FP&A Unlocked

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst and Daniel Bryan explore how systems thinking can improve financial planning, decision-making, and business performance. The conversation highlights why traditional planning processes often fail, how organizational behaviors influence outcomes, and why asking better questions helps finance teams become more effective strategic partners.

Daniel Bryan, Finance, Strategy & Analytics Leader at UBS, is a qualified accountant with approximately 20 years of experience in financial services, including FP&A, business partnering, and organizational transformation. Based in Switzerland, he specializes in systems thinking, data analytics, AI, and finance transformation. He shares insights on challenging assumptions, understanding different business perspectives, and developing planning processes that deliver meaningful business value.

Expect to Learn:
Why traditional financial planning processes often fail to deliver value.
How systems thinking helps finance teams solve complex business challenges.
Why asking better questions leads to better decisions.
How organizational behaviors and incentives influence planning outcomes.
Why AI requires clearly defined objectives and human judgment.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“You can't be great at FP&A if you're not involved in the conversation.” - Daniel Bryan
“It's enabling you to take a step back and find better answers by asking better questions.” - Daniel Bryan

Daniel emphasizes that effective FP&A goes beyond financial models and reports. By embracing systems thinking, asking better questions, and understanding different perspectives, finance professionals can improve decision-making, strengthen business partnerships, and deliver greater strategic value.

Follow Daniel:
Website: https://gradientdissident.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-bryan-acca/

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
[03:41] What Great FP&A Looks Like
[06:20] Discovering Systems Thinking
[13:04] Understanding Systems Thinking
[18:36] Asking Better Questions
[27:02] AI, KPIs & Unintended Consequences
[29:41] Building Models That Meet Business Needs
[38:30] Systems Thinking & AI Adoption
[45:54] Personal Questions & Career Insights
[48:01] Daniel's Articles & Resources

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Jason Brisbane and Tanvi Lal to discuss the economics of generative AI, why traditional SaaS metrics fall short, and how finance teams can forecast AI costs. They explore token pricing, AI budgeting, and the role FP&A can play in managing AI investments.

Jason Brisbane is the CEO and Founder of FinHelm, with over 15 years of experience in FP&A technology. He developed the UA-FP&A methodology and Uncertainty Exposure Score to improve forecast reliability. Tanvi Lal is an investor at Intuit Ventures, focused on AI and fintech. Formerly at Deloitte, she is also the co-founder of VC Unleashed and specializes in AI economics and usage-based pricing.

Expect to Learn:
How AI token pricing affects project costs and profitability.
Why traditional SaaS metrics don't fully capture AI economics.
How to forecast AI spending using scenarios and cost ranges.
Why labor and orchestration costs often exceed token costs.
How FP&A teams can guide AI adoption and investment decisions.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“Your most engaged customer is actually your least profitable with AI unit economics.” - Tanvi Lal
“We have to train our brains to not look at variance as a bad thing.” - Jason Brisbane

Jason and Tanvi explain why AI budgeting requires more than tracking token usage. They discuss project complexity, human involvement, and changing model costs. They also highlight how FP&A professionals can improve forecasting, measure uncertainty, and collaborate with business teams to manage AI spending effectively.

Follow Jason:
Website: https://finhelm.ai/
AFP Article: https://www.financialprofessionals.org/training-resources/resources/articles/Details/your-forecast-does-not-have-a-score-it-should
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brisbanejason

Follow Tanvi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlal/
Intuit Ventures: https://intuit.com/ventures
VC Unleashed: https://vcunleashed.xyz/
AI Budgeting Calculator: https://ai-budget-calc.vercel.app/

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
[07:21] - Understanding AI Token Costs
[16:46] - Labor and Orchestration Costs
[23:56] - Forecasting AI Project Costs
[25:21] - Managing Cost Uncertainty
[30:58] - Learning From Forecast Variances
[38:59] - How FP&A Can Lead AI Strategy
[44:05] - Communicating Forecast Uncertainty
[49:29] - AI Budgeting Advice
[51:15] - Essential FP&A Skills
[56:06] - Closing Remarks & Thanks

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst and co-host Glenn Snyder sit down with Josh Miller to discuss effective sales compensation plans, aligning incentives with business goals, and avoiding common commission mistakes. They also explore balancing base salary and variable pay, setting realistic quotas, and improving collaboration between finance and sales teams.

Josh Miller is the Head of Sales Compensation at CVS Health and Managing Principal at OnTarget Incentives, LLC. With over 20 years of experience in sales compensation, he is a Certified Sales Compensation Professional (CSCP) through WorldatWork and a frequent writer and speaker on industry best practices. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Arizona State University.

