In this episode of FP&A Tomorrow, host Paul Barnhurst, aka "The FP&A Guy," dives into the intricacies of financial planning and analysis (FP&A) with Renato Villanueva, CEO of Parallel, a startup FP&A tool for early-stage founders. They discuss what makes great FP&A, the journey from risk management to FP&A, and the challenges of scaling a startup while maintaining financial discipline.

Renato Villanueva is an accomplished finance professional and the CEO of Parallel, a company providing innovative financial modeling and forecasting solutions for startups. With a finance degree from Utah Valley University, Renato's experience spans multiple high-profile companies, including Qualtrics, American Express, and Divvy. His deep understanding of FP&A and his entrepreneurial spirit drive the conversation as he shares valuable insights from his career and current ventures.

Expect to Learn:

The essential characteristics of effective FP&A and why understanding your company's goals is crucial.
How persistence and networking can open doors in your career, as demonstrated by Renato's journey into Divvy.
The importance of aligning financial planning with company growth strategies, especially in a startup environment.
Key operational metrics to focus on during the early stages of a startup.
Strategies for building strong relationships between finance and other business departments to drive success.

Quotes:

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode

“Great FP&A is about understanding what the company is trying to accomplish and the role your leader plays in that. It's knowing the North Star metric and ensuring your department has the resources to achieve it." - Renato Villanueva
"You want to make it as easy as possible for whoever you work with. Sometimes that means meeting people where they’re at rather than forcing them into a new process." - Renato Villanueva
"The most rewarding part is tackling a really hard problem and empowering founders to make better, bigger bets with confidence." - Renato Villanueva

Renato's journey from risk management to becoming the CEO of Parallel offers valuable lessons in persistence, adaptability, and the power of understanding the big picture. Tune in for expert insights as we continue to explore the evolving landscape of FP&A.

Follow Renato:

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

Follow Paul:

Website - https://www.thefpandaguy.com

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

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Level up your career and build skills for financial planning and analysis. Sign up for the 8 week online financial planning & analysis certificate program by Wharton Online and learn the art of forecasting, analysis, business partnering and financial storytelling:

Don’t Let Your Startup Fail – Essential Financial Tips For Entrepreneurs with Renato Villanueva.

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