FP&A Unlocked

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes back Jordan Goldmeier, Excel expert, author, and longtime friend of the show, for a wide-ranging and honest conversation about careers, technology, and growth. Jordan reflects on his unconventional career path, from auditing and operations research to becoming a Microsoft MVP, author, and entrepreneur. The discussion covers Excel’s evolution, why many finance professionals underuse powerful tools, and Jordan’s latest projects aimed at modernizing how power users work with spreadsheets.Jordan is an entrepreneur, event producer, author, and Microsoft Excel MVP based in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. He is widely known for his work helping professionals master Excel, data analysis, and modern spreadsheet practices. Jordan has authored several well-known books, including Advanced Excel Essentials, Dashboards for Excel, and Becoming a Data Head. In addition to his work in Excel education, he produces global events that bring together leaders across finance, technology, and entrepreneurship.Expect to Learn:How Jordan’s career twists shaped his approach to Excel, data, and problem-solvingWhy most professionals only scratch the surface of Excel’s capabilitiesJordan’s perspective on why VBA is outdated and what could replace itWhy vertical learning beats beginner–intermediate–advanced training pathsHere are a few quotes from the episode:“Excel isn’t dead, but the way we develop in it needs to change.” – Jordan Goldmeier“You don’t become great by learning everything. You become great by going deep where it matters.” – Jordan GoldmeierJordan also shares the story behind his latest project: a developer-style environment designed to help Excel power users work faster, cleaner, and more confidently, without relying on outdated tools like VBA. He explains why Excel should be treated as part of a broader finance tech stack and how modern coding concepts could dramatically improve spreadsheet workflows. Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow JordanLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordangoldmeier/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 FP&A Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode:[02:15] – Jordan’s Career Journey[08:30] – Setbacks, Resets, and Growth[15:00] – Writing Books on Excel[25:59] – How Excel Is Really Used[29:12] – Why VBA Is Outdated[33:54] – Building Better Tools for Excel[42:25] – Advice for FP&A Professionals[47:16] – Creating Your Own Network[52:12] – Rapid-Fire & Final Thoughts

Disclaimer: This is a podswap episode from The Growth Minded CFO, hosted by Lauren Pearl and Alex Louisy, featuring Kate Gulliver, CFO and CEO of Wayfair.The path to becoming a CFO today is rarely a straight line. Finance leaders are increasingly coming from diverse backgrounds, bringing a broad range of skills to the role. After all, the best CFOs don’t just manage numbers; they shape strategy, foster talent, and drive innovation across an organization.In this episode of The Growth-Minded CFO, hosts Lauren and Alex sit down with Kate Gulliver, CFO and CAO of Wayfair. It's an insightful conversation about leadership, adaptability, and impact. Kate shares her journey from investor relations to overseeing finance, legal, talent, and corporate communication—offering a rare look at the evolution of a top executive.She reflects on the challenges of stepping into new roles, the power of an entrepreneurial mindset in a high-growth company, and the lessons learned from integrating finance with people strategy. Kate also opens up about balancing a demanding career with motherhood and the importance of fostering an inclusive, authentic workplace.In this Episode:[00:58] - Meet Kate Gulliver: Wayfair's Multifaceted Leader[01:53] - Journey Through Wayfair: From IPO to CFO[06:55] - Transitioning to Talent: A Leap of Faith[10:28] - Learning and Leading in Talent Management[16:08] - The CFO Perspective: Integrating Talent and Finance[17:11] - Navigating the CFO Role: Insights and Reflections[18:50] - The Importance of Cross-Departmental Communication[21:30] - Wayfair's Latest Launch: Wayfair Verified[24:49] - Operationalizing New Ideas at Wayfair[29:59] - Balancing Work and Life[33:23] - The Importance of Authenticity at WorkConnect with Kate:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-gulliver-3b242762/Connect with Alex:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexlouisy/

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Glenn Snyder and Rosemary Linden to talk about the important role of FP&A in today’s business world. They share stories from their careers, including lessons learned from failures, unique requests they've received, and their experiences navigating the complex world of finance.Glenn Snyder brings years of experience in finance and FP&A, focusing on budgeting, strategy, and improving financial processes. Rosemary Linden is the founder and president of Momentum CFO, where she provides fractional CFO services and FP&A consulting. With over 25 years in the industry, she recently won CFO of the Year from the San Diego Business Journal and is passionate about mentoring women in finance.Expect to Learn:How clarity, influence, and foresight define great FP&A workThe importance of empathy and communication in leadership rolesReal-world lessons from career failures and how to bounce backBest practices for budgeting and data governanceHow to make sure your financial forecasting is both transparent and trustworthyHere are a few quotes from the episode:“FP&A is all about helping leaders make better, faster decisions.” – Glenn Snyder“The way you say things can matter just as much as what you say in FP&A.” – Rosemary LindenGlenn and Rosemary shared valuable insights on the strategic role of FP&A, the importance of empathy in leadership, and how to learn from failures. Their stories and advice will help anyone in finance make a greater impact within their organization. Tune in for more practical tips on navigating the world of FP&A!Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Rosemary Linden:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosemarylinden/Company -  https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentumcfo/Follow Glenn:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyder/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 FP&A Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode:[02:04] – What makes great FP&A[07:00] – Glenn’s career failure and lesson[11:06] – Rosemary on empathy and tone in FP&A[19:09] – Managing failure[26:00] – Unusual FP&A requests[38:40] – Streamlining budgeting and setting targets[45:30] – Importance of data governance[49:40] – FP&A’s role in raising capital[54:35] – Final thoughts on FP&A’s impact

