Starting in accounting and building foundations

