In this episode of FP&A Tomorrow, host Paul Barnhurst interviews Brian Lanier, a seasoned CFO with extensive experience in financial planning and analysis (FP&A) across multiple industries, including SaaS, technology, and healthcare. The discussion revolves around how FP&A can evolve from just reporting numbers to becoming a key partner in driving business decisions and transformations. Brian shares insights from his journey in private equity-backed companies, turnarounds, and M&A activities.

Brian Lanier is a CFO who has held financial leadership roles in multiple growth-stage companies. With a career that started at EY as an auditor, he has since moved into CFO roles across public, private, and private equity-owned companies. His expertise includes introducing companies to their first budgeting processes, upgrading accounting systems, and overseeing over $7 billion in M&A transactions. His deep understanding of business levers and their impact has led to successful turnarounds and significant cost savings.

Expect to Learn:

How FP&A has evolved from reporting to business partnering and transformation.
The key components of a successful FP&A function, including operational alignment.
The role of data and its quality in making sound financial decisions.
Strategies for managing financials during mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
The importance of flexibility and simplicity when creating financial models and budgets.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

“Great FP&A starts off with partnership with the company itself. It’s about more than reporting numbers.” - Brian Lanier
“I build my models with flexibility in mind, so if things change, you can quickly adjust without having to start from scratch.” - Brian Lanier
“Data is critical, but a lot of companies don’t have clean data. The first step is cleaning it up so you can make informed decisions.” - Brian Lanier
“Predictability is essential in FP&A. The more predictable you can make your revenue and expenses, the better decisions you can make.” - Brian Lanier

From his hands-on experience in growth-stage companies and M&A activities, Brian emphasizes the importance of understanding key business levers, fostering collaboration, and building flexible financial models that can evolve with the company. His deep dive into topics such as budgeting, pricing strategies, and operational alignment offers listeners practical advice on how FP&A can be a strategic partner in business transformation.

Follow Brian:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianlanier1/

Follow Paul:

Website - https://www.thefpandaguy.com

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

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