Paul Barnhurst

Founder of The FP&A Guy | Providing training and content that helps FP&A and Finance Professionals be better at their job today and tomorrow.

I am a passionate teacher and creator of FP&A content. I enjoy helping FP&A professionals become more effective creators of value for their businesses. Today, I provide content and training on important subjects, including FP&A, Excel, Power Query, Data Visualization, Storytelling, and more. 

I host three popular podcasts, FP&A Tomorrow, Future Finance, and Financial Modeler’s Corner, which bring you the best and brightest people in finance and FP&A. 

I am a Microsoft MVP and have earned the AFP FP&A Certification and the FMI Advanced Financial Modeler Certification. 

I am a big advocate of FP&A planning tools and share research on FP&A software. I have also published several market guides to help buyers understand the landscape. 

☛ Feel free to contact me – Pbarnhurst@thefpandaguy.com

Podcast Host

Paul Barnhurst, The FPandA Guy

If I see one more person tell me....

I might have to resign my LinkedIn Account and never open the app again

Share a favorite below:

Mine below: 

I can build a financial model by talking to AI in five minutes
How much I can learn from an Excel shortcut Cheat sheet
That I can become an AI CFO
That Excel is dead
That to be advanced in Excel all you need is VLOOKUP
That it is all about learning AI
That AI will take all the jobs
That your not a real company if you do not make a billion dollars
....

What is driving you crazy on LinkedIn?

In our latest Future Finance podcast, Glenn Hopper and I dug into what 2025 taught us about AI adoption and gave some predictions for 2026 .
 
Highlights:
 
→ The individual vs. company gap - Finance professionals are getting dramatically more productive with AI. But at the enterprise level? Most companies still haven't figured out systematic deployment.
It's a disconnect companies need to address.
 
→ Automation is the next frontier - Glenn nailed it: "2025 was proof of concept, 2026 is don't wait on software vendors." Stop reinventing the wheel with every new chat. Start building workflows with tools like Zapier or n8n for your recurring tasks.
 
→ Your people are already using AI - Whether you have a policy or not. As Glenn put it "If someone on Reddit is doing their exact job in 1/10th of the time, they're not going to be the chumps doing things the old way."
 
→ Vibe coding is real - You don't need to be a developer anymore. I'm seeing finance folks build mini-apps to automate tasks that would've required IT involvement just a year ago.
 
The ChatGPT Outlook integration Glenn used to build a client turnover report in 30 minutes—something that would've taken days manually? That's the future.
 
As finance professionals we can't just wait for the perfect tool. Microsoft isn't going to solve everything. Neither is Claude or ChatGPT. We need to get our hands dirty and figure out what works for OUR workflows.
 
Give the episode a listen and let us know what you think.
 
Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gZuckVik
 
🎓 Check out our sponsor QFlow.ai at https://lnkd.in/gaudpc_G your GTM Finance CoPilot

Congrats to Datarails as they just closed a $70 million Series C led by One Peak, bringing total funding to $175 million. 

Hats off to the entire team at Datarails.  I have had the privilege of working with several great people at Datarails and am thankful for the friends I have made during my time hosting the FP&A Today podcast. 

This announcement comes on the heels of several other announcements in the FP&A space and is exciting to see.  Datarails has leaned heavily into AI and keeping you in Excel, and I am excited to see them grow.

Look forward to seeing more Bob Sheetner (aka FPandA) appearances.

Open article: Datarails Raises $70M Series C Led by One Peak to Make AI the Foundation of the CFO's Office by tmcnet.com

Datarails Raises $70M Series C Led by One Peak to Make AI the Foundation of the CFO's Office

This week, I had the opportunity to catch up with Bryan Lapidus, FPAC. Bryan is the FP&A subject matter expert at AFP.
 
He is someone everyone in the FP&A field should be following, as he is able to provide valuable insights and cut through the noise and hype going on in the marketplace.
 
Conversation highlights:
 
On being a great FP&A professional:
 
"You have to be good at finance and the processes by which you deliver your financial services, and you have to be good as a partner to the business."
It's not either/or. You need both.
 
→ Master your tools, processes, and financial analysis
→ Understand how your business creates value and serves customers
→ Get out from behind your screen and experience what your numbers represent
 
On one of the things holding FP&A back:
 
"I talk to a lot of people who are stuck in process for the sake of process... You have these long detailed reports that nobody wants to get rid of because, well, if you get rid of it, then you're at risk."
 
I cannot help but wonder how many of us are producing reports that no one reads? Tracking metrics that don't drive decisions?
 
Bryan's advice: Audit everything. If it doesn't lead to meaningful discussion and outcomes, stop doing it.
 
