Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst chats with Derek Baker, the Head of Strategic Finance at Circle, a growth-stage SaaS company. Derek shares insights from his experience in building strategic finance functions, scaling finance teams, and using AI to optimize financial reporting.
Derek Baker is the Head of Strategic Finance at Circle, a growth-stage SaaS company focused on building an all-in-one platform for online communities. He has built the Strategic Finance function from the ground up, covering areas like pricing, sales compensation, investor due diligence, and AI-powered financial reporting. Prior to Circle, Derek co-founded The FP&A Hub with Paul Barnhurst and Liran Edelist to support finance professionals. His career spans FP&A roles across SaaS, marketplace, and biotech startups.
Expect to Learn:
How AI is transforming financial reporting and analysis in FP&A.
The role of business partnering in aligning FP&A with strategic decisions.
Derek's transition from spreadsheets to AI-driven financial models.
How FP&A evolves as companies scale.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“Spreadsheets are great for MVP models, but AI and data warehouses are the future for repeatable, scalable analysis.” – Derek Baker
“AI can manage context better than prompts, and this is what drives its power in finance.” – Derek Baker
Derek shares that the future of FP&A is all about embracing technology and innovation. He emphasizes that it's no longer just about spreadsheets and traditional methods; it’s about leveraging AI and data to drive smarter financial decisions. By focusing on both the strategic and technical sides of finance, professionals can better align with business goals and create more impactful outcomes.
Follow Derek:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/derek-d-baker
Website: community.thefpahub.com/home
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today’s Episode
[00:00] – Trailer
[06:00] – What Does Great FP&A Look Like?
[12:00] – Scaling Finance Functions in Startups
[17:00] – The Role of AI in FP&A
[22:00] – Building an AI-Powered Financial Reporting System
[28:00] – Why Data Architecture is Key to AI Success
[33:00] – The Future of Financial Modeling with AI
[40:00] – Automating Monthly Finance Reports Using AI
[45:00] – Data Integration and Financial Modeling for Future Growth
[50:00] – Insights on Scaling FP&A Teams in Tech Startups
[53:00] – Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst chats with Derek Baker, the Head of Strategic Finance at Circle, a growth-stage SaaS company. Derek shares insights from his experience in building strategic finance functions, scaling finance teams, and using AI to optimize financial reporting.
Derek Baker is the Head of Strategic Finance at Circle, a growth-stage SaaS company focused on building an all-in-one platform for online communities. He has built the Strategic Finance function from the ground up, covering areas like pricing, sales compensation, investor due diligence, and AI-powered financial reporting. Prior to Circle, Derek co-founded The FP&A Hub with Paul Barnhurst and Liran Edelist to support finance professionals. His career spans FP&A roles across SaaS, marketplace, and biotech startups.
Expect to Learn:
How AI is transforming financial reporting and analysis in FP&A.
The role of business partnering in aligning FP&A with strategic decisions.
Derek's transition from spreadsheets to AI-driven financial models.
How FP&A evolves as companies scale.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“Spreadsheets are great for MVP models, but AI and data warehouses are the future for repeatable, scalable analysis.” – Derek Baker
“AI can manage context better than prompts, and this is what drives its power in finance.” – Derek Baker
Derek shares that the future of FP&A is all about embracing technology and innovation. He emphasizes that it's no longer just about spreadsheets and traditional methods; it’s about leveraging AI and data to drive smarter financial decisions. By focusing on both the strategic and technical sides of finance, professionals can better align with business goals and create more impactful outcomes.
Follow Derek:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/derek-d-baker
Website: community.thefpahub.com/home
Earn Your CPE Credit
For CPE credit, please go to earmarkcpe.com, listen to the episode, download the app, answer a few questions, and earn your CPE certification. To earn education credits for the FPAC Certificate, take the quiz on earmark and contact Paul Barnhurst for further details.
In Today’s Episode
[00:00] – Trailer
[06:00] – What Does Great FP&A Look Like?
[12:00] – Scaling Finance Functions in Startups
[17:00] – The Role of AI in FP&A
[22:00] – Building an AI-Powered Financial Reporting System
[28:00] – Why Data Architecture is Key to AI Success
[33:00] – The Future of Financial Modeling with AI
[40:00] – Automating Monthly Finance Reports Using AI
[45:00] – Data Integration and Financial Modeling for Future Growth
[50:00] – Insights on Scaling FP&A Teams in Tech Startups
[53:00] – Final Thoughts & Key Takeaways
