The FP&A Guy Network

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...

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper discuss their latest experiences in the finance world. They explore how tools like Claude and Copilot are transforming workflows, and Glenn shares how he tackled personal finance challenges, from tracking expenses to handling journal entries. Glenn also highlights a real-world example of using these tools for bookkeeping and expense tracking, giving listeners insights into how these technologies can streamline financial tasks.
In this episode, you will discover:
How tools are changing workflows in finance and accounting
Real-world use of tools for bookkeeping and expense tracking
The speed of technology development and its impact on financial tasks
How small businesses can leverage Excel for planning and reporting
The challenges and benefits of using financial assistants for business workflows

Paul and Glenn discuss how tools like Claude and Copilot are transforming finance workflows, saving time, and improving efficiency. The future of finance is evolving rapidly, and businesses of all sizes should embrace these innovations to stay ahead.

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:
[00:45] – Glenn's Recent AI Breakthroughs
[02:24] – Frustration with ChatGPT & Switching to Claude
[04:22] – Using Claude for Personal Finance
[07:00] – Organizing Expenses & Journal Entries
[09:45] – Claude’s Role in Financial Workflow Automation
[11:15] – Copilot vs. Claude: A Quick Comparison
[14:00] – AI’s Influence on Financial Planning Tools
[16:45] – Rapid AI Advancements and Global Competition
[19:15] – Closing Thoughts & Final Remarks

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