On continuous learning:
 
"Your ability to learn technical skills needs to be constant in every role... And the ability to learn your next technical skill is directly based on your last one."
 
The skill isn't Excel or Power BI or Python. The skill is LEARNING.
 
On why community matters:
 
"Being part of a community brings that whole community's experiences to you. The ability to talk to 10 other people, I can learn what they've learned from their stories... it's an experience multiplier."
 
The connections are the best part of AFP conferences from my perspective.
 
Speaking of conferences, Bryan also shared insights on the AFP FP&A Forum (March 23-25 in Indianapolis) and why they organize content around three tracks: Finance & Processes, Technology & Data, and Personal & Team Effectiveness.
 
For those wanting to attend the AFP FP&A Forum, and I highly recommend it. Use code: TheFPAGuy-FPAForum2026 to take $150 off and register here: https://lnkd.in/gAxA8czq
 
Listen to the full Episode: https://lnkd.in/gV9U62mG
 
FP&A Unlocked is sponsored by Campfire.
 
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://lnkd.in/dKxnyDNV 

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📰 Join The Modern Finance Playbook Newsletter and get a free FP&A Business Partnering Digital Course Module at https://lnkd.in/g5H4YsvH
📺 Check out the podcast on our YouTube Channel at https://lnkd.in/ejtkdsQd

In this engaging episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes back Bryan Lapidus, FPAC, Director of FP&A Practice at the Association for Fin

Open article: How FP&A Professionals Can Evolve Beyond Reporting and Become Strategic Partners with Bryan Lapidus by Paul Barnhurst • 2 min read

How FP&A Professionals Can Evolve Beyond Reporting and Become Strategic Partners with Bryan Lapidus

Understanding How Excel Agents work!!!
 
I've interviewed nearly every founder of Excel AI agent companies. I've asked them all, "What makes them different?" I got answers about their tools, their approaches, and their models. But I never really understood what was happening behind the scenes, and after interviewing Tim Jacks, I have a much better understanding.
 
This week, Tim joined us as we went under the hood to better understand how LLMs, chatbots, and particular Excel agents work
 
Key takeaways
 
The Technical Reality:
➔ LLMs don't memorize—they recognize patterns across massive datasets
 
➔ Every prompt you send includes your full conversation history (this is one reason why context windows matter)
 
➔ Agents are LLMs wrapped with tools that let them take action (manipulate Excel, search web, etc.)
 
What Actually Helps Your Work:
 
➔ Use rewind features strategically. Going back to edit a bad prompt is way more effective than continuing to ask "why didn't that work?" The LLM literally has no memory of your frustration
 
➔ Understand tool limitations. When an agent fails at a task, it might be because its tools (Office Scripts vs Excel object model) aren't suited for that specific operation
 
➔ Keep conversations focused. More context = worse performance eventually. Long threads consume processing power
 
➔ Tim's breakdown of how agents differentiate themselves through their tools, not just their models was helpful to understand. It will allow me to better understand how agents work and the differences between them.
 
As we all said, after this episode, learning this was interesting, but not needed to use the tools effectively.
 
Ian Schnoor, CFA, CFM said it best when he said : "I've been teaching Excel for 20 years. I don't know how VLOOKUP was coded. Has it impacted my ability? No."
 
This episode is definitely for the nerds who want to peek under the hood. Did it change how I'll prompt tomorrow? Probably not. But it gave me a mental model that helps everything make more sense.
 
Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gYys5FHT
 
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🎓 ​ Earn your Advanced Financial Modeler accreditation from the @Financial Modeling Institute (FMI) at https://lnkd.in/gQV55MxS (U se code Podcast to save 15%)

AI is a tool in your tool belt, not a type of CFO
AI does not fix your fractured foundation
AI does not make you a great leader

AI can make you and your team more effective and efficient but to get the most out of 2026 you need to make sure you have a solid foundation. 

Winners in 2026 will

✅ Redesigns workflows so work actually moves faster and smarter, not just “more automated”

✅ Invests in soft skills such as judgment, business acumen, and data storytelling.

✅ Think about AI as a partner, not some magical solution.

Join me on January 28, as I join Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA for a LinkedIn Live: 

Closing the Skills Gap: How to Build Finance Teams Ready for the AI Era.

If you are in finance, this session is for you.
📅 January 28
🕒 12:30 pm MT / 2:30 pm ET
🔗 Save your spot here: https://lnkd.in/eaFQVZBS

I hope you enjoyed the video as much as Wassia and I enjoyed making it.

Free FP&A Resources

I am often asked what are my top FP&A resources so I wrote this article with my top free resources for my 63,000+ FP&A Unlocked Newsletter subscribers. 

