Vena Solutions’ Post

What’s an underrated skill that can actually have an outsized impact on your career progression as a #finance professional? Data storytelling. 📊📖 By crafting compelling narratives around budgets, forecasts and performance reports that really answer the “why,” you gain more buy-in, credibility and influence—all things that will support your path to leadership in finance. Learn more about #datastorytelling and tips for getting it right on the Vena blog. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gezA2rEd

I keep hearing about this happening Leaders trying to simplify finance with data and charts. But is that the best approach? Because what’s going to *actually* engage your audience: → Complex graphs or relatable stories? → Jargon-filled reports or real-life examples? → Dry statistics or compelling narratives? Because here’s the thing: Leaders need to understand what resonates with people. Maybe it’s not just about numbers— Maybe they want something more—context, emotion, and connection. Honestly, I don't have all the answers. And I don’t pretend to. But I *can* tell you this for sure: If you don't leverage storytelling in finance. You're going to lose your audience to those who do. And then you'll be left wondering why. So the lesson here? Prioritize storytelling— Not just data. I am Christopher, your wealth director. Start sharing your story today. The more you share, the more people you inspire. Looking to build your career in finance? Approach me today. #finance #career #brandbuildertalents

📊💼 Elevating Leadership in Finance Through Storytelling 🚀✨ In the meticulous world of finance, where numbers and data are our bedrock, the true hallmark of exceptional leadership lies not just in deciphering these figures, but in the profound art of storytelling. 📈📖 Why Storytelling in Finance? Numbers do talk, but can they tell a story? Absolutely! 🌟 A leader’s prowess is magnified by their ability to weave financial data into compelling narratives that drive strategic decisions and mold the future. Imagine transforming a straightforward earnings report into a riveting tale of innovation, hard work, and strategic triumphs. This is the power of storytelling in finance. 🚀 How Can You Leverage This? Contextualize Data: Next time you're presenting financial figures, start with the story behind the numbers. What were the market conditions, internal strategies, or customer behaviors that influenced these results? 🤔 Highlight Impact: Go beyond the percentages and focus on the real-world impacts of these numbers. How did cost reductions enhance your company’s R&D capabilities, sparking future growth? 💡 Foster Engagement: Encourage your team to embrace narratives. Each financial analysis should not only present data but also explore its implications and potential actions. 🌐 👥 Let’s not be mere translators of data. Check out our latest insights on "Elevating Leadership in Finance Through Storytelling." Swipe through the document attached to dive deeper into transforming numbers into strategic insights. 📑➡️ 🌟As always, I share these thoughts with respect and humility, wishing you success in your life and career. Keep spreading kindness in the world! 🌟! 📢 #FinanceLeadership #StorytellingInFinance #StrategicInsights #Innovation #TeamEngagement #FinancialStorytelling #FinanceProfessionals #FutureOfFinance #AIinFinance #c2s_complexity2simplicity #financeplanningandanalysis #financebusinesspartner

😨 The question I used to fear when presenting the forecast in the management meeting?   (HINT - being able to answer these questions can transform the impact you have)   🔮 The 'What-if' question.   ❓What happens if we lose this customer? ❓What happens if staff turnover increases by 10%? ❓What happens if we decide to exit this customer segment?   I knew these questions were top of mind and important to the decision makers.   But I feared them because I just wasn't equipped to deal with them. I used to have to go away and update the numbers to find an answer.   'Let me re-run the numbers and get back to you.' (so painful to say when presenting to the team!)   That delay in providing clear responses both hindered decision making, but also meant I missed a great opportunity to have real impact and influence.   We went on a path to embed 'what-if' capabilities in our numbers (hint - 'driver-based planning' was the secret sauce). The result? Better information for decision makers to act on.   It wasn't perfect, but it was a huge step forward.   Nicolas Boucher has produced this great overview of different ways to tackle these types of questions - Scenario Analysis is a term many may have heard. He shows that the approach you should take is tied to the type of question you are trying to answer. 💥 And if you apply it well, you can have a transformative impact.   👉 Where to start? Ask those who rely on the numbers to make decisions. It will ensure you can help them from the get-go!   🙌 Credit to Nicolas for this great overview. Great content as always! Link to original post: https://lnkd.in/dinRWWt6   #fpanda #finance #cfo

"𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠" As a leader, understanding and interpreting financial data is crucial for making informed decisions. Here are some simple steps to help you analyze financial data effectively: 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐬: Know the important metrics that impact your business, such as revenue, expenses, and profit margins. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬: Utilize charts and graphs to visualize data trends and patterns. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬: Compare your data with industry benchmarks to see how your business is performing. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬: Look for trends over time to understand the bigger picture and anticipate future performance. 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Don't be afraid to ask questions about the data. Understanding the 'why' behind the numbers is key. By following these steps, you can make more informed decisions and lead your team to financial success. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘻𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢? 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴! #FinancialAnalysis #Budgeting #Forecasting #Leadership #BusinessStrategy

