In finance, there's only one constant: change. The question is, how can you transform your finance function into a high-impact powerhouse that not only keeps up with these changes but leads the charge in driving your business forward?

To find the answer, we sat down with several finance leaders and CFOs who've been in your shoes and come out ahead. Keep reading for the real, practical strategies they used to turn their finance functions into indispensable strategic assets.

Happy planning,
Christina

Creating a high-impact finance function:

Top tips from leading finance experts

Julia Coto

CFO, ChartSpan Medical Technologies

1. Prioritize building relationships.

"There's something to be said about being a human in finance. Sometimes we're so focused on growth and hitting the metrics that we feel like we have to put on this face of 'It's all business' and 'It's all metrics'. If you're not building the relationships with your team, with all the departments, with customers, and with vendors, it gets a lot harder to do your job."

Dustin Walsted
VP of Finance, Tech, Strategy, & HR, Smart City

2. Speed up the interview process.

"When it comes to attracting top talent, your application process is the first impression you give to the candidate. It's almost like dating—some companies might wait three days to call someone back. You don't want to do that. If you guys like each other, just move. Otherwise, someone else will hire them first, and you'll have missed out on an opportunity to strengthen your team."

Amanda Hoppe

Director of Finance and Administration,
Freedom Games

3. Embrace technology.

"The reality is, whether manually inputting data or using automation, the diligence in reviewing, comparing, and correcting discrepancies remains constant. The question then becomes: would you prefer the labor-intensive task of manually entering every data point, risking simple mistakes, or would you rather leverage technology to enhance efficiency and focus on analysis from the outset? The short-term inconvenience of adopting a new system is far outweighed by the long-term benefits, such as improved accuracy and time savings."

Rajat Wali

Director of Accounting and FP&A, Lawnstarter

4. Avoid working in silos.

"It's crucial for finance to reach out and engage with stakeholders involved in driving revenue and managing costs to better understand the current landscape. What are their pain points? How does this influence our finances? If, for instance, the marketing team is undertaking initiatives in isolation, it can lead to misconceptions that everyone is aligned when they're not. The key is breaking down these silos, with finance acting as a bridge connecting different teams."

Want to keep learning about how to boost your finance function's impact?

Check out Creating a high-impact finance function: secrets from 7 leading finance experts for even more insights.

What other content would you like to see from us?

We want to hear from you!

Send us your ideas and get a free coffee.

Essential reads: Strengthen finance's impact

1. Proven strategies to grow & scale a top-notch FP&A team

When it comes to creating a high-impact finance function, building a strong team is a crucial piece of the puzzle—and this guide is a great place to start. I recommend checking it out for key strategies to build a strong, growth-oriented FP&A team that's guaranteed to meet the evolving needs of your company.