The FP&A Guy Network

In this episode of Financial Modeler's Corner, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Chris Reilly, founder of Financial Modeling Education, for an insightful discussion on the importance of mastering financial modeling fundamentals in the age of AI. Chris shares his perspective on how AI is transforming the modeling industry, why understanding the basics is more important than ever, and how dynamic arrays are changing the modeling landscape.
Chris Reilly is a financial modeling expert with over 91,000 students trained globally. He has a diverse background, having worked in private equity and FP&A, and has developed a range of training programs through Wall Street Prep, Wharton, LinkedIn Learning, and his own courses. Chris emphasizes that strong foundational knowledge in finance and accounting is crucial to leveraging AI and new technologies effectively.
Expect to Learn
Why mastering the fundamentals of financial modeling is essential in an AI-driven world
How Chris integrates AI tools to enhance his modeling work
The role of dynamic arrays in streamlining financial models
The balance between technical skills and business decision-making
Insights on why complex models aren't always better

Here are a few quotes from the episode:
“AI is a magnifier. If you know what you're doing, it helps you get more done. If not, it makes problems worse.” - Chris Reilly
“The real goal of any model is to help the business understand what to do next, not just to show off technical skills.” - Chris Reilly

Chris highlights how AI can help with dynamic arrays and improve model efficiency, but stresses that it should never replace the need for a strong understanding of financial fundamentals. His focus is on helping modelers leverage the right technology without bypassing essential knowledge.

Follow Chris:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-reilly-mission-capital/
Homepage: https://www.financialmodelingeducation.com/
Email list: https://financialmodelingeducator.com/

Follow Financial Modeler's Corner:
LinkedIn Page- https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-modeler-s-corner/
Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7079020077076905984

Sign up for the Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation Today and receive 15% off by using the special show code ‘Podcast’.

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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...

In this episode of Future Finance, Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper explore how AI tools like Claude, Copilot, and Excel agents are transforming financial workflows in 2026. As the finance industry continues to evolve, AI is playing an increasingly crucial role in automating routine tasks, improving accuracy, and boosting efficiency.
Paul and Glenn discuss their firsthand experiences with AI-driven tools, from tracking expenses and managing journal entries to building financial models. They also dive into the ways small and medium businesses are utilizing AI-powered Excel agents to streamline their financial processes without the need for expensive, traditional planning tools.
In this episode, you will discover:
The impact of AI agents in finance and how they simplify workflows.
Personal experiences with Claude and Copilot in real-world finance tasks.
How to integrate AI into your finance team’s daily tasks.
The benefits and challenges of AI-powered automation in finance.

Paul and Glenn emphasize the importance of embracing AI in finance, highlighting how tools like Claude, Copilot, and Excel agents are transforming everyday workflows. They encourage finance professionals to experiment with AI, even if it means starting small.

Follow Glenn:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii

Follow Paul:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy

Follow QFlow.AI:
Website - https://bit.ly/4i1Ekjg

Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.

Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.

In Today’s Episode:
[00:00] – AI’s Role in Finance
[03:47] – AI Agents in Excel
[06:12] – Claude vs. Copilot
[09:27] – Automating Expenses & Journal Entries
[15:56] – AI for Financial Models
[21:21] – Future of AI in Small Business Finance
[26:26] – Workflow Automation in Finance
[35:28] – AI & Human Collaboration
[39:31] – Experimenting with AI in Finance
[41:45] – Data Quality & Governance
[43:07] – Key Takeaway

In this episode of Financial Modeler’s Corner, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes back Chris Reilly for a deep and practical conversation on financial modeling fundamentals in the age of AI. Chris shares why mastering the basics still matters more than ever, how AI is changing modeling workflows in reality (not hype), and where automation genuinely adds value versus where human judgment is still essential.
Chris Reilly is a former private equity professional and financial modeling expert with experience spanning restructuring, FP&A, treasury, and middle market private equity. He began his career at FTI Consulting during the financial crisis, working on major bankruptcies, including Lehman Brothers, before moving to Hilton Worldwide and later into private equity. Chris is the founder of Financial Modeling Education, where he has trained more than 90,000 professionals worldwide, teaching real-life models used to acquire and manage private equity-backed businesses.

Expect to Learn
Why financial modeling fundamentals matter more than ever in an AI-driven world
How Chris actually uses AI in real client models versus online hype
Why simple, well-built models outperform overly complex ones
How to balance technical modeling skills with business decision-making

Here are a few quotes from the episode:
“AI is a great accelerator if you already understand the fundamentals. If you don’t, it just magnifies the problem.” - Chris Reilly
“There’s a missing middle right now where people are skipping the fundamentals and jumping straight to the results.” - Chris Reilly

Chris emphasizes that while AI and automation can improve efficiency, they do not replace the need for strong accounting knowledge, modeling fundamentals, and business understanding. He explains that the best modelers focus less on tools and functions and more on clarity, reliability, and helping decision makers understand what to do next.

Follow Chris:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-reilly-mission-capital/
Homepage: https://www.financialmodelingeducation.com/
Email list: https://financialmodelingeducator.com/

Follow Financial Modeler's Corner:
LinkedIn Page- https://www.linkedin.com/company/financial-modeler-s-corner/
Newsletter - Subscribe on LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7079020077076905984

Sign up for the Advanced Financial Modeler Accreditation Today and receive 15% off by using the special show code ‘Podcast’....

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Ned Harding - a true pioneer in the data analytics space - to talk about why most data tools still don’t meet the needs of today’s collaborative teams. From building Alteryx from the ground up to launching a new venture (Enso Analytics), Ned shares his take on what’s broken in data workflows and how FP&A teams can fix it.
Ned Harding is the Chief Product Officer at Enso Analytics, a platform that helped define the self-service analytics category. He started coding at eight years old, taught himself from PDP-11 manuals, and has spent the last two decades creating tools used by hundreds of thousands of analysts worldwide. He’s a product guy through and through, and he’s on a mission to help teams work smarter with their data.

Expect to Learn:
Why most data tools fall short when it comes to real team collaboration
The importance of repeatability and testing in FP&A workflows
How to avoid common pitfalls with AI and overfitting in forecasting
Why Excel is both a lifesaver - and a landmine
How to build a true “culture of analytics” across your entire org

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“The biggest successes happen when teams collaborate - analytics shouldn’t be a solo act.”- Ned Harding
“If your team’s not getting value from your data work, you’re not doing your job.”- Ned Harding

Ned shares practical insights on how FP&A teams can become strategic partners by embracing collaborative, repeatable analytics. He emphasizes the value of integrating data across teams, avoiding AI pitfalls, and applying the scientific method to drive consistent, data-informed 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 Ned:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ned-harding-34a57526/
Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/enso-analytics/
Website - https://ensoanalytics.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...