🤿 I've seen many founders hesitate to dive deep into their numbers. It's not just about fear of what they might find - it's about confidence in understanding and using that information. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is watching that confidence grow. That's the power of data. It's not just about having numbers - it's about understanding what those numbers mean for your business. 🪄 Something magical happens when we implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and create clear budgets. Suddenly, leaders can make decisions with assurance. Team members know exactly what they can spend and why. The entire organization starts moving with purpose. I always tell my clients, "Let's start from where you are." It's not about judging past decisions - it's about using data to light the path forward. When you have solid data backing your choices, you're not just hoping for the best - you're strategically planning for success. Gathering and understanding your data isn't about looking backward. It's about giving yourself the tools to move forward with confidence. So, if you're feeling unsure about your company's financial direction, remember: data isn't just information - it's empowerment.🤝 Let's build that confidence together, one data point at a time! 🤝 📆 Schedule a Strategy Session. Link in Bio ________________ Pillar One Consulting: Building and Strengthening Your Talent and Financial Management Frameworks #fractionalcfo #businessfiances #kpis #founder #financialdata

As a school going kid, English poetry was not really my cup of tea although it was part of my school curriculum. I still recollect studying “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and burning the midnight oil to learn it. While I remember vividly all my struggles with learning it and little of the poem itself, one line from the poem is still etched in my mind. “'Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink”. And those lines flashed in front of my eyes, last evening, as I was finishing my business meeting with the CFO of a fairly large manufacturing company. “Venkat, I am suffering from abundance of Data, not its paucity”, quipped the CFO. I realized that this was an oft repeated phenomenon and keeps coming up often in my discussions with CFOs. I explore this further in this write up. The link to the same is given below. https://lnkd.in/gCsfTuSZ Share your thoughts on the challenges and opportunities of data analysis for CFOs in the comments below. #finalyzer #digitaltransformation #cfo #financeteams #financetransformation #data #dataanalysis #datainsights #sustainablegrowth #financialresilience

"𝙉𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮." - Daniel Kahneman In the world of corporate finance, numbers are the backbone of our work. They provide us with the hard data needed to analyze, project, and plan. But as Daniel Kahneman captured it perfectly when he said, decisions aren’t made purely because of the numbers; they’re made because of the stories those numbers tell. This is where financial storytelling becomes crucial. It’s not enough to simply present data; the real impact comes from interpreting that data and weaving it into a narrative that resonates with business reality or aspirations. A well-crafted story helps decision-makers visualize outcomes, understand risks, and connect with the strategic implications of the numbers. 𝐏𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲, in my opinion, 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 (𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭), 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 (𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞). For instance, consider a financial forecast. The raw numbers may show potential revenue growth, but it’s the story behind those projections (market trends, consumer behavior, operational efficiencies, strategic objectives) that makes the data actionable. It’s about painting a picture that guides leadership through the decision-making process with clarity and confidence. In my experience, value creation comes by connecting the dots and bridging the gap between numbers and narrative. As business partners, we don’t just report the figures; we craft compelling stories that drive strategic decisions and inspire action. So, let’s remember: while numbers are essential, it’s the story they tell that truly drives decisions. #StrivingForExcellence

Finance can crunch numbers but can they influence decisions? 80% of Finance's time is spent on data work. Clean and organize data into financial reporting. Analyze the numbers and explain the key variances. This doesn't create a lot of impact. We need insights that can improve decisions. We need influence to make our insights matter. We need documented impact to make a difference. To change how we spend our time we need to... ...leverage technology much more. ...become comfortable with being wrong. ...embrace uncertainty and ditch the 99% mindset. It's better to be roughly right and on time than right and always late. Agree? Embrace uncertainty -> be roughly right -> influence decision-making Make all the long hours count by making yourself heard at the decision table! PS. How much time do you spend on data, reporting, and analysis today? ---------- 🧑💼 I'm a partner at Business Partnering Institute 🆘 Need immediate help in your finance team, call us! 🤝 We increase the influence of your finance team 🔔 To see more content, hit the bell on my profile 📻 Find our hashtag #FinanceMaster podcast on your channel 📄 Check out all our templates and cheat sheets here: https://lnkd.in/eC_zuCU4

Seek out what's hard... So that your growth comes easier. Companies often shy away from the hard stuff when it comes to business intelligence and becoming more data-driven. They avoid the dirty work of digging deep to challenge, test, and either affirm or disprove key operating assumptions. The reason they avoid it is because it's usually hard work to get to the truth, and it takes a unique set of skills and approaches. And avoiding this hard work is what allowed assumptions to take hold in the first place. But doing the dirty work has a big payoff and is worth the time and effort. You will either prove your assumptions correct which means you can double-down and avoid second-guessing. Or you will reveal that your key assumptions are flawed, inaccurate, or incorrect - and you will be able to avoid a wreck, or fix something that's broken. So dig down. Do the dirty work. And be rewarded. :) #businessintelligence #dataanalytics #accountantantsandaccounting