FP&A Unlocked

Paul Barnhurst
  • 5.0 (28)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

FP&A Unlocked is where Paul Barnhurst, aka The FP&A Guy, discusses how FP&A can unlock your seat at the boardroom, and what it takes.

  1. 5d ago

    When AI Does the Analysis, What Makes an FP&A Professional Valuable with Valerie Martin

    In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Snyder sit down with Valerie Martin to discuss how AI is changing FP&A, leadership, and business partnering. They explore why greater efficiency does not automatically create greater value and how finance teams can use AI without losing judgment, context, or trust with the business. Valerie Martin is a Finance Executive specializing in FP&A and strategic finance, with experience across GTM, SaaS, AI, and value creation. A former Autodesk finance leader and San Francisco FP&A Board Ambassador, Valerie brings extensive experience in business partnering, finance transformation, and helping organizations make better strategic decisions. Expect to Learn: Why AI efficiency does not always create more value.How AI is changing the skills FP&A teams need.Why judgment and business context still matter.How leaders should rethink training and development.Why communication and trust remain critical in FP&A. Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: “AI could help us get the answer faster, but you can't outsource accountability.” - Valerie Martin“The measurement is about the value, not the production.” - Glenn Snyder Valerie explains that AI can automate variance analysis, reporting, data cleanup, and other repetitive work, but faster production is only useful if teams turn that saved time into greater business value. As AI takes on more technical work, FP&A professionals need to strengthen their judgment, curiosity, business acumen, and communication skills. Follow Valerie: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-martin-342878/Email: valsoniamartin@gmail.com Follow Glenn: LinkedIn: 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. Explore Lineos Reporting Intelligence:Ready to transform financial reporting? See how Lineos Reporting Intelligence helps finance teams connect ERP data directly to Excel, access current data, and spend less time assembling reports.Watch the Reporting Intelligence demo: https://www.insightsoftware.com/lineos/resources/Reporting-intelligence-demo/?utm_source=thefpaguy&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=lineos-influencer-oct&utm_content=newsletter1 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 [01:17] - Hard-Coded Opinion [04:54] - How AI Is Changing FP&A Skills [06:16] - Where AI Adds the Most Value [13:51] - When AI Efficiency Doesn't Create Value [15:03] - Judgment, Context & Accountability [19:46] - Redesigning FP&A Work for AI [20:51] - Why Communication Still Matters [27:35] - Turning Saved Time Into Greater Value [34:20] - What Differentiates Finance in the AI Era [41:22] - How FP&A Professionals Stay Valuable [46:27] - Closing & CPE Information

    When AI Does the Analysis, What Makes an FP&A Professional Valuable with Valerie Martin

  2. Sep 24

    The Three Foundations of Strategic FP&A with Chithra Rajagopalan

    In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Chithra Rajagopalan, Head of Finance at Obsidian Security, to discuss what great FP&A looks like in high-growth companies, why strong data foundations matter, and how finance teams can become more strategic business partners. Chithra shares lessons from scaling finance teams, supporting hypergrowth companies, and using data to influence better decisions. Chithra Rajagopalan is a finance leader with experience across high-growth SaaS and AI security companies. She currently serves as Head of Finance at Obsidian Security, where she oversees financial strategy and operations. Her previous roles include finance leadership positions at Glue, ClickUp, and People.ai, following earlier experience at Deloitte and Ernst & Young. Expect to Learn: Why great FP&A goes beyond reporting.How strong data foundations support better decisions.What finance teams need during hypergrowth.How AI is changing finance roles and workflows.Why cybersecurity matters when finance adopts AI. Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: “Accounting is always going to give you exposure to what already happened. You still need a strong FP&A partner to know what to do in the future.” - Chithra Rajagopalan“You can have as much data as you want, but if you don’t utilize it to make decisions, surface risk, or hold people accountable, it’s pointless.” - Chithra Rajagopalan Chithra explains that strong FP&A starts with reliable data, business understanding, communication, and the ability to prioritize what actually moves the business forward. For finance professionals, the growing use of AI also means shifting from task execution toward an orchestration mindset, where teams understand systems, workflows, automation, and business strategy rather than simply producing reports. Follow Chithra: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chithra-rajagopalan-mbaWebsite: https://www.obsidiansecurity.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 [05:07] - What Great FP&A Looks Like [11:16] - Building Finance During Hypergrowth [15:19] - Creating a Culture of Data [17:52] - Three Foundations of Strong FP&A Teams [29:31] - Inside Obsidian Security [34:38] - AI, Finance & Cybersecurity [39:42] - Moving Beyond AI Hype [44:43] - Why Finance Needs AI Guardrails [47:24] - The Skills FP&A Professionals Need [50:01] - The Future of Finance Teams [57:08] - Why Startup Chaos Builds Better Leaders [59:15] - Closing Thoughts