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Omar Choucair, the CFO of Trintech, to discuss the evolving role of the CFO, the importance of technology in finance, and the strategic value of FP&A teams. Omar shares insights on how AI is transforming financial operations, the need for technical skills in FP&A, and the shift in CFO responsibilities over the years.Omar Choucair brings over 25 years of experience in corporate finance, accounting, governance, and FP&A. His background spans private equity, public company software businesses, and M&A deals, having successfully navigated over 40 major transactions. With expertise in financial software solutions, he leads Trintech in helping businesses automate and streamline critical financial processes.Expect to Learn:The evolving responsibilities of CFOs and the strategic value they provide in today's organizationsHow AI and technology are revolutionizing finance and FP&A functionsThe critical role of FP&A in helping companies understand and act on dataWhy intellectual curiosity and technology expertise are essential for modern FP&A professionalsKey insights on hiring and developing top FP&A talentHere are a few quotes from the episode:“To be successful in FP&A, you have to be technically savvy. If you are afraid of technology, you will not do well in FP&A.” – Omar Choucair“The CFO is the voice of reason, objective under pressure, and the protector of the company and its employees.” – Omar ChoucairOmar discusses the increased pressure on CFOs, the growing reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT, and the importance of being inquisitive to drive better financial insights. He also touches on the importance of collaboration between FP&A and other departments to drive business success and better decision-making.Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Omar:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-choucair-cpa-80264815/Company - https://www.trintech.com/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 FP&A Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode:[02:04] - Omar’s Career Journey and Experience in Finance[04:41] - Defining Great FP&A and What It Looks Like in Practice[07:19] - The Role of Technology in Modern FP&A[11:40] - Leveraging AI to Drive Efficiency in Finance[14:04] - The Key to Unlocking FP&A Success[26:21] - Best Practices for Building and Leading an FP&A Team[33:13] - Integrating Business Intelligence into FP&A Workflows[38:55] - Managing the Budgeting Process and Alignment with ELT[44:27] - Key Skills for Future FP&A Leaders and Career Advice

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Rishi Sapra to explore how finance professionals can leverage business intelligence tools like Power BI to drive better decision-making. Rishi discusses how the role of FP&A is evolving with technology, and why it’s essential for finance teams to not only consume data but to create and model it in ways that deliver actionable insights.Rishi Sapra is a Group Manager at Avanade, a global technology consulting firm, and a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP). With over 20 years of experience in major firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, HSBC, and Accenture, Rishi combines his financial expertise with cutting-edge data and AI solutions. Rishi is also the founder of Power Platform Finance, where he runs an accelerator program to teach finance professionals how to use tools like Power BI, Power Query, and semantic modeling to transform business data into actionable insights.Expect to Learn:Why learning Power Query is a must-have skill for every finance professionalThe mindset shift from being a consumer of data to becoming a creator of data solutionsHow to build simple, effective data models and dashboards using Power BITips for applying semantic models and data storytelling in financial reportingHow AI and business intelligence tools are changing the role of FP&A professionalsHere are a few quotes from the episode:“As a finance professional, you need to understand not just the data, but how to create the solutions that bring out insights from it.” – Rishi Sapra“It’s less about learning every tool, and more about understanding the fundamentals that remain the same, regardless of the software.” – Rishi SapraRishi Sapra highlights the importance of shifting from being a consumer to a creator of data solutions within finance teams. By mastering tools like Power BI and embracing a mindset of data storytelling, finance professionals can unlock actionable insights and drive meaningful change. Rishi’s advice empowers finance teams to not just adapt to technology, but to lead the way in transforming business intelligence.Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation, close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Rishi:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsaprano/Website - www.rishisapra.comCompany 1 - www.msfabrictraining.comCompany 2 -  www.learndatainsights.comCompany 3 - www.powerplatformfinance.comEarn 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 FP&A Certificate, take the quiz on Earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode:[02:04] - Rishi’s Career Journey[04:41] - Career Expectations After Accounting[07:19] - Becoming a Microsoft MVP[11:40] - Why Finance Needs Power BI[14:04] - Shifting from Consumer to Creator[26:21] - Best Ways to Learn BI[33:13] - Integrating BI into FP&A[38:55] - Dashboard & Visualization Tips[44:27] - Best Career Advice