The resources include 

Free Modern Finance Newsletter - This is where many of my best ideas are given away for free
Register here:  https://lnkd.in/g4nM6zeq

Free FP&A Community:  Join my free FP&A Community The FP&A Hub with over 2,00 members
Join here:  https://lnkd.in/gYX73Ru3

Free Data Storytelling Course - This is a free 5 Day course about how to improve your data storytelling
Register here: https://lnkd.in/gCfjDgSg

Free Microsoft Excel Tables Course - Learn the Power of Microsoft Excel tables for free
Register here: https://lnkd.in/gybmb5TX

Free FP&A Software Selection Course - Learn about the FP&A software marketplace, how to select and implement a tool. 
Register here:  https://lnkd.in/ddTj8tJp

Let me know in the comments what resources could I add that would help you  most?

If you’ve been following me (Paul Barnhurst ) or my podcast FP&A Unlocked for a while, you know my mission is simple: To help FP&A professionals becom

Open article: Level Up Your FP&A Career: A Roadmap to My Top Resources (Free Courses, Community, and More) by Paul Barnhurst • 2 min read

Level Up Your FP&A Career: A Roadmap to My Top Resources (Free Courses, Community, and More)

Playing an instrument 

Anyone who has learned an instrument knows that if you focus on only playing the same note over and over again, it quickly becomes annoying and does not sound good, plus you will not be able to do much with only one note. 

In business, focusing on learning just one thing, even if it is AI vs taking a well-rounded approach to learning, is much like focusing on only one note. 

As you strive to improve your FP&A, remember to develop plans to focus on the most important skills.  A well-rounded approach, improving the skills that will help you differentiate yourself in the marketplace, is important. 

Below is a list of many of the key skills we need to be successful in FP&A,

Key Soft Skills 

➡️ Active Listening
➡️ Data Storytelling
➡️ Business Partnering
➡️ Empathy
➡️ Relationship Building
➡️ Communication

Key Technical Skills 

➡️ Financial Modeling
➡️ Excel
➡️ Understanding data/data management/data structure
➡️ Data visualization
➡️ Artificial intelligence
➡️ Ability to Simplify
➡️ Accounting

Let me know in the comments what one skill you are focused on learning other than Artificial Intelligence?

Master Excel and FP&A with practical tips, powerful formulas, and real-world techniques. Join The FP&A Guy for hands-on tutorials covering everything from basics to advanced financial modeling. Bring your questions and let's excel together!

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://lnkd.in/gCpFmJub

Excel Hour - Learn to Excel with The FP&A Guy

I train Finance Teams at Soft Skills | Corporate Training Facilitator | Course Instructor | Keynote Speaker

You can have a technically excellent finance team... And still find yourself making every major strategic decision alone.(I know because I’ve seen this pattern in dozens of companies)Your team spends weeks perfecting the slides, the analysis and be as complete as possibleBut when you need strategic input for an ExCo meeting, their work doesn’t give you the perspective you need to lead confidentlyThe result is like this:→ Silence in meetings→ Decisions made without financial guidance→ You, the CFO or Finance Leader, doing the heavy lifting yourselfThe problem isn't their technical skill. It’s their system.Most teams are stuck in one of three stages:1. The Reporters: Mastered accuracy, but they are "historians" documenting the past2. The Explainers: Crystal clear on the "why", but provide no actionable guidance3. The Influencers: Highly strategic, but the capability only lives in 1 or 2 "star" performersI help Finance Leaders systematize the shift from Historian to Strategic AdvisorUsing my 4-step Financial Storytelling Framework, I help your entire team:- Step 1: Prepare the Message – Identify what actually matters for the business decision at hand- Step 2: Prepare the Story – Use structures that speak to a specific audience and leads to a decision- Step 3: Prepare the Visuals – Create slides that support a recommendation- Step 4: Prepare the Delivery – Present with the confidence to handle pushback from the CEO or BoardI’ve implemented this system for teams at Holcim, Deloitte, Bauer Media, and IndeedHow we can work together:• For Teams: The Finance Stage — Systematizing storytelling across your whole function.• For Professionals: Financial Storytelling Program — My flagship training for future leaders• For CFOs: 1:1 Coaching and high-impact to change your presentationsThe best financial insight means nothing if it doesn’t change the way we work in a companyReady to de-risk your team's output and get the strategic support you need? Send me a message and let’s diagnose where your team is stuck

Soufyan Hamid

Every FP&A problem has a root cause

And most CFOs only see it when it’s already expensive

Here are 8 signs to watch out for

After 4 years at The Finance Circle, I’ve worked with enough FP&A teams to know this pattern by heart:

99,99% of the people have all the skills to do the job

But the small signals that feel manageable… are actually the ones derailing the team

