Your wishlist still needs priorities. @thefpandaguy

Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst, co-host Glenn, and guests Zach Rial and Chris Ortega explore how finance teams can turn budgeting into better business conversations by understanding stakeholder goals, setting clear constraints, and helping leaders prioritize what matters most.

Asking for a wishlist doesn't mean approving everything on it.

It means understanding what the business actually wants to achieve.

Then comes the harder question: What matters most?

Every team has a spending limit.

Every new priority competes with something else.

Want to fund one initiative? You may need to give up another.

That’s where FP&A creates real value.

🎧 Listen to the full episode on @thefpandaguy

#FPandA #Budgeting #BusinessPartnering #CapitalAllocation #FinanceLeadership #StrategicFinance #FinancialPlanning #ResourceAllocation

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$The Budget Isnt the Goal. Building a Better Business Is with Zach & Chris Check out the teaser clip here: https://youtu.be/nPQ6fBOieV8 In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst is joined by Zach Rial and Chris Ortega, alongside co-host Glenn Snyder, to discuss budgeting and forecasting best practices. The conversation explores how finance teams should think about the purpose of budgeting, balancing control with agility, involving the business in the planning process, and using forecasting as a tool for better decision-making. Zach Rial is a finance leader at AskElephant, a startup focused on revenue and conversation intelligence. He brings experience as an operator who uses finance, FP&A, and business insights to help companies grow and improve decision-making. Chris Ortega is the CEO of Fresh FP&A, a global fractional CFO and advisory firm supporting small and medium-sized businesses. Chris has over 20 years of experience in accounting, finance, and leadership roles, helping organizations build, scale, and prepare for growth. Expect to Learn: The real purpose of budgeting and forecasting How to create a business-focused planning process Why trust and partnership are essential for FP&A teams How to balance budget discipline with flexibility Best practices for managing AI costs and governance Here are a few relevant quotes from the episode: “A budget is the direction of where you want to go, but things change so much in a business.” - Chris Ortega “The budget process should not be a finance exercise. It’s an organizational exercise.” - Glenn Snyder Effective budgeting is not about predicting the future perfectly, it is about creating alignment, understanding business drivers, and enabling better decisions. The strongest FP&A teams use budgets and forecasts as tools to guide the business, build trust, and help leaders navigate uncertainty. Follow Zach: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyrial/ Follow Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freshcfo/ Follow Glenn: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenntsnyder/ 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] - Introduction [05:17] - The Purpose of Budgeting [11:23] - Making Budgeting a Business Process [16:21] - Building a Better Planning Approach [25:48] - Practical Budgeting and Forecasting Tips [36:44] - Building Trust With Business Partners [43:35] - Managing AI Costs and Governance [53:18] - Balancing Budget Control and Agility [58:35] - Final Advice$

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