In this episode of FP&A Tomorrow, host Paul Barnhurst (aka The FP&A Guy) engages in a deep discussion with guest Aaron Goss where they explore the intricacies of effective FP&A from the perspective of a company leader. The conversation provides insights into how budgeting and forecasting evolve when a company transitions from privately owned to being backed by private equity.

Aaron Goss is a seasoned executive with a unique career path. Starting as a part-time sales employee, Aaron quickly rose to the position of Chief Revenue Officer before becoming president of Brothers Paving and Concrete. With a background in public administration, Aaron brings a fresh perspective to leadership in the construction industry, having steered his company from small-scale operations to large-scale growth under private equity backing.

Expect to Learn

• How Aaron Goss defines good FP&A and what makes an ideal business partner for a CEO.
• The differences between budgeting in a privately owned company versus one backed by private equity.
• Leadership strategies to improve collaboration between finance and operations teams.
• Insights into transitioning from sales to executive leadership, and how skills from different fields translate into success.
• How empathy and understanding the challenges of other departments lead to better leadership and company culture.

Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:

• "There’s often a natural conflict between the CEO's broad vision and the finance team’s need for detail, but it’s essential to balance those perspectives." - Aaron Goss
• "Being a partner in solutions, rather than just a reporter of data, is what makes FP&A truly effective." - Aaron Goss
• "A great leader is a great coach, communicator, and someone who can build trust across teams, regardless of their technical expertise." - Aaron Goss

This conversation with Aaron Goss offers a wealth of insight into team collaboration, effective FP&A, and executive leadership. He emphasizes the need for empathy, clear communication, and balancing details with the broader company vision.

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Follow Aaron:

Email - agossva@gmail.com

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-goss-a06b36b/

Follow Paul: 

Website - https://www.thefpandaguy.com

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

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Earn Your CPE Credit

For CPE credit please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, and answer a few questions and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.

In Today’s Episode

[01:25 ] - Introduction to the episode

[03:06 ] - What is great FP&A to a CEO?

[10:24 ] - Budgeting process in different ownership structures

[17:10 ] - Leadership and finance collaboration

[23:08 ] - The importance of understanding operations

[28:04 ] - Sales and finance relationship dynamics

[31:52 ] - Key skills for FP&A professionals

[43:11 ] - Final thoughts on business partnering

[47:20 ] - Wrap up and contact information