The CFO delegates more operational responsibility to FP&A: 
- The forecasting direction
- More analysis led
- More interaction with the business

Generally, we call that "progress"

In practice, something else often happens

As FP&A becomes more autonomous, it naturally starts carrying the narrative day to day

Decisions need context and questions need answers

So FP&A fills the space of being the "delegated right-hand" of the CFO

Over time, the story of performance settles inside the team

And it becomes the default reference in conversations with the business

The CFO is still accountable but no longer the daily point of gravity

While alignement CFO-FP&A should always keep going

And that’s usually when the distance starts

Here are 8 signs your FP&A team may already be struggling:

1️⃣ Conflicting numbers
Different reports tell different stories
And suddenly, no one knows which number to defend

2️⃣ Endless reforecasting
Forecasts keep changing, but no one can clearly explain why
Ownership fades. Confidence follows

3️⃣ Unclear business ownership
FP&A produces analysis, but it’s unclear who owns the metric or the decision
So insights float. Nothing lands

4️⃣ Over-engineered models
Models become impressive artifacts instead of decision tools
Few understand the and even fewer trust them

5️⃣ Misaligned KPIs
Metrics look clean, but don’t reflect how the business actually creates value
This is often when people start to ignore reports

6️⃣ Low stakeholder trust
Business partners challenge every insight or quietly bypass finance
Why would they?

7️⃣ Reactive, not strategic
Most energy goes into explaining the past
Very little shapes what happens next

8️⃣ Executive escalation
Issues surface at ExCo before FP&A raises the flag
And finance ends up explaining surprises instead of preventing them

The good news is that every one of these signals is fixable when you spot them early

But only if you’re willing to look beyond outputs…
and address how FP&A actually works, decides, and communicates

I’ve captured concrete ways to tackle each of these points

If you’re leading an FP&A team today, take a look: 

I'm sure you’ll recognize more than one

Which of these signs have you seen most often?

♻️ Repost if this helps another CFO spot the warning signs before they turn into nightmares

Communicate Like A Strategic CFO | Storytelling for Finance | EMBA Lecturer | Keynote Speaker

In 2026, FP&A teams will face a choice

(Small hint: it won't be an AI choice but a leadership one)

𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: Chase what makes noise
𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: Build what actually holds

Because, right now, you almost only hear about:
- New planning platforms
- Plug-and-play FP&A apps
- AI forecasting tools
- Real-time dashboards
- “Next-gen” analytics

And with so much energy that you can only feel behind if you don't jump on the train

Whatever happens, you feel like you're late

But my take is (and it will maybe not be shared with everyone):

That’s the surface level...and it moves (too) fast

If you focus on them, you will run without moving

On the contrary, there are 2 things that will build serious foundations

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲

I know, it's not exciting or trendy, but it's non-negotiable
- Single sources of truth
- Clean data architecture
- Clear metric definitions
- Forecast accountability
- Strong planning cadence
- Repeatable close routines
- Consistent executive narratives
- Trust in the numbers, every month

It's tempting to skip them but believe me, if they break, your whole function breaks

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱: 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

Helping decisions (and we know there will be a lot in 2026)

- Driver-based and capacity-based planning.
- Scenario modeling that leaders actually use.
- Cross-functional planning that reflects how the business runs.
- Forecast-to-action loops
- Financial storytelling
- Business partnering

This is where FP&A becomes leadership-ready

And builds its future

When you have that set, tools with enhance your value

But only in that order

So now, tell me, what are your priorities this year?

There is a massive difference between Information and Insight

And I made a template for you to avoid the trap

I've reviewed hundreds of finance presentations, and I see teams constantly falling into "Information Mode":
• Detailed tables 
• Every single variance explained 
• A comprehensive look at "what happened"

But stakeholders are looking for Insight:
• What actually matters? 
• Why should I care? 
• What are we going to do about it?

The problem is that most finance professionals know they need to be more strategic, but they 𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺 to filter the noise.

So I created a system.

It’s the exact logic I use with my clients to turn a 50-slide data dump into a 5-slide strategic narrative.

