Ehab Sobhy’s Post

FP&A Champs: Power Up Your Career with These 10 Moves The FP&A world thrives on sharp minds and strategic thinking. But what about taking charge of your own career path? Here are 10 moves you'll thank yourself for later: 1- Embrace the Challenge, Ditch the Comfort Zone. 2- Become a Data Storytelling Master. 3- Befriend the Business Acumen. 4- Champion Automation & Efficiency. 5- Build Bridges, Not Silos. Collaboration is key. 6- Embrace Continuous Learning. 7- Sharpen Your Soft Skills. 8- Find Your Mentorship Match. 9- Give Back to the FP&A Community. 10- Celebrate Your Wins (Big & Small). Bonus! Cultivate a Growth Mindset. Believe in your ability to learn and improve. Embrace challenges as opportunities to develop new skills and refine your expertise. What are your go-to career power moves? Share your tips in the comments! —————————————- 📥 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲: Download my work in PDF format by visiting my profile ➡️ and clicking (𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐏&𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬). Your journey toward financial excellence begins. —————————————- 🤝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 ⤵

Looking to break into FP&A from outside of finance? The best thing to do if that’s you is: 0) be great at your job 1) network with your company’s FP&A managers 2) be open with your manager and the FP&A team that you want to end up there For more info, I put together a free guide: https://lnkd.in/gce_pgZX

🚀FP&A Critique Series – The FP&A Professional Evolving Beyond Data Crunching 🚀 FP&A professionals often love being data crunchers, but this mindset needs to evolve. While data skills and understanding remain valuable, over-reliance on tools like Excel is becoming more and more obsolete. 🔹 Current Reality: Many FP&A pros are comfortable with, and even prefer, data manipulation. They are the experts and enjoy that reputation. 🔹 Future Need: Shift focus from pure data handling to thinking in data, translate it into story-telling, hence developing a strategic business partnership. 🔹 Action Plan: Implement targeted training programs for Finance professionals (also beyond FP&A): • Sales training to understand revenue drivers • Operations workshops to e.g. understand supply chain dynamics and operations planning • Marketing seminars for customer insights Create exchange programs: • Rotate FP&A staff through remote sites and different departments • Implement job shadowing with key business partners • Establish a mentorship program: Pair FP&A professionals with senior business leaders This evolution requires a company-wide rethinking of how teams collaborate. FP&A must transition from back-office number crunchers to front-line strategic partners. ➡️ Which of these actions has your organization implemented? What results have you seen? #FP_A #StrategicFinance #BusinessPartnership

🌟 Breaking the Myth: FP&A is More Than Just Numbers! 🌟 Hello, LinkedIn fam! 👋 There’s a common myth that FP&A is all about crunching numbers. Well, it's time to bust this myth! 🚀💼 FP&A is a symphony where numbers are just one part of the orchestra. 🎼📊 1️⃣ Strategic Thinking: It’s not just about what the numbers are, but what they mean. FP&A professionals are strategic partners, shaping the future of businesses with insightful decision-making. 🧠💡 2️⃣ Communication is Key: Explaining complex financial concepts in an understandable way is an art. FP&A pros are storytellers, translating data into compelling business narratives. 🗣️📖 3️⃣ Technology Savvy: In today’s digital era, FP&A is intertwined with tech. It’s about leveraging the latest tools for predictive analytics, data visualization, and more. 🖥️🚀 4️⃣ Cross-Functional Collaboration: FP&A is a collaborative field. Working with different departments, understanding their needs, and contributing to shared goals is a daily routine. 🤝🌐 5️⃣ Adaptability and Learning: The financial landscape is always evolving. FP&A professionals are constant learners, adapting to new challenges and opportunities. 🌱📈 So, let's give a round of applause to all the FP&A professionals out there who bring more than just number-crunching skills to the table. Your strategic insights, storytelling abilities, tech-savviness, collaborative spirit, and adaptability are what truly drive businesses forward! 👏🚀 Share your thoughts and experiences on the diverse skills required in FP&A. Let’s celebrate the multifaceted nature of this field together! #FPAndA #FinanceProfessionals #BeyondNumbers #StrategicThinking #BusinessStorytelling #FinanceInnovation #CollaborationInFinance #ContinuousLearning #LinkedInFinance

🌟 FP&A: Where Numbers Meet People 🌟 In the world of Finance, it's easy to get lost in spreadsheets and forecasts, but let's not forget what truly drives our decisions: People. FP&A is about: - People. - Forecasting accurately. - Automating manual reporting. - Telling good stories backed by data. - Connecting with individuals across departments. - Empowering teams to make data-driven decisions. - Experimenting with 3rd generation of FP&A tools. - Providing unbiased advice to leadership on key issues. - Helping non-finance teams understand business strategy. - Translating financial data into actionable insights - Making a difference in the lives of employees, customers, and stakeholders #Finance #FP&A #People

Stop me if you have heard this one before. - A company is struggling. - They install the latest software. - They hire people with degrees & years of experience But the problems don't go away. Why not? Because → They are not looking at the root of their problems. In FP&A, that means → understanding the mistakes that kill your process. Let's understand these mistakes - • Ignoring data integrity issues → Garbage in will mean garbage out. • Focusing solely on historical data → It's not enough. Incorporate forward looking insights. • Overlooking collaboration → It's about communication & collaboration. • Relying too heavily on the spreadsheets • Underestimating qualitative factors • Neglecting scenario planning In FP&A, it's not just about having the right people and tools. It's also about using them effectively to drive meaningful change. Have you also encountered situations where tools were implemented when all that was needed was genuine introspection and planning? #Problems #RootCause #Finance