    The Three Foundations of Strategic FP&A with Chithra Rajagopalan

  3. Sep 17

    Are You Solving Business Problems or Just Reporting Numbers? with Eric Alexander

    In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Eric Alexander about building effective FP&A functions, developing business acumen, and preparing finance professionals for leadership. Eric explains why finance teams need to look beyond the numbers, understand the business, communicate effectively, and develop the leadership skills needed to create greater impact. Eric Alexander is the President of Six Arrows Consulting and an advisor, speaker, and author with nearly 40 years of financial management experience, including 20 years in CFO roles. He served as CFO of Happy State Bank and now provides leadership development, strategic planning, finance function, and advisory services to community banks and mid-market companies. He is also the author of Stewardship Leadership for Stinking Accountants: Serving as the CFO. Expect to Learn: Why business understanding matters beyond technical skills.How to build a stronger FP&A function.Why CFOs need leadership and communication skills.How to make better decisions through constructive disagreement.Why stewardship is essential to effective finance leadership. Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: "Numbers that are done correctly relative to the business issue and then communicated well... that's good FP&A." - Eric Alexander"If I live in my little silo by myself and ignore the effects upstream and downstream, I'm missing opportunities." - Eric Alexander Eric emphasizes that strong finance professionals need more than technical expertise. They must understand the business behind the numbers, communicate their insights, collaborate across functions, and help leaders make better decisions. As professionals move toward CFO roles, leadership, strategy, communication, and stewardship become increasingly important Follow Eric: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-alexander-sixarrowsconsulting/Website: https://ericralexander.com/Company: https://sixarrowsconsulting.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 [03:55] - What Great FP&A Looks Like [04:47] - Building a Strong FP&A Function [07:43] - Understanding the Business Behind the Numbers [09:23] - Building Business Acumen [13:39] - Moving From Accounting to FP&A [16:19] - The Path to CFO [20:31] - Leadership & Constructive Disagreement [26:06] - Pre-Mortems & Better Decisions [30:03] - Point Estimates vs. Ranges [38:10] - Stewardship Leadership & The CFO Role [43:57] - Technical & Human Skills for FP&A [46:19] - Personal Questions & Closing Thoughts

    Are You Solving Business Problems or Just Reporting Numbers? with Eric Alexander

  4. Sep 10

    Only 6% of Finance Teams Actually Influence Decisions | Soufyan Hamid

    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

    Only 6% of Finance Teams Actually Influence Decisions | Soufyan Hamid

  5. Sep 3

    Why Your Brilliant Financial Analysis Gets Ignored: The Precision Trap with Asif Masani

    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

    Why Your Brilliant Financial Analysis Gets Ignored: The Precision Trap with Asif Masani

  6. Aug 27

    The Budget Isn't the Goal. Building a Better Business Is with Zach & Chris

    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 forecastingHow to create a business-focused planning processWhy trust and partnership are essential for FP&A teamsHow to balance budget discipline with flexibilityBest 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

    The Budget Isn't the Goal. Building a Better Business Is with Zach & Chris

  7. Aug 20

    Should Finance Pros Be Using Vibe Coding to Build Their Own Tools? with Brock & Natalia

    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 professionalsPractical finance processes you can automate with AIHow to manage AI token usage and costsWhy security and human oversight remain essentialHow 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

    Should Finance Pros Be Using Vibe Coding to Build Their Own Tools? with Brock & Natalia

  8. Aug 13

    An Evaluation of the FPI AI Program and How 3 Finance Pros Are Using AI Today

    In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Nitesh Mukhi, Rohit Menon, and Sweta Jhalani to discuss how AI is transforming the FP&A profession and changing the way finance teams work. The guests share their experiences with the AI FP&A Programme, exploring practical AI applications, automation, financial analysis, and the skills finance professionals need to stay ahead. They also discuss why domain expertise, human judgment, and business understanding remain essential in an AI-driven finance world. Nitesh Mukhi is the Finance Director at Presight AI, an AI analytics and big data analytics company in Abu Dhabi, with over two decades of experience across auditing, financial analysis, treasury, and FP&A roles at companies including Schlumberger, FedEx, and KPMG. Rohit Menon is a Regional Finance professional at Bioltec with more than 19 years of experience across multinational companies, focusing on finance transformation and developing FP&A capabilities. Sweta Jhalani is a Chartered Accountant and FP&A Manager based in India who transitioned from audit into FP&A, building experience in financial planning, analysis, and business partnering Expect to Learn: How AI is transforming FP&A workflowsPractical finance use cases for AI toolsThe importance of financial modelling and business partneringWhy human judgment remains critical in AI adoptionBuilding the skills needed for the future of finance Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: “AI is an enabler. It's going to enhance your work, and I think it's going to help you in your day-to-day work.” - Nitesh Mukhi“AI is not the solution to each and every problem.” - Sweta Jhalani AI is changing the way finance professionals approach their work, but the fundamentals of finance remain important. The ability to understand business needs, interpret data, communicate insights, and apply human judgment will continue to separate great FP&A professionals from the rest. Follow Nitesh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitesh-mukhi-7504456/ Follow Rohit: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-menon1984/ Follow Sweta: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caswetajhalani/ Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) uses 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 [01:21] - Guest Introductions [04:09] - What Great FP&A Looks Like [07:17] - Why They Joined the AI FP&A Programme [12:06] - Inside the AI FP&A Programme [14:35] - Real-World AI Use Cases [17:15] - Key Lessons From the Programme [22:11] - The Reality of AI in Finance [30:14] - AI Projects and Applications [34:03] - Advice for Finance Professionals [36:50] - The Future of AI in FP&A [40:21] - Essential FP&A Skills [43:34] - Skills Needed for AI Success [46:36] - Quick-Fire Questions [52:20] - Final Thoughts and Advice

    An Evaluation of the FPI AI Program and How 3 Finance Pros Are Using AI Today
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About

FP&A Unlocked is where Paul Barnhurst, aka The FP&A Guy, discusses how FP&A can unlock your seat at the boardroom, and what it takes.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Barnhurst
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    135
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Paul Barnhurst
  • Show Website
    FP&A Unlocked

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