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In this episode of the FP&A Unboxed Podcast, host Tejas Parikh from Akshar Business Consulting Ltd speaks with Ron Monteiro, CPA, CMA Speaker, Facilitator, and Coach at Clear Concept Inc., and Founder of KiCT and has over 15 years of experience in senior finance roles. He’s worked at Kraft Foods, Campbell Soup, and Kruger Products, moving from analyst to Director of FP&A and VP of Finance. Ron is also a coach, consultant, and author of the book Love Mondays,

Ron shares insights into the importance of a growth mindset, how to foster relationships across functions, and how finance professionals can become more effective business partners. Ron discusses the importance of soft skills, such as leadership and communication, in addition to technical skills. He emphasizes how these qualities allow finance professionals to build confidence and make better business decisions.

Key Takeaways

Growth Mindset: The importance of embracing change, even for naturally introverted finance professionals.

Balancing Soft Skills & Technical Skills: Why a successful FP&A professional must have both.

The Role of Confidence in Leadership: How to work on soft skills and have a presence in meetings.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Why it's critical to build relationships with other departments to gain a holistic understanding of the business.

Making Bold Decisions: How to present well-informed, impactful recommendations that drive business growth.

How to Lead Change: Effective strategies for implementing change and gaining buy-in from teams.

Noteworthy Quotes

"You can’t make decisions in a vacuum. You need the full picture from every part of the business." – Ron Monteiro

"Soft skills are just as important as technical skills, especially for leaders in finance." – Ron Monteiro

"Change is inevitable, but the ability to adapt to it and lead through it is what separates great finance professionals from good ones." – Ron Monteiro

"To be successful in FP&A, you must embrace the gray areas, not just the black and white." – Ron Monteiro

"You have to be confident enough to challenge the status quo and present your recommendations, even in the face of resistance." – Ron Monteiro

Key Timestamps

[00:00:00] Coming up next and Call to Action

[00:01:19] Guest Introduction & Ron’s Career Journey

[00:03:00] How Ron transitioned from accounting to FP&A

[00:07:45] The importance of soft skills in leadership and finance

[00:12:30] The value of cross-functional collaboration for finance professionals

[00:17:15] Building relationships and trust across departments

[00:22:00] Implementing change and managing resistance in teams

[00:28:30] Leading with confidence: the key to being a successful FP&A leader

[00:30:38] Ron’s advice for aspiring FP&A professionals

FOLLOW OUR GUEST RON MONTEIRO ON:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronmonteiro18/

Website: https://clearconceptinc.ca/

https://www.kictinc.com/

FOLLOW OUR HOST TEJAS PARIKH ON:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tejasparikh/

Website: https://aksharconsulting.co.uk/

FOLLOW FP&A UNBOXED PODCAST ON:

Website: https://aksharconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aksharconsultingltd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aksharbusinessconsulting

X: https://x.com/AksharBusiness

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@abcl560

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22UeMzvc1G7rTk56EVVfKW?si=fa8c7bbb6448462c

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fp-a-unboxed/id1802152900