FP&A Unlocked

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 them
Why FP&A professionals should understand marketing’s data models
How marketers and finance teams can align on data-driven goals
How to ensure marketing budgets are being spent effectively

Here 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 Greenfield

Jeff 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_fpaguy

Follow 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 itself
The key skills needed for creating effective charts
Common mistakes in data visualisation and how to avoid them
Why empathy for your audience is crucial when designing visuals
How to decide when to use default charts vs. creating custom visuals

Here 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 Desbarats

Nick 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_fpaguy

Follow 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 success
The importance of aligning company, team, and individual goals
Best practices for goal-setting and performance management
Why flexibility is important when managing goals throughout the year
How to build trust and collaboration between HR and FP&A

Here 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 Kenny

Cynthia 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_fpaguy

Follow 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/glenntsnyder

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
[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

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Rey del Valle to discuss what it really takes to move from reporting the business to steering it. Rey shares lessons from more than 25 years across media, entertainment, ecommerce, and fintech, explaining why curiosity, collaboration, and driver-based modeling are essential to effective finance leadership.
Rey del Valle is a strategic CFO with deep roots in FP&A, having built his career at organizations such as FedEx, Norwegian Cruise Line, MTV Networks, and The Walt Disney Company. He has since served as CFO and advisor for companies including Ticketmaster, AXS, Guitar Center, OpenX, and several entertainment-focused fintech platforms.

Expect to Learn:
What great FP&A looks like beyond spreadsheets and reporting
The biggest mindset shift required when moving from FP&A to CFO
Why curiosity and operational understanding matter in finance
How collaboration plays a key role in successful turnarounds
How benchmarks and driver-based models uncover opportunities

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“FP&A is about taking data and turning it into actionable insight so the business can actually do something with it.” - Rey del Valle
“Our role in finance is not to look at numbers for their own sake, it is to help the company make better decisions.” - Rey del Valle

Rey shares practical insights on how FP&A teams can become stronger strategic partners by understanding business drivers, building models that support decision-making, and working closely with operations. He emphasizes that finance leaders create the most value when they listen first, stay curious, and help teams translate strategy into execution, especially during periods of change.

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_fpaguy

Follow Rey:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reydelvalle/
Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/everestadvisorsllc/

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
[03:12] - What Great FP&A Really Means
[04:56] - Choosing the CFO Path
[07:49] - CFO of the Year Nomination
[10:00] - Architect vs Engineer in Finance
[13:38] - Execution and Overcommunication
[16:41] - Understanding Business Drivers
[21:26] - From Reporting to Steering
[29:03] - Finance Inside Operations
[33:25] - Turning Around a Business

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Aswin Saravanan, VP of Finance at Qualtrics, to explore what it really takes for FP&A teams to move from insight to action. Aswin shares why trust is the foundation of strategic finance, how culture and vision enable better decision making, and why simplicity in financial modeling often delivers the greatest impact
Aswin is a strategic finance leader with over a decade of experience across global technology companies. He specializes in connecting strategy to execution and helping finance drive business outcomes. Currently the VP of Finance at Qualtrics, he brings deep expertise across corporate, product, and go-to-market finance. He has previously held leadership roles at Microsoft and HubSpot.

Expect to Learn
What great FP&A looks like as a strategic business partner
Why is trust required to move from insight to action
How culture and vision shape high-performing FP&A teams
The importance of simple financial models over complex ones
How FP&A teams create strategic value that influences the future

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“Taking something from insight to action requires trust. Without trust, nothing really moves.” - Aswin Saravanan
“Great FP&A is when the team can be a proactive strategic partner and actually change the trajectory of the company.”- Aswin Saravanan

Aswin Saravanan shares practical insights on how FP&A teams can move from reporting to truly influencing business outcomes. By building trust, setting a clear vision, and keeping financial models simple, finance leaders can turn insight into action. The conversation reinforces that strategic value comes from helping the business make better decisions about the future.

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_fpaguy

Follow Aswin:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aswinsaravanan/
Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/qualtrics/

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
[03:56] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[05:23] - Why Finance in Tech
[07:20] - Outcome-Based Pricing Risks
[10:49] - Leading Finance at Qualtrics
[13:13] - Culture and Vision in FP&A
[17:16] - Building Team Culture
[22:47] - Trust and Core FP&A Skills
[26:18] - Defining Strategic Value
[32:39] - Driving Operational Excellence
[34:37] - Simple Financial Modeling