In our latest Planning Aces episode of CFO Thought Leader, Jack Sweeney teams with FP&A veteran Brett Knowles to spotlight three finance leaders tackling one of business’s most critical challenges: aligning sales, operations, and finance around a common goal.

First, Orion Innovation CFO Cyrus Lam recalls how transparent metrics and well-crafted incentives helped double profit margins by bridging the gap between sales and delivery teams. Then, Jellyfish CFO Joanne Cheng reveals the power of being a “connector”—a finance leader who unifies fast-scaling startups by integrating hires, systems, and processes from day one. Finally, Cribl CFO Zach Johnson shares his “three P’s” framework—precision, predictability, and performance—spotlighting how open communication and unit economics training can shape a company’s culture and boost long-term value.

Throughout, Brett Knowles offers revealing insights into how CFOs can develop organizational trust, adopt strategic compensation models, and champion cross-functional collaboration to drive sustainable growth.

In this episode of Planning Aces, co-hosts Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles explore insights from CFOs Sandra Wallach (Amprius Technologies), David Morris (Guardian Pharmacy Services), and David Eckstein (Vanta). The discussion highlights themes around technology adoption and data-driven decision-making. Sandra Wallach emphasizes the importance of hands-on involvement, leveraging weekly meetings and direct collaboration to stay aligned with supply chain and customer needs. David Morris reflects on Guardian's long-term journey to IPO, underscoring rigorous planning processes, investment in data infrastructure, and a methodical approach to decision-making. David Eckstein examines AI’s transformative potential, advocating for measured experimentation while noting its current success in streamlining sales and operational processes. Brett Knowles identifies an overarching narrative of incremental technological adoption, comparing CFOs’ approaches to “crawl, walk, and run” stages. The episode underscores the evolving role of FP&A as a strategic partner, balancing technology with organizational culture and long-term value creation.

In the latest Planning Aces episode, hosts Jack Sweeney and Brett Knowles discuss how finance leaders are elevating FP&A as strategic partners within organizations. Featuring insights from CFOs Regi Vengalil, Matt Steinfort, and Isabelle Winkles, the episode highlights themes like the importance of reliable data, setting constraints to enhance strategic planning, leveraging AI in finance, real-time collaboration, and educating business units. The CFOs emphasize Finance's role in guiding better decision-making and aligning organizational goals.