Doublefin

Xentral faced 3 major challenges before Doublefin: 1. Scattered Data: Information was spread across systems, spreadsheets, and emails, making alignment difficult. 2. Balancing Act: They struggled to keep data secure yet visible enough for decision-making. 3. Manual Hassles: High-value decisions needed multiple approvals and data inputs, leading to delays. Here’s how Doublefin helped: • Unified Data: Provided a single source of truth for everyone. • Easy Integration: Seamlessly connected with Xentral’s existing systems. • Contextual Analysis: Delivered necessary information exactly when needed. The results? Doublefin's impact was immediate: Quick Decisions: Leaders could quickly access and analyze data, speeding up decision-making. Better Processes: Functional leaders, finance, and people teams made faster, smarter decisions. Enhanced Collaboration: Improved communication and coordination among teams. Takeaway? Xentral ERP Software's partnership with Doublefin transformed their workforce planning. Real-time insights and streamlined workflows empowered them to make better decisions and drive growth. This success story highlights the power of innovative technology to achieve business excellence. h/t Annika Weigel Andre Klan

I jumped from Finance manager at Microsoft to Finance director at Google to Founder and CEO now. Here are the actions I took that helped me on my path ↓ 1. Build your network As a founder, you'll need advisors, mentors, potential hires, investors, and partners. Actively look for opportunities to connect with others in your desired industry. Join local meetup groups, attend conferences, and use tools like LinkedIn to build relationships. Don't underestimate how important your network will be for learning, fundraising, and growing your startup. Make networking a priority early on. 2. Take business courses While you have finance experience, entrepreneurs also need skills in areas like marketing, growth strategies, product management, and operations. Consider pursuing an MBA either part-time or online. Alternatively, sign up for individual courses at local colleges or online programs to expand your business knowledge. A solid grasp of multiple business disciplines will help as you take on a more diverse leadership role. 3. Form your leadership skills As a VP of Finance, you were likely leading a small team but taking direction from others. As a founder and CEO, strong leadership is key. Working on your communication skills, ability to motivate others, set a vision, and make difficult decisions will help you step into this new role. Seek out leadership training programs, read books on being an effective leader, and look for mentors at other startups to learn from. Leading a startup effectively requires a different skill set than managing a department. 4. Improve data & analytics skills Data-driven decision-making becomes even more important as a startup scales. Gain proficiency with common analytics and data collection tools to track key metrics. Learn best practices for setting KPIs and using analytics to refine your product, marketing and operations. Hiring a consultant early could also help you implement systems for gathering and using insights to test hypotheses and guide your business vision. The ability to understand and act on data will be incredibly valuable as a founder and CEO. Now, as a Founder and CEO, I apply all those lessons daily. That's it! I hope this helps. -- P.S. I'm Warren Wang, CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before that, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles. I led company-wide financial and headcount planning, managed multi-billion-dollar marketing investments, and led a global team of 40 managers and analysts.

After working at Google for 12 years, here are my top tips on how you can land an interview at Google: 1. Star With Your Resume: Highlight relevant experiences and skills. Focus on quantifiable achievements that show your expertise and strategic mindset. Customize your resume for each job application. 2. Build Your Network: Leverage your connections to find contacts at Google. Reach out to alumni, former colleagues, or industry contacts for insights or referrals. Set up informational interviews to learn more about desired functions at Google. 3. Build Relevant Skills: Beyond core finance skills, acquire competencies in data analysis, project management, or coding. Take online courses or obtain certifications in these areas. 4. Prepare for the Interview: Practice answering behavioral questions, discussing case studies, and brushing up on technical finance knowledge. Conduct mock interviews to get feedback. 5. Express Your Passion: Show why you want to work at Google. Highlight your enthusiasm for the company's mission and how your skills can contribute to the finance team. 6. Follow Up Diligently: Send personalized thank-you notes and follow up on action items. Maintain regular communication with the recruitment team. I hope this helps! Consider reposting to help more finance professionals land their dream job at Google. P.S. I'm Warren Wang, CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before that, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles. I led company-wide financial and headcount planning, managed multi-billion-dollar marketing investments, and led a global team of 40 managers and analysts

