The Importance of Predicting and Influencing in FP&A with Carl Seidman

Welcome to a special episode of Financial Modeler’s Corner! Today, we're thrilled to bring you an exciting Podswap from FP&A Tomorrow. Stay tuned for an engaging conversation with Carl Seidman that you won't want to miss. Here are the show notes from our previous episode.

Welcome to FP&A Tomorrow, where we discuss financial planning and analysis, examining its current state and future prospects, with your host Paul Barnhurst. 

In today’s episode, Paul engages in a conversation with Carl Seidman to discuss why mastering presentation skills, and understanding the needs of the audience is crucial for excelling in your FP&A career.

Carl is a premier FP&A and Fractional CFO expert, providing financial advisory and leadership development services to top companies including Deloitte, Verizon, and Walmart. Carl is known for his impactful training programs and advisory work that drive success in financial planning and analysis.

Key takeaways from this week's episode include: :

Here is a concise summary of the key points from the discussion:

In FP&A, the ability to distill complex information into a concise, impactful message is paramount. It's not about how much you know, but what you can communicate effectively.

The ability to distill complex information into a concise, impactful message is paramount. It's not about how much you know, but what you can communicate effectively.

FP&A isn't just about numbers, it's about storytelling with data, painting a vivid picture of the financial landscape that guides strategic decisions and drives organizational success

Anticipating potential disruptions or changes in the business environment is a fundamental aspect of FP&A. By identifying risks and developing strategies to mitigate them, FP&A professionals can help the organization stay ahead and adapt effectively.

Quotes: 

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode about FP&A mastery:

"You're not going to go to a nice restaurant and pay a lot of money for a delicious dish, and then have it be delivered in a greasy brown paper bag. Right. So the deliverable matters a whole lot. It can actually significantly dismiss the credibility or value of everything that came up before at that point in time."-Carl Seidman

"I think that Great FP&A looks like a team of people who are equipped, from a technical standpoint, to be able to execute the kinds of requests that are being asked of them."-Carl Seidman

“The demands in business, the increasingly fast-moving environment, competition, the risks of getting some of this planning wrong are pushing the need of FP&A to be a whole lot more proactive, a lot more agile, a lot more well rounded and thinking instead of just being about financial planning and reporting."-Carl Seidman

Follow Carl:    

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlseidman

Website - https://seidmanfinancial.co

For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions.  For AFP FPAC certification answer the questions and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details. 

In today’s episode:  

[01:25] Carl introduction;

[02:42] Changing FP&A trend over the next five years:

[10:00] Carl’s background:

[12:05] Carl’s passion for presenting and communication

[15:44] Favorite voice Carl can impersonate?

[20:42] Becoming better speakers and why presentation matters

[33:44] How you can be better at influencing

[40:44] Most important skills for FP&A professionals

[45:00] Carl’s LinkedIn learning course

[47:15] Rapid Fire

[51:35] Carl’s book recommendation

[55:51] Parting words