Inside the "3 Filters Framework™" folder:

✅ The Excel Filter Template: A structured tool to validate every KPI against Materiality, Explanation, and Actionability 
✅ The "Noise vs. Signal" Logic: How to cut 80% of your data without losing credibility
✅ The Video Walkthrough: A step-by-step guide on how to apply this to your P&L immediately

Use it once 

You'll never build a presentation the same way

I’m giving the full system away for free today

Want it?
- Follow me (so I can DM you)
- Like this post
- Get your template AND the video on https://lnkd.in/e_vDMm-m

PS: there are a lot of requests and as weird as it can sound in 2026, I don't use automations here so it will take some time. Thank you for your patience 🙏

7 Principles of Powerful FP&A Storytelling

1️⃣ Start with tension
Open with the problem/opportunity the business needs to face

2️⃣ Make it human
Show judgment, trade-offs, and impact
Your opinion matters more than you think

3️⃣ Speak in business images
Impacts and visuals will be stronger if shown in business drivers

4️⃣ Make it about them
Frame insights around executive priorities and risks

5️⃣ Show the stakes
What happens if nothing changes

6️⃣ Close the loop
Tie outcomes back to the original question

7️⃣ Leave a decision
End with a clear choice the room needs to make

Each of these is illustrated in the visual below 👇

If you work in FP&A or lead a finance function, storytelling isn’t a typical "soft skill"

It’s how strategy gets understood, trusted, and acted on

💬 Which of these principles do you find hardest to apply in real meetings?

If FP&A had a transit map, this would be it 🚇

Too often, finance processes are viewed in isolation

Budgeting happens here, reporting happens there

But in a healthy organization, these are continuous lines of transit

The 4 Lines that keep the business moving:

🟢 Green: Telling the story of what happened.

🔵 Blue: Uncovering the drivers behind the numbers.

🔴 Red: Modeling the path forward.

🟡 Yellow: Guiding the capital allocation.

The goal is to ensure the connections are seamless. 

When "Reporting" feeds "Planning" without friction, and "Analysis" automatically triggers "Decision Support," you have a world-class function

FP&A Central is where data meets dialogue

Where does your organization experience the most "delays" on this map?

You can tell a lot about a CFO

by how they run their 1:1s

If it is just a status meeting, they might as well use a checklist

But if they're serious about building the best finance team they can,
their 1:1s look very different

That’s why how you frame questions will determine the value you'll get from your teams 

Here are 10 questions great CFOs ask in 1:1s 👇

1️⃣ What’s been the most frustrating part of your week?
Because friction always shows you where the system is broken.

2️⃣ Where do you feel you’re doing your best work right now?
That’s where leverage already exists.

3️⃣ What’s one thing you wish we did differently as a finance team?
This tells you more than any engagement survey.

4️⃣ Is there a decision you’re waiting on that I can help move along?
Speed is leadership.

5️⃣ What part of your role feels unclear or messy at the moment?
Ambiguity is where performance quietly erodes.

6️⃣ If you could fix one process overnight, what would it be?
Listen carefully. This is usually expensive friction.

7️⃣ What skill do you want to build next, and how can I support that?
Future capacity starts here.

8️⃣ What’s a win from this month that deserves more visibility?
Because finance teams don’t lack impact. They lack airtime.

9️⃣ Where do you feel stretched, and where do you feel stuck?
This is how you prevent burnout before it shows up in performance.

🔟 What would make your job feel easier next quarter?
Small answers. Big signals.

Don't get me wrong: being supportive is not the number 1 priority here

But thanks to these, you'll build capacity

Which one of these questions do you already use?
And which one do you avoid asking?

-----

I'm Soufyan and I do 3 things to help CFOs and FP&A Leaders
- I train your teams to become real Finance Business Partners https://lnkd.in/ee66bB4q
- I teach you how to prepare and deliver engaging presentations https://lnkd.in/ezh29XRk
- Every week, 20,000s finance leaders learn to go beyond the numbers with my newsletter, FP&A Stories https://bit.ly/fpastories

46 Executives. One Saturday. 1 topic: The art of Storytelling

This weekend, I led the Public Speaking and Storytelling module for the Executive MBA at Solvay Lifelong Learning | Solvay Brussels School of Economics & Management

Usually, my audience is strictly Finance

But this group was different: a mix of (future) Executives, Engineers, Admins, Marketers and even Psychologists

I could have just taught them the theory 

But my main goal was to get them out of their comfort zone and practice as much as possible

And the energy was intense

They didn't sit the whole day in the classroom

At one point, I walked through the building and saw students rehearsing in the stairwells and practicing their pitches in the corridors

They took the "performance" aspect seriously

One student summed up the experience perfectly: "It has been an inspiring Saturday and, going forward, I'll be frequently using the offered knowledge"

We focused heavily on structure

Before you open PowerPoint, and before you worry about body language, you need to know exactly where you are taking your audience

Whether you are an executive or an engineer, if the structure isn't clear in your head, chance is it won't be for the audience

A huge thank you to the class for trusting the process...
...and for the energy in that final group photo!

