges are gonna be, and to stay way ahead of those changes with frequent communication to the whole group.” - Susan Maron
“For our most successful clients, Change management should occur from day one through go live, as a good differentiator for success.” - Susan Maron
“Change management doesn't, it's not rocket science. It doesn't take one. So the most successful clients have the simplest communications, the willingness. What makes organizational change management successful for a OneStream project is that willingness and the time to plan ahead.” - Susan Maron 

This is a continuation of last week’s episode 007 for Manufacturing Finance leaders exploring OneStream’s capabilities.
This week’s episode 008 shifts focus to a discussion of OneStream's capabilities for Manufacturing Finance organizations, as OneStream’s Dave Collins, Director of Solutions Consulting and Global Alliances at OneStream, deep dives into achievable benefits of any Manufacturing organization faced with disparate systems and processes exacerbated by Supply Chain disruptions and rising global prices. The need for more impactful Manufacturing Finance professionals is evident, and OneStream offers solutions via its unified intelligent finance platform.

Dive into the world of advanced manufacturing finance in this episode where a panel of Manufacturing Finance leaders explores how OneStream’s unified platform provides insights into customer and product profitability that are not provided by point solutions.
Learn from multiple-time OneStream customer, Chad Pisha, CAO of IPS Corporation, as he shares insights and practical strategies to harness the full potential of OneStream for detailed financial analysis and decision-making. Greg Hertling, Nova Advisory Partner, also joins to discuss how top manufacturers are leveraging OneStream's capabilities to gain a competitive edge in a world filled with Supply Chain challenges, by modeling forecast scenarios.
Join us to transform your Manufacturing financial operations into a powerhouse of efficiency and precision.