FP&A Unlocked

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Snyder are joined by Vikram Bhandari to explore how organizations should approach AI in finance and FP&A. They discuss why most companies fail with AI adoption, the importance of enterprise-wide strategy over siloed tools, and how finance teams can evolve from reporting to forward-looking decision-making. Vikram shares practical insights on AI readiness, forecasting, and how leaders can leverage AI to drive better business outcomes.Vikram is the Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at Riveron, where he leads AI, digital transformation, and finance modernization initiatives. With nearly 25 years of experience, Vikram works closely with CFOs to transform finance functions through technology. He previously served as the President and CEO of Yantra, a company he founded and led for over 15 years before its acquisition by Riveron.Expect to Learn:Why most AI implementations fail and how to avoid common mistakesThe importance of enterprise AI strategy vs. siloed tool adoptionHow FP&A is evolving into a forward-looking, decision-making functionWhat it takes to prepare your data, processes, and governance for AIHere are a few relevant quotes from the episode:The real question is not which AI tool is best, it’s whether your finance architecture is ready to absorb AI.” - Vikram BhandariIf you treat AI as a feature, you get incremental gains. If you treat it as a strategy, you get competitive advantage.” - Vikram BhandariVikram emphasizes that AI should be treated as a capability multiplier rather than a shortcut. He highlights the importance of strong data foundations, governance, and enterprise strategy to unlock real value. The episode reinforces that the future of FP&A lies in combining machine intelligence with human judgment to drive better, faster decisions.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 Vikram:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikrambhandari/Company: https://riveron.com/Website: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/Follow Glenn:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyderEarn 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[02:08] – Introducing Vikram Bhandari[03:16] – What Great FP&A Looks Like[05:21] – AI in Finance Today[05:09] – Why Most AI Implementations Fail[11:05] – Enterprise AI Strategy vs. Siloed Tools[15:16] – AI Readiness: Data, Decisions, Governance[17:54] – AI Forecasting: Calibration & Trust[23:14] – Skills Finance Needs in an AI World[34:24] – AI Agents, Excel, and Productivity vs. Strategy[41:40] – Final Advice on AI Strategy[47:52] – Closing Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst is joined by Vincent Messina and Ilana Esterrich to discuss how organizations should approach ROI and transformation. They dive into why traditional ROI methods often fail, the concept of Return on Change, and how financial leaders can better manage software implementations and drive business outcomes.Vincent is a seasoned enterprise software sales leader with over 25 years of experience. Vincent is currently the Northeast Director of business development at UHY, a CPA firm, and works on advising CFOs through his partnership with UHY. Ilana is the Chief Financial Officer at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, where she oversees a comprehensive portfolio, including accounting, treasury, compliance, and financial planning.Expect to Learn:Why ROI calculations often fail and how Return on Change provides a more effective approach.How to align financial decisions with business outcomes.The evolving role of FP&A professionals in driving decisions beyond traditional reporting.Key strategies for managing change during financial transformations.Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:“The real value comes when technology enables people to do different, more impactful work.” - Vincent Messina“As CFOs, our job is to help guide the organization by providing the right insights for informed decision-making.” - Ilana EsterrichVincent Messina and Ilana Esterrich emphasize the importance of shifting from traditional ROI to Return on Change in financial transformations. They highlight the crucial role of FP&A professionals in driving strategic decisions and managing change effectively.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 Vincent:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmessina/Company: https://uhy-us.com/Follow Ilana :LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Ilanaesterrich/Website: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/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[02:30] – Introducing Vincent Messina[02:55] – Introducing Ilana Esterrich[05:00] – What Great FP&A Looks Like[08:00] – Why ROI Fails in Transformations[13:00] – Shifting from ROI to Return on Change[19:00] – The Importance of Consensus in Transformation[25:00] – Business Outcomes vs. Software Decisions[30:00] – How to Make Change Work[35:00] – Mindset Shifts in CFOs and FP&A[40:00] – Final Thoughts