----
I'm Soufyan and I do 3 things to help your teams
- I train your teams to communicate like leaders https://lnkd.in/eC8uvdZ8
- I teach your non-finance teams to understand and use finance https://lnkd.in/eAy-W7z8
- Every week, 20,000s finance leaders learn to go beyond the numbers with my newsletter, FP&A Stories https://bit.ly/fpastories

ONE big difference between Controlling and FP&A

Business 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻 translated into Business 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

But for that, you need to value by a chain

A chain you build step by step:

It's tempting to “upgrade FP&A” by starting at the top but most of the time, you face the sitution where nothing changes

Because FP&A isn’t grounded in business understanding but if you want it to create a repercussion in the business, you can't simply show them the problems

You must first translate into values that people understand

And then translate into a narrative (because, no, people won't move unless they feel concerned)

Here’s the sequence that actually works, without shortcuts

𝟭) 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴

Before you model anything, you earn the right to model it

You know the revenue engine, the cost structure, the commercial mechanics, the operational constraints

𝟮) 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

You translate finance into business levers

That means that every $/€ movement will lead to a change in drivers...
...and vice-versa

𝟯) 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

Now you shape how leaders interpret performance

Your message framing makes the decision easier for leaders

(Small tip: think of the 3 What)

𝟰) 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

This is where FP&A becomes real

If decisions are made, you don't let them die in the meeting.

You make sure they are in the rolling forecasts
You follow up on the action points with the people accountable
You make it a routine

Each layer builds on the previous one

If you jump straight to forecasting routines without business acumen, you get prettier templates and the same misunderstandings
If you jump straight to storytelling without value translation, you get great slides and zero action
If you jump straight to execution without influence, you get meetings that feel busy and outcomes that feel random

If you want FP&A to be valuable, treat it like a craft with a progression

Start at the bottom

Where does your team spend most of its time today: business understanding, value translation, influence, or execution?

Insight Communication for Modern Finance Teams (Storytelling Done The Right Way) | EMBA Lecturer | Keynote Speaker

I am repeating myself but I keep on seeing the problem in so many finance teams

- we want impactful FP&A teams
- we need to automate our work
- my team needs AI

The problem is that, although this is something I would love to see in finance teams, most teams are not ready for it

Because these processes are fed with the wrong base

Data that's either wrong or doesn't mean anything

And despite all your efforts, you can’t automate that

You can’t shortcut it either

That’s why I like to think about FP&A as a funnel and each stage is a progress towards the famous impact that we want

Here’s how it actually plays out.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭 – 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗠𝗕𝗟𝗘
Most of your job consists in chasing and fixing data 
Time investment is extreme, and nothing really sticks

Most teams live here longer than they admit

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟮 – 𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧
You start creating consistency and that often goes along with standard reports and shared definitions
It’s less visible work, but it’s foundational

This is where discipline starts to matter

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟯 – 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
Now numbers begin to mean something, and not only for finance but for the whole business
Decisions happen faster because finance explains

This is where FP&A earns credibility

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟰 – 𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
Systems finally run the show and you can count on them to provide your insights in due time 
Automation works because the groundwork is done

Not before

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟱 – 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗧
FP&A drives strategy with finance-led decisions that create value
The team is guiding with influence and human touch

I know, it appears more sexy to jump from SCRAMBLE straight to AUTOMATION with fancy tools

But skipping stages will make the whole setup fragile

The real breakthrough is to find at which stage you're in...
... and know how to go to the next

That’s how FP&A becomes useful

♻️ Repost if this matches what you see in your organization
👇 Curious: which stage do you see most FP&A teams stuck in today?

-----

I'm Soufyan and I do 3 things to help CFOs and FP&A Leaders
- I train your teams to become real Finance Business Partners https://lnkd.in/ee66bB4q
- I teach you how to prepare and deliver engaging presentations https://lnkd.in/ezh29XRk
- Every week, 20,000s finance leaders learn to go beyond the numbers with my newsletter, FP&A Stories https://bit.ly/fpastories

Systematizing Storytelling for Finance Teams | EMBA Lecturer | Keynote Speaker

There are dozens of storytelling frameworks

But only one of them really works in Finance

---------
 I'll share tips about this framework and help leaders like you improve their storytelling skills in a webinar organised by Lucanet called Stop Reporting, Start Influencing - The Storytelling framework for Finance Leaders

It's FREE, it's on January 21st at 2pm CET and I want to see you there

Register here https://lnkd.in/esqapHNu
--------

The difference is that we are not on a TEDx stage

The goal of our presentations is to bring decisions to the table

And in a decision room, leaving things open-ended is a risk

That’s why I put a score on each framework in this visual

Not to rank storytelling theory

But to reflect what actually works when you sit with a CFO, an ExCo, or a board that expects direction by the end of the meeting

Over the years, I’ve used all of these.
Golden Circle ⭐⭐⭐
Driver-based storytelling ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scenario planning ⭐⭐⭐
Bridge frameworks ⭐⭐⭐
Even Monroe (in very specific moments) ⭐⭐

They all have value
They all have limits
And they don’t perform the same in our context

In finance, the question is rarely “Is this a nice story?”
It’s “What decision does this lead to?”