Expect to Learn:
How to design sales compensation plans that drive the right behaviors.
Why finance, HR, and sales teams must collaborate.
How to balance base salary and variable pay.
Why commission caps and unrealistic quotas can discourage salespeople.
How to avoid common sales compensation mistakes.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“I'm definitely not a fan of overall payout caps.” - Josh Miller
“You want it to be as clear and simple as possible, and that does not happen by default.” - Josh Miller

Josh explains why successful compensation plans start with clear sales responsibilities and realistic incentives. He also shares how simple plan structures, fair performance targets, and cross-functional collaboration can improve sales performance and prevent costly mistakes.

Follow Josh:
Website: ontargetincentives.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmilleraz/

Follow Glenn:
LinkedIn: https://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
[06:04] - Introduction to Josh Miller
[07:27] - What is a great FP&A?
[12:43] - Structuring Sales Compensation Teams
[17:18] - Sales Compensation Plan Design
[26:28] - Commission Sharing & Pay Structures
[34:49] - Compensating New Salespeople
[46:09] - Commission Payment Timing
[59:49] - Sales Compensation Resources
[01:07:24] - Closing Remarks & Thanks

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Mark Proctor to discuss why finance teams struggle with automation, how better data practices can improve reporting, and why FP&A professionals need to think beyond traditional Excel methods. Mark also shares his approach to using AI, building efficient processes, and creating more time for strategic business partnering.

Mark Proctor is the Director of Twenty Seven Solutions Limited, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP), and the creator of Excel Off the Grid and Finance Team Accelerator. With 25 years of experience across accounting, financial reporting, FP&A, and business partnering, he helps finance professionals automate repetitive tasks, improve their Excel skills, and build more efficient processes.

Expect to Learn:
Why data skills are essential for modern FP&A professionals.
How better data structures can reduce manual Excel work.
Why end-to-end processes matter more than individual Excel features.
How to use AI effectively without relying on it for everything.
Why curiosity and influence are important for business partnering.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“AI cannot fix it all for you. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't use AI.” - Mark Proctor
“The one piece of advice I would give is the first normal form inside a table in Excel.” - Mark Proctor

Mark explains why finance teams need to move beyond manual spreadsheets and adopt a data-first approach. By building better processes and using tools such as Power Query and Power Pivot, FP&A professionals can save time, improve reporting, and focus more on supporting business decisions.

Follow Mark:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markstephenproctor/
Website: https://exceloffthegrid.com/

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] - Introduction
[04:50] - Defining Great FP&A
[07:17] - Journey Into Accounting
[16:21] - AI in Finance
[22:32] - Data Challenges in Finance
[28:17] - Rethinking Excel
[31:30] - Data-Driven Processes
[38:24] - File Management & Version Control
[42:45] - Structured Data Basics
[45:44] - Improving Finance Processes
[50:29] - Essential FP&A Skills
[55:47] - Closing Remarks & Thanks

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Jon Laudie to discuss how FP&A can become a critical business function, why finance and operations need to work together, and how FP&A can prepare professionals for senior leadership. Jon also shares what he has learned from serving as both President and CFO of Zerorez and how that experience has changed his approach to leadership.

Jon Laudie is the President and CFO of Zerorez. He began his career in M&A and valuation before moving into corporate and operational FP&A roles at technology and consumer companies. His experience also includes investor relations, M&A integration, and building FP&A capabilities. Jon is also the co-author of Roots, Relationships and Results.

Expect to Learn:
How to build an FP&A function that the business values and trusts.
Why change management is critical to FP&A transformation.
How FP&A can prepare professionals for operational leadership.
Why trust and relationships are essential to effective leadership.
Which technical and soft skills can help FP&A professionals become CFOs.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“If you're not bringing the people along with you, the change management is nearly impossible and FP&A is not going to be successful.” - Jon Laudie
“You have to be a strategic partner at the executive table.” - Jon Laudie

Jon explains that successful FP&A transformation starts by meeting the business where it is rather than immediately pushing best practices. Building trust through better data, visibility, and useful insights creates a foundation for more advanced planning and forecasting.

Follow Jon:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonlaudie/
Website: rootsrelationshipsresults.com

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] - Finance Meets Operations
[01:32] - Jon’s Career Journey
[05:41] - Building FP&A at Zerorez
[10:19] - Change Management
[16:26] - President & CFO
[24:13] - Finance & Operations
[31:52] - Writing the Book
[34:32] - Leadership Lessons
[42:48] - Trust & Relationships
[51:18] - The “As Soon As” Trap
[56:46] - Skills for Future CFOs
[59:33] - Rapid Fire & Closing Thoughts