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Jeff Greenfield, an entrepreneur, advisor, and founder of Provalytics, a leading attribution and measurement solution. Jeff discusses marketing attribution, the challenges marketers face in proving the impact of their campaigns, and the evolving role of FP&A in understanding marketing spend. He shares his entrepreneurial journey, from building an SEO platform to leading Provalytics in providing marketers with a single source of truth for their efforts.Jeff Greenfield is the co-founder and CEO of Provalytics, a "cookie-less" attribution solution that helps marketers demonstrate the value of upper-funnel channels like CTV, podcasting, and more. Before founding Provalytics, Jeff built and led multiple digital marketing companies, pioneering the use of data-driven approaches to improve marketing performance.Expect to Learn:The challenges marketers face in proving campaign ROI and how to overcome themWhy FP&A professionals should understand marketing’s data modelsHow marketers and finance teams can align on data-driven goalsHow to ensure marketing budgets are being spent effectivelyHere are a few relevant quotes from the episode:“A great FP&A relationship is when marketing can demonstrate that their efforts are working and walk away with the budget they need.” – Jeff Greenfield“It’s important to understand that marketing is not just about clicks, it’s about capturing attention.” – Jeff GreenfieldJeff Greenfield shared valuable insights on the challenges of marketing attribution and how finance teams can collaborate with marketing to ensure efficient budget allocation. He emphasized the importance of understanding marketing data and aligning on a common measurement framework for 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 Jeff:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgreenfield/Company: https://provalytics.com/Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode[02:40] – Jeff’s Background[03:33] – What Does Great FP&A Look Like?[08:21] – Measuring Revenue from Podcasts[11:25] – From Chiropractic to Marketing[15:10] – Founding Provalytics: Marketing Attribution[18:48] – The Google Tax in Attribution[29:46] – Why Google Isn't Enough Anymore[37:49] – AI and Podcast ROI[41:07] – Top Technical Skill for FP&A[48:00] – Last Questions & Final thought

In this episode, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Nick Desbarats, a data visualisation expert, bestselling author, and independent educator, to discuss data visualisation. Nick talks about the skills needed to create effective charts, how to avoid common mistakes, and the importance of understanding the "job" of a chart. He shares his journey from software executive to becoming an authority in the field and explains why the true skill of visualising data goes beyond knowing the software.Nick is the author of Practical Charts (Amazon #1 New Release) and the upcoming Practical Dashboards. He has taught thousands of professionals globally, including teams at NASA, Bloomberg, Visa, the United Nations, Shopify, and more. He is also the first educator authorised by Stephen Few to teach his foundational data visualisation workshops.Expect to Learn:Why understanding the "job" of a chart is more important than the data itselfThe key skills needed for creating effective chartsCommon mistakes in data visualisation and how to avoid themWhy empathy for your audience is crucial when designing visualsHow to decide when to use default charts vs. creating custom visualsHere are a few relevant quotes from the episode:“The real job of a chart is to serve people, not the software.” – Nick Desbarats“Data visualisation is not about the tool, it’s about the message you want to convey.” – Nick DesbaratsNick Desbarats shared valuable insights on creating effective data visualisations, emphasizing the importance of understanding the purpose behind each chart. He highlighted key skills, common mistakes, and the need for empathy with your audience.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 Nick:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickdesbarats/Company: https://www.practicalreporting.com/Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode[03:33] – Nick’s Background[05:32] – Key Skills for Data Visualisation Experts[09:50] – Executive to Data Viz Educator[12:35] – Book Recommendations[19:35] – Moving Beyond “It Depends”[26:08] – Common Finance Chart Mistakes[34:13] – The Pie Chart Dilemma[37:54] – AI in Data Visualisation[45:56] – Chart Type Selection Skills[58:30] – Final Wrap-up

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Snyder are joined by HR leaders Cynthia Kenny and Deborah Hill to discuss the important partnership between HR and FP&A. They explore how aligning goals across departments can drive organizational success, share personal stories about career development, and highlight the importance of trust and collaboration.Cynthia Kenny is a CHRO and C-suite partner with over 30 years of experience in human resources, focusing on change management and organizational transformation. Deborah Hill is an HR leader with over 10 years of experience leading HR teams in tech-focused and tech-enabled companies. She specializes in building culture and driving talent initiatives, and has managed businesses with revenues ranging from $400M to $5B.Expect to Learn:How HR and FP&A can partner to drive organizational successThe importance of aligning company, team, and individual goalsBest practices for goal-setting and performance managementWhy flexibility is important when managing goals throughout the yearHow to build trust and collaboration between HR and FP&AHere are a few relevant quotes from the episode:“Great FP&A is about turning financial data into actionable insights for business leaders.” - Deborah Hill“Real success happens when HR and FP&A work together, understanding each other’s worlds and creating synergy.” - Cynthia KennyCynthia Kenny and Deborah Hill provided valuable insights on the critical partnership between HR and FP&A, emphasizing the importance of aligning goals across departments to drive organizational success. They discussed how clear, actionable goals can lead to better decision-making, stronger collaboration, and improved business outcomes.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 Deborah:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborah-hill-8a24771/Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-tire-distributors/Follow Cynthia:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiakennymaccp/Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sunland-asphalt/Follow Glenn:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyderEarn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.In Today’s Episode[05:44] – What Great FP&A Looks Like[10:07] – COVID Finance & HR Decisions[16:55] – Hiring, Headcount & Data Issues[23:49] – HRIS, ERP & Source of Truth[27:29] – Aligning Corporate & Individual Goals[36:07] – Flexible Performance Management[47:56] – Effective Goal-Setting Practices[59:17] – Final Takeaways & Career Growth