The Four Pillars Every CFO Needs (and why FP&A is THE Growth Engine) with Steve Rosvold

FP&A Unboxed

Get out of Excel Hell and enhance your financial analytics skills with our FREE Introduction to PowerBI for Financial Analysis: https://bit.ly/power-bi-financial-ananlysis-training

_____________________________________________________

In this episode of FP&A Unboxed Podcast, host Tejas Parikh talks with Steve Rosvold about how finance roles are changing and what skills finance professionals need to succeed today. They go over how FP&A is becoming more important in business decisions, what makes a great CFO, and how finance professionals can move beyond reporting numbers to influencing strategy.

Steve Rosvold, the founder of CFO. University, shares lessons from his career as a CFO and explains the key areas that finance professionals should focus on to grow in their roles. He also talks about how technology and data are affecting finance and what professionals can do to stay ahead.

If you work in FP&A, finance, or want to become a CFO, this episode has useful advice on building a strong finance career, improving decision-making, and becoming a key part of your company’s success.

Key Takeaways

The Role of FP&A is Changing – Finance teams today do more than just budgeting and reporting. They help companies make better decisions and prepare for the future.

How FP&A is Becoming More Strategic – Companies now rely on FP&A teams to understand trends, manage risks, and plan for growth.

Skills Finance Professionals Need – It’s not just about knowing numbers. Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills are just as important.

How to Build a Great Finance Team – What to look for when hiring and how to help team members improve and grow in their roles.

The Impact of Technology in Finance – Automation and data analytics are changing how finance teams work, and professionals need to keep up with these changes.

Where FP&A is Headed – What the future looks like for finance teams and how professionals can prepare.

Noteworthy Quotes

"Finance is no longer just about tracking numbers. It plays a big role in shaping business decisions." – Steve Rosvold

"Good finance professionals don’t just analyze data, they help businesses make smarter choices." – Tejas Parikh

"If you want to grow in FP&A, don’t just focus on spreadsheets. Learn how to communicate and influence decisions." – Steve Rosvold

"Finance teams that stay close to the business will always add more value." – Tejas Parikh

"Understanding numbers is important, but understanding people is what makes a finance leader stand out." – Steve Rosvold

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Intro Clip & Call to Action

[00:01:39] Steve’s Background and Career Journey

[00:03:00] Why CFO University Was Created

[00:03:37] The Four Key Areas Every CFO Should Focus On

[00:06:28] The Four Pillars of CFO University

[00:09:53] From Crisis to Growth: A Controller’s Transformation

[00:12:30] The Role of Finance in Business Growth

[00:15:19] A Real-Life Story of a Finance Team Making an Impact

[00:20:56] The Most Important Skills for Finance Professionals

[00:25:59] Why Finance Professionals Should Focus on Communication & Leadership

[00:31:51] FP&A: The CFO’s Growth Engine in a Data-Driven Era

[00:43:10] The Future of FP&A and Where It’s Headed

[00:45:38] Certifications & Training Programs That Can Help in FP&A

[00:51:27] Final Thoughts & Where to Learn More

FOLLOW OUR GUEST STEVE ROSVOLD ON:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steverosvold/

Website: https://cfo.university/library/contributor/steve-rosvold

FOLLOW OUR HOST TEJAS PARIKH ON:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejasparikh/

Website: https://aksharconsulting.co.uk/

FOLLOW FB&A UNBOXED PODCAST ON:

Website: https://aksharconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aksharconsultingltd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aksharbusinessconsulting

X: https://x.com/AksharBusiness

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abcl560

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22UeMzvc1G7rTk56EVVfKW?si=fa8c7bbb6448462c

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fp-a-unboxed/id1802152900