The FP&A Guy Network

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 highlight episode of Future Finance, hosts Glenn Hopper and Paul Barnhurst discuss Anthropic's reported IPO plans, AI revenue growth, and the financial risks shaping the industry. They explore the company's reported S-1 filing, computing costs, and what its financial performance could mean for the future of AI profitability.

Expect to Learn
What Anthropic's reported IPO filing reveals about financial and AI-related risks.
How revenue growth and computing costs affect AI profitability.
Why principal-versus-agent accounting changes reported revenue.
What AI company valuations reveal about market expectations.

Glenn and Paul emphasize why finance professionals should look beyond headline revenue numbers and focus on profitability, operating costs, and financial reporting. Their discussion highlights the importance of understanding AI business models while remaining cautious about long-term growth expectations.

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

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

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

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] - Introduction
[00:57] - Anthropic's IPO & AI Industry Growth
[04:59] - Anthropic's S-1 Risk Disclosures
[06:14] - Financial Performance & Operating Losses
[09:46] - Customer Retention & AI Spending
[13:27] - Principal vs. Agent Accounting
[17:45] - AI Adoption & Future Market Uncertainty
[19:07] - AI Valuations & the Path to Profitability
[22:39] - Closing Remarks & Thanks

In this episode of Financial Modeler's Corner, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes Lance Rubin, Founder of Model Citizn, to discuss how AI is transforming financial modeling, accounting, and FP&A. They explore the risks of AI-generated financial models, the importance of human oversight, and why strong financial modeling skills remain essential.

Lance Rubin is a Chartered Accountant and financial modeling expert based in Melbourne, Australia. As the Founder of Model Citizn, he specializes in financial modeling, data analytics, AI-powered solutions, and data-driven decision-making. He also provides fractional CFO services and helps businesses improve their financial processes using Excel, Power BI, and AI.

Expect to Learn
Why AI-generated financial models can look accurate while containing serious errors.
How human oversight helps prevent costly financial mistakes.
Why Excel and Power BI remain essential in AI-powered finance.
How AI skills, workflows, and guardrails improve reliability.
Why fully autonomous finance systems present significant risks.

Here are a few quotes from the episode:
“The human has to be in the loop. The human has to check it.” - Lance Rubin
“I like to translate all AI work into formulas, into deterministic logic that I check, then I can trust it. Otherwise, I can't.” - Lance Rubin

Lance shares insights from his AI-powered accounting book and training program, explaining how finance professionals can automate repetitive tasks, build reliable AI workflows, and improve productivity without sacrificing accuracy, transparency, or critical thinking.

Follow Lance:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/financial-modelling/
Website - https://www.modelcitizn.com/

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

In Today's Episode:
[00:00] - Introduction
[03:50] - Career Corner
[07:41] - Lance's Financial Modeling Career
[14:35] - Writing an AI-Powered Accounting Book
[21:52] - Five Levels of AI-Powered Accounting
[28:12] - Why Excel Skills Still Matter
[34:28] - The Risks of Uploading Financial Models to AI
[40:46] - Rapid-Fire Financial Modeling Questions
[47:43] - Closing Remarks & Thanks

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 Future Finance, hosts Glenn Hopper and Paul Barnhurst discuss Anthropic's reported IPO plans, financial performance, and the future of AI profitability. They explore the company's reported S-1 filing, rapid revenue growth, infrastructure costs, and the risks of investing in AI companies.

Glenn and Paul also explain how different revenue accounting methods affect financial reporting, whether current AI valuations are sustainable, and what finance professionals can learn from the industry's growth.

Expect to Learn
What Anthropic's reported IPO filing reveals about AI risks.
How rising AI revenue and computing costs affect profitability.
Why different accounting methods change reported revenue.
What drives AI company valuations and investment risks.
How AI is changing financial analysis and decision-making.

The discussion highlights why finance professionals need to look beyond revenue growth and focus on profitability, cash flow, and long-term financial sustainability when evaluating AI companies.

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

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

Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.

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] - Introduction
[04:26] - Anthropic's IPO & AI Industry Growth
[08:54] - Major Risks in Anthropic's S-1 Filing
[15:24] - Computing Costs & Infrastructure Risks
[20:44] - Revenue Growth & Profitability
[28:31] - Revenue Accounting: Principal vs. Agent
[34:31] - AI Market Growth & Company Valuations
[40:10] - Cash Flow & Long-Term Investment Risks
[44:54] - The Future of AI Economics
[49:52] - Closing Remarks & Thanks