Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Brock Beyer and Natalia Kudinova to explore where vibe coding belongs in finance, where it creates unnecessary risk, and how finance teams can experiment without compromising accuracy.
Excel isn’t obsolete just because AI arrived.
And SaaS isn’t dead because you can suddenly build software with a prompt.
The real question is, what should you actually build?
A dashboard? Absolutely. A flash report or internal workflow? Great use case.
An ERP handling sensitive financial data? That’s a completely different risk profile.
Finance doesn’t get to trade accuracy for novelty.
The higher the stakes, the stronger your controls, governance, and reliability need to be.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on @thefpandaguy
#FPandA #VibeCoding #FinanceAutomation #AIinFinance #FinanceTransformation #Excel #FinancialPlanning #FinanceLeadership #ERP #FutureOfFinance
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst sits down with Brock Beyer and Natalia Kudinova to explore where vibe coding belongs in finance, where it creates unnecessary risk, and how finance teams can experiment without compromising accuracy.
Excel isn’t obsolete just because AI arrived.
And SaaS isn’t dead because you can suddenly build software with a prompt.
The real question is, what should you actually build?
A dashboard? Absolutely. A flash report or internal workflow? Great use case.
An ERP handling sensitive financial data? That’s a completely different risk profile.
Finance doesn’t get to trade accuracy for novelty.
The higher the stakes, the stronger your controls, governance, and reliability need to be.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on @thefpandaguy
#FPandA #VibeCoding #FinanceAutomation #AIinFinance #FinanceTransformation #Excel #FinancialPlanning #FinanceLeadership #ERP #FutureOfFinance



![What 100 FP&A Episodes Taught Me About Career Growth, Failure, and the Future of Finance
In this special solo episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst celebrates reaching 100 episodes of the podcast while also reflecting on his broader journey of hosting over 200 FP&A episodes across multiple shows. He shares lessons from his experience in FP&A, career growth, and learning AI, along with what actually matters in the field today. He also shares his thoughts on AI and how it’s changing finance workflows, explaining why building repeatable processes matters more than just prompting. He also previews upcoming conversations with professionals already using AI in their day-to-day work.
Expect to Learn:
What helps FP&A professionals grow beyond technical skills
Why career paths are rarely linear
How to approach networking in a more effective way
Why AI is more about processes than prompts
How AI can help save time in finance roles
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
“AI is a magnifier. If you dont know what youre doing, it will magnify that.” - Paul Barnhurst
“Technical skills get you your first job, the soft skills get you promoted.” - Paul Barnhurst
Paul explains that FP&A is not just about reports and models. It’s about understanding the business and working with people. AI can help speed up tasks, but it doesn’t replace core skills like financial modeling, data understanding, and communication. If anything, those skills matter more now.
Campfire: AI-First ERP:
Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation,
close management, and more, all in one unified platform.
Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguy
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
[01:41] – 100 Episodes Milestone
[03:38] – Career Growth Is Not a Ladder
[06:37] – Turning Down Offers & Career Decisions
[10:06] – AI Skills, Courses & Future Focus
[14:52] – AI Is a Skill You Have to Practice
[18:34] – Modern Finance Platforms Built for the AI Era
[21:49] – AI Won’t Replace Technical Skills What 100 FP&A Episodes Taught Me About Career Growth, Failure, and the Future of Finance](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HVb5cckbNyE/mqdefault.jpg)



![Why Your Brilliant Financial Analysis Gets Ignored: The Precision Trap with Asif Masani
In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, Paul Barnhurst speaks with Asif Masani about his new book, The Precision Trap, and why finance teams can focus too much on accuracy and miss the decision window. Asif explains how FP&A professionals can deliver timely analysis, influence business decisions, and become stronger business partners.
Asif Masani is a Director at FP&A Professionals Institute and FP&A Jobs, an author, and Udemy instructor focused on helping finance professionals develop their FP&A skills. He is the author of All About FP&A, From Accounting to FP&A, and Data Storytelling Playbook.
Expect to Learn:
What the “precision trap” means for FP&A.
Why timely analysis can be more valuable than perfect accuracy.
How to choose the right level of accuracy for a decision.
What questions to ask before starting an analysis.
How finance professionals can become better business partners.
How the DERP framework improves variance analysis.
Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode:
Finance people are very good at doing analysis, but theyre not very good at influencing decisions. - Asif Masani
The decision that could wait earlier for three weeks cant wait today for three days. - Asif Masani
The key to avoiding the precision trap is understanding what decision the analysis needs to support, who needs it, and when they need it. Asif explains why finance professionals should focus on delivering useful analysis at the right time and earning a place in important business decisions.
Follow Asif:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asifmasani/
Website: https://fpnaprofessionals.com/
Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review.
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 Todays Episode:
[00:00] - Trailer
[04:49] - What Great FP&A Looks Like
[10:30] - Building the FP&A Professionals Institute
[18:33] - Understanding the Precision Trap
[20:35] - Why Timely Analysis Matters
[29:44] - Spotting the Precision Trap in Organizations
[35:16] - Essential FP&A Skills
[38:04] - The DERP Framework
[39:54] - Getting to Know Asif
[44:41] - Final Advice for Finance Professionals Why Your Brilliant Financial Analysis Gets Ignored: The Precision Trap with Asif Masani](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/I9vTgYowebg/mqdefault.jpg)


![Why Unified Systems are More Important Than Ever in the Era of AI with OneStream President Scott
In this episode of Future Finance, Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper sit down with Scott Leshinski, President of OneStream Software, to discuss OneStreams recent acquisition by Hg Capital and the exciting changes it brings to the company’s approach to finance technology. Scott shares how OneStream’s focus on a unified platform is reshaping the finance space, and how integrating smart technology into financial workflows is making a real difference for businesses today.
Scott Leshinski is the President of OneStream Software, where he leads OneStream’s growth and innovation. With a background in corporate finance at GE Capital, co-founding Bluestone International, and working at Huron Consulting Group, Scott has a wealth of experience in driving major tech transformations. He joined OneStream in 2021 and was promoted to President in 2023 after helping the company achieve impressive growth.
In this episode, you will discover:
What OneStreams acquisition by Hg Capital means for its future
The benefits of using a unified platform in finance
How automation is improving financial processes
The evolving role of automation in financial planning and decision-making
How OneStream’s tools are helping businesses become more agile and efficient
Scott Leshinski highlights the exciting future of finance, where unified platforms and automation are transforming how businesses manage financial workflows. He emphasizes the growing role of technology in making finance processes more efficient and discusses how OneStream is helping companies become more agile.
Follow Scott:
Website: https://www.onestream.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-leshinski-bb5736b/
Follow Glenn:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiii
Follow Paul:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguy
Follow QFlow.AI:
Website - https://bit.ly/4i1Ekjg
Future Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai.
Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.
In Today’s Episode:
[00:00] – Intro
[03:00] – OneStreams Acquisition Impact
[05:00] – Transition from Public to Private
[06:00] – Scotts Career Path
[10:00] – What OneStream Does
[14:00] – The Power of Unified Platforms
[18:00] – Automation in Financial Planning
[19:00] – The Rise of Automation
[26:00] – Building Trust in Automation
[29:00] – Improving Forecast Accuracy
[35:00] – The Future of Finance
[50:00] – Fun Questions with Scott
[55:00] – Closing Thoughts Why Unified Systems are More Important Than Ever in the Era of AI with OneStream President Scott](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IYn020gCl0o/mqdefault.jpg)