5 headcount planning pain points: 1. Not preparing for turnover. It's important to factor in expected attrition rates when planning headcount needs. Otherwise, you may underestimate openings and end up short-staffed once employees leave. Consider typical rates for your industry and company when projecting turnover. 2. Unclear staffing requirements. Heads alone don't determine needs - you must understand the work required. Lack of clarity around projects, goals, responsibilities and timelines makes it hard to pinpoint the right number and mix of employees. Conduct workload analyses, get input from managers and document job duties to give planning context. 3. Inflexible budgets. If budget numbers are set in stone from the start without adjusting in changing conditions, it limits quick response. Allow for some flexibility to adjust headcount up or down as markets, strategies and organizational demands shift. Build in buffers and work with finance early to ease restrictions if needed. 4. Internal alignment issues. Silos between departments like HR, finance and operations interfere with coordinated planning. Make sure all stakeholders are on the same page about priorities, constraints, timeline and sign-off process. Encourage collaboration so different perspectives are represented in decision making. 5. Reactive versus proactive planning. Waiting for crises like major delays or capacity shortfalls before filling openings is a recipe for reactionary moves. Form long-term forecasting to anticipate 12-18 months out so you're not constantly responding to urgent demands but instead strategically adding talent. Take into account lead times for hiring and on-boarding to stay ahead of the curve. That's it! P.S. I'm Warren Wang, CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before that, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles. I led company-wide financial and headcount planning, managed multi-billion-dollar marketing investments, and led a global team of 40 managers and analysts.

FIF Collective is proud to announce another Partnership with Doublefin; thanks to our own Ruchi Kasliwal! We are excited to help our Members efficiently manage headcount 👸

How traditional FP&A operates: • Lacks agility • Spreadsheet errors • Reactive to change • Static spreadsheets • Disconnected systems • Focused on cost centers • Doesn't support strategy • Siloed from the business • Backward-looking reports • Limited scenario planning • Can't keep pace with business • Manual, time-consuming data gathering How modern FP&A operates: • Single source of truth • Promotes agile planning • Focused on value drivers • Forward-looking insights • Proactively drives change • Integrated cloud platform • Strategic business partner • Dynamic planning models • Automated data integration • Continuous scenario planning • Empowers rapid decision making • Aligns financial and operational plans Embrace the change and level up your impact.

The FP&A role is changing. Here's what's new: 1. Increased focus on strategic insights: Where FP&A roles were traditionally more focused on reporting historical financial results, there is now a much stronger emphasis on using data analytics and insights to help guide strategic business decisions. FP&A professionals are expected to provide predictive analysis and what-if scenario modeling to inform strategies around investment, M&A activity, and more. 2. Broader business partnering: Along with strategic insights, FP&A professionals spend more time partnering closely with business unit leaders across different functions. This involves understanding operations from an end-to-end perspective and communicating financial tradeoffs in a way that business stakeholders understand. The ability to act as an internal business consultant and trusted advisor has become increasingly important. 3. Advanced analytics and modeling: Leveraging software and tools to pull complex data from various systems, conduct advanced analytics, and build sophisticated models is now standard for FP&A. Professionals need skills in areas like predictive modeling, optimization, data visualization, and translating analysis into actionable recommendations. Traditional accounting knowledge alone is no longer sufficient. 4. Continuous learning mindset: The pace of change means that what used to be suitable for the FP&A role will quickly become outdated. Success requires continual learning to keep skills and knowledge relevant. Professionals must stay on top of the latest analytics techniques, technologies, and best practices to future-proof their careers and maximize value-add to their organizations. ** It's important to carefully evaluate FP&A job opportunities to make sure the role offers opportunities to impact broader strategic decisions rather than just financial reporting. FP&A professionals in strategic roles can steadily increase their compensation over their careers, providing a solid long-term career path and good work-life balance. All the best out there.