Feeling bogged down in FP&A? You're not alone. Ever feel like you're spending too much time on manual tasks in FP&A, leaving less time for strategic analysis? Many FP&A professionals get stuck in the weeds of data gathering, formatting, and report chasing, hindering their ability to add strategic value to the business. Here are some recommendations I've found helpful in my FP&A experience to overcome these non-value-added tasks: 1- Automate, Automate, Automate! Identify repetitive tasks that can be automated using tools like macros, formulas, or FP&A software. This frees up your valuable time for higher-level analysis. 2- Standardize & Streamline Processes. Work with colleagues in finance and other departments to standardize data collection and reporting processes. This eliminates rework and ensures consistency, saving you time and frustration. 3- Focus on Insights, not Just Numbers. Don't just present the data, tell a story! Use your analysis to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Translate data into actionable insights for business leaders. This shift in focus will showcase your strategic thinking and expertise. Have you encountered similar challenges in FP&A? Share your thoughts in the comments! Let me know if you'd like to delve deeper into any of these solutions or if you have other non-value-added tasks you're struggling with in FP&A. #FPA #StrategicFinance #TimeManagement —————————————- 📥 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲: Download my work in PDF format by visiting my profile ➡️ and clicking (𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐏&𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬). Your journey toward financial excellence begins. —————————————- 🤝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 ⤵

There is no ‘R’ in FP&A Not terribly long ago, being in FP&A meant that a big part of the job was either running reports or managing budgets (crawling through expenses to make sure every spend was in-line). It was also the hallmark of a large matrixed organization. Considered a nice-to-have finance function, FP&A was a group that companies added well after they had established themselves, and could justify hiring a team to run reports and build plans. Advent of new age businesses like eCommerce, SaaS, Gig Economy and DTC subscriptions heralded a new era in analytics and data management. Insights were now critical and there was an acute need of Finance Soothsayers. It created a seismic shift in the way FP&A was perceived, as the function began evolving to be a critical part of the business. The skillsets needed in FP&A also started changing. There was more focus on analytics, insights, understanding complex and disjointed datasets, and most importantly storytelling. A report or simple analysis was no longer enough. The business demanded storytelling, synthesizing and recommendations. They needed FP&A to be able to play a key decision maker, making go-no go decisions hand-in-glove.   FP&A has truly come of age and has become front and center of decisions, critical partner to the business and often one of the first hires that a CFO or CEO makes. As businesses become more complex and we march towards a world where change is constant, evolutions are fast, and uncertainty and ambiguity are omnipresent, FP&A is only going to be one of the most sought-after skills and functions. We will continue to see more purpose-built platforms and toolkits designed to assist in FP&A functions. The skills will also need to keep pace but the core will be always there. To quote one of my managers, “We should be thinking of ourselves as Strategists, Analysts and Storytellers. It’s not just Reporting. There is no ‘R’ in FP&A”. What is your FP&A story? #financialplanning #decisionmaking #finance #businesspartnership

FP&A Pains Keeping You Up at Night? Here's How to Solve Them FP&A professionals are the backbone of any financial team, but even superheroes face challenges. Here are 5 common FP&A pains and how to conquer them: Pain 1: Drowning in Data, Thirsty for Insights Struggling to unearth meaningful insights from spreadsheets and siloed data sources? AI can be your secret weapon. AI-powered tools can analyze massive datasets in seconds, surfacing trends, outliers, and hidden cost-saving opportunities. Imagine having the intel you need to make proactive decisions, not reactive firefighting. Pain 2: Forecasting Fog - Stuck in the Past Outdated forecasting methods leave you playing catch-up, not strategic planning. Embrace continuous planning with rolling forecasts that adapt to real-time changes. This data-driven approach ensures your forecasts are more relevant and reliable, giving you the clarity to navigate uncertainty. Pain 3: Spreadsheets Gone Wild - Manual Processes Slowing You Down Manual data entry and consolidation are time-consuming and error-prone. Streamline your processes with automation! Automated workflows eliminate tedious tasks and ensure data accuracy, freeing you to focus on high-value analysis. Pain 4: Talent Tango - The Struggle is Real Finding and retaining top FP&A talent is a constant battle. Consider partnering with specialized staffing providers who can connect you with the exact skillset you need. They can also help you leverage offshore resources to build a cost-effective, high-performing team. Pain 5: Collaboration Chaos - Breaking Down Silos Communication breakdowns between FP&A and other departments can lead to misalignment and missed opportunities. Foster a culture of collaboration with real-time data dashboards and integrated planning platforms. When everyone's on the same page, your FP&A team can truly shine. The FP&A landscape is constantly evolving, but with the right tools and strategies, you can overcome these challenges and become a strategic powerhouse. Stay ahead of the curve and drive impactful results for your organization —————————————- 📥 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲: Download my work in PDF format by visiting my profile and clicking (𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐏&𝐀 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬). Your journey toward financial excellence begins. —————————————- 🤝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 ⤵ #FPAproblemsolved #FinancialPlanningSimplified #FPAcareer

FP&A is a field where continuous learning is needed to succeed across data, communication, and business knowledge Read and listen here▸ https://lttr.ai/AQppL #fpanda #fpandhey #careers