That’s why some frameworks do a better job
Why some bring a real outcom
Why some help leadership move

Like the SCQA 

And yes, this is the clear winner in my heart

The one that consistently survives board pressure, time constraints, and executive impatience

But I’m curious

What frameworks have you actually used in real finance meetings?
And which one helped you land a decision when it really mattered?

Don't forget to register if you want to learn more about the SCQA and see how I use AI to prepare my presentations
https://lnkd.in/esqapHNu

I’m genuinely interested in your winner

A CFO once told me something I wish I’d learned earlier in my career:

“People in front of me don't work in your models
So bring them what influences their decisions”

That sentence is still what brought doing what I do

Because, contrary to the usual storytelling, where you keep the a-ha moment for the end

In finance, you have to be clear about what you expect from the review...

...and count on your performance to generate trust

Presence is what allows you to:

• Frame the decision before the data
• Hold attention when numbers get uncomfortable
• Stay credible when assumptions are challenged
• And actually land an outcome, not just a discussion

When it slips, even a perfect work goes nowhere

So to avoid that, here are 9 moments where your presence disappears:

1️⃣ Opening with numbers instead of context
2️⃣ Apologizing for the forecast
3️⃣ Burying the recommendation
4️⃣ Reading the deck word-for-word
5️⃣ Freezing when challenged
6️⃣ Fighting the sceptic
7️⃣ Drowning in detail
8️⃣ Rushing the close
9️⃣ Ending without a clear ask

Yes, your work, data, dashboard are expected to be perfectµ

But most of them are and yet, most finance presentations are not great

That’s exactly why you should also care about "how" you deliver your presentation

So tell me: 

Which one have you seen most often in your own meetings?

9 Mistakes That Kill FP&A Presentations

7 ideas I wish more FP&A teams carried with them into 2026

Save this

These are the kinds of principles that quietly shape better decisions

If you’re serious about influence in finance, stay around

7 powerful ideas to carry with you in 2026

I’ll admit it
Early in my career, I was a bit of a snob
I thought storytelling was only for FP&A

---------
👉  24 hours before my webinar with Lucanet called 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

I'll share tips about 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 incl. frameworks, tips and AI tools

It's FREE, it's on 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 (𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄) 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝗽𝗺 𝗖𝗘𝗧 and I want to see you there

Register here https://lnkd.in/esqapHNu
--------

Our unique value

Later, I realised every finance role is already telling stories...
...just in very different ways:
- Accounting tells the story of rules being followed
- Tax tells the story of efficiency
- Treasury tells the story of resilience
- FP&A tells the story of choices

Trouble starts when we use the same approach everywhere

That’s when we lose people

Because what works in the ExCo won’t reassure regulators
And what convinces auditors won’t inspire executives

Storytelling in Finance must not only adapt to the audience

It must also adapt to its message
 
So ask yourself:
- What does this audience care about?
- What language will they trust?
- How do they make decisions?

This framework helps you find the right angle

Good finance professionals master the numbers
Great ones know numbers only matter when they become useful.

👉 Don't forget to register if you want to learn more on how to manage different audiences in your finance specialty https://lnkd.in/esqapHNu

Not all CFOs are influential

That's because being the best won't help

Just before you read further, yes I know

You have to be technically good to be a CFO, I don't discuss that

But doing your job and having your job approved are 2 different things

People resist when
- they don't understand
- they don't agree
- they don't see the added value (for them)

And a way to go over that resistance is influence

In finance, there are a few predictable principles to influence

Here are the ones every CFO should understand:

• Reciprocity
Executives become far more open to finance when you first help them see something they hadn’t fully understood yet

• Consistency
Decisions land more easily when they feel like a natural continuation of assumptions leaders have already agreed to earlier

• Social proof
Uncertainty drops when finance shows how similar decisions played out elsewhere, because risk feels smaller when it’s shared

• Authority
Clear, calm explanations of complex situations build trust faster than confidence theatrics ever will

• Strategic scarcity
Focus increases when finance protects leadership attention by saying no to low-value work and yes to what truly matters

Together, these principles change how finance is perceived

Resistance fades, conversations change, and finance stops being questioned at the end of the meeting

80% of finance presentations fail to influence decisions

I'll fix that in a free webinar on Jan 21 with Lucanet 👉 

Register here https://lnkd.in/esqapHNu

Most executives leave finance meetings unconvinced, unconcerned, or unsure of what to do next

The numbers are right, no concern about that

But we, finance, didn't make it important or actionable

In this session, I’m breaking down the exact storytelling framework I use, built specifically for finance, not generic "hero stories"

We will cover: 

▪️ How to structure insights so execs instantly grasp the "so what" 
▪️ 3 concrete tools to turn data into decision-ready messages 
▪️ How AI can support your narrative (and prep you for tough questions)

I’ll be joined by Tobias Riffel from Lucanet to discuss the strategic shift finance leaders need to make right now

🚨 Important: This is NOT a product demo. It’s a mindset shift and a practical training session

Stop reporting. Start influencing.

See you there?

Register now on 
https://lnkd.in/esqapHNu

We all think "presenting the numbers" is like this:

Align on the data → share insights → decision made

But that happens maybe 1 time out of 10

Normally, this happens: 
- Numbers get challenged
- Priorities shift mid-meeting
- You get interrupted at least once
- Someone asks the one question you didn’t prepare for
- Stakeholders interpret your insights diff
- Tensions rise
- Time runs out

And somehow… “good enough” wins

Every finance leader has lived this moment

We spend hours preparing the slides but once we’re in the revie, we get hijacked by timing, pressure, and politics

That’s not a failure of storytelling

It’s proof that decision-making is human

And this is why storytelling is so important

If it was just “presenting the numbers”, it would be easu

But you need to steer attention when everything else is pulling it away

So for your next MBR, just think this one thing

How is the reviw going to be?

...and prepare for the inevitable

Stop presenting like a tree 🌳

Many finance pros are taught to stand still, deliver the data, or sit down

But standing like a statue (or twisting like you're using a hula-hoop) signals stress

And stress = lack of trust

If you want to be convincing, you have to move with intention

Here are 3 micro-adjustments that instantly boost authority:

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

Don't rush to answer tough question

Pause for 2 seconds

It makes you look calm, sure of yourself

2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗲

Slow down your hands

Fast hands signal nervousness; controlled movement signals leadership

3. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲

Don't just stand there

Move in all 4 directions to cover the space and occupy the sight

These are tools to help you lead with authenticity

Try just one of these in your next meeting

And tell me: which one did I forget?

8 Body Language Shifts

Reporting vs Explaining vs Influencing
Where would you put your team?
(Test it on on https://tally.so/r/ODlAXA)

It's important because you can't change anything with reporting

But today, most teams I've seen are still blocked there

It could still work 10 years ago (and even so...) 
- gathering the different data sources
- cross-checking to verify the accuracy
- setting them in a usable report/dashboard

But the problem has always been that the rest of the company expects more from our job

Even 10 years ago, our stakeholders thought: "and now what?"

Leaders push back because they still don’t know what to do with what you showed them

So there's only one thing to do: move from hindsight to foresight

When you move your partners from the rear mirror to your windshield 

You become a finance business partner

If you want a simple way to diagnose where your team stands (reporting, explaining, or influencing) I’ve put together a visual that breaks down the differences with business impact included

It’s the framework I use in my workshops when teams want to raise the level of the conversation inside the business

If you want the high-res version, I’ve made it available as a free PDF

👉 https://lnkd.in/e9m42D9Y

And if you want to see where your team is, go to 

👉 https://tally.so/r/ODlAXA

Early in my career, I believed: “If the work is good, it will speak for itself”  
Then I started presenting

That’s the moment executives decide whether to trust you...
...often before they’ve even understood the results

The reassuring part: strong presenting is a set of behaviours you can practice

And because finance doesn’t teach that nearly enough, I turned my biggest public-speaking takeaways into a resource

A few that consistently help:
- 𝟱–𝟱–𝟱 𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 (calm eyes, calm room)  
- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 (silence used on purpose)  
- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟯-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿 (problem → why it matters → what’s coming)  
- 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀 (repeat the 2–3 points that orient the audience)  
- 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀 (make the deck feel like one story)

Pick the technique that fits the moment

When people feel your certainty, they’re far more willing to follow your conclusions

The hardest part of variance analysis is selecting what to keep and what to leave out
In other words, getting the "signal" from the "noise"

We all struggle to know which insights are "important" and which are just "interesting"

So I built the 3 Filters Framework™ to make that decision for you and I explain it in a video I just released

👉 Watch it here https://lnkd.in/eFxftH5D

It’s a dynamic Excel model designed to do one specific thing: 
- take your messy raw data
- filter it through your industry drivers
- emphasise the 3 or 4 key "Root Causes" you actually need to pay attention to

It helps you: 
✅ Automate Price-Volume-Mix 
✅ Ignore immaterial variances (The Noise) 
✅ Build a "Board-Ready" waterfall chart instantly (The Signal)

Don't let the noise kill your message

Grab the template and watch the guide here:

👇 https://lnkd.in/eFxftH5D

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