There is one commitment I will never compromise on: Spending quality time with my family. So I'm on my way to Houston to personally cheer on my daughter at her junior squash tournament! Building a startup means sacrificing your free time. Even though I had a busy deadline coming up, I blocked off my entire day to be with my daughter. As entrepreneurs, it's so easy to get tunnel vision and pour all of our energy into our companies. But I've learned that self-care and making time for family are just as important for long-term success. Sure, I still answer emails and tackle tasks remotely in the evenings and on weekends. But I've found that shortening my workdays and minimally disengaging from scheduled activities leaves me recharged and more productive. For any entrepreneurs out there who are parents - remember to step back now and then. Your business may not be there someday, but your relationships will. And keeping a work-life balance strengthens you as a leader and a role model for your team. While the startup grind never truly ends, we all must refuel. For me, that means cheering too loudly at my daughter's games, even if it means finishing a presentation a bit later. The trade-off is always worth it.

For FP&A professionals: Think like your business partners. One of the most important pieces of advice I can share is to put yourself in the shoes of your business partners. All too often, finance professionals approach things purely from a numbers perspective. We focus on financial statements, GL accounts, and gross margin. But this is not the language our business colleagues speak. They may not understand what accrual or COGS means, even if it's what we spend our days analyzing. To be a truly effective FP&A partner and drive real business results, you have to shift your mindset. Think about: - How do your business partners work day-to-day? - What information do they need to do their jobs well? - How can you communicate financial insights in a way that resonates with them? - What systems, tools, and processes will help both Finance and business succeed? At the end of the day, it's about finding that sweet spot where you get the financial outcomes you need while supporting great business performance. It requires stepping out of a pure finance mindset to deeply understand the operations you support. That's one of the key things we're working to facilitate at Doublefin. Making people planning and spend management more collaborative across Finance, HR, recruiting, procurement and business leaders. The more we can get on the same page, the more we can drive the business forward together. ** P.S. I'm Warren Wang, the CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before that, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles, including in Corp FP&A driving company-wide financial planning, headcount planning, and later as a finance director, where I managed multi-billion-dollar marketing investments and led a global team of 40 managers and analysts.

How being an accounting major accidentally led me to become the CEO: At the time, I didn't give it much thought, but a few random factors led to the decision. Little did I know that this decision would be the stepping stone for a journey of self-discovery and entrepreneurship. This opened the door for my first job as an auditor, and then a career in finance. Don't get me wrong, I still believe finance is the hottest role. But as I progressed in my career, I began to question my path. I started to question whether I was truly fulfilling my potential and following my passion. "Was it the best fit for me?" "Was finance my ultimate passion?" These thoughts consumed me, and I knew I had to confront them head-on. I had deep, soul-searching conversations with my manager and my business partners about my future. We discussed three options: 1. Look for opportunities internally 2. Seek another finance job externally 3. Or become an entrepreneur The entrepreneurial path particularly intrigued me. I reflected on all my experiences and the pain points I had observed in the finance world. The countless hours my finance team spent on manual headcount planning and budget management using spreadsheets and email threads - that was a problem I knew I could solve. This realization, combined with my unique set of experiences, led to the birth of Doublefin. Our mission is to transform the way businesses manage their most valuable asset - their people. We strive to create innovative solutions that streamline processes and empower finance teams to focus on what truly matters. So while my accounting major may have been an "accident," it's a testament to the importance of being open to new possibilities and letting your journey guide you toward your true calling. Sometimes, the path we initially choose may not be the one we end up following. But every step along the way contributes to the person we become and the impact we can make on the world. -- P.S. I'm Warren Wang, CEO and founder of Doublefin. Before that, I spent 12 years at Google in finance leadership roles. I led company-wide financial and headcount planning, managed multi-billion-dollar marketing investments, and led a global team of 40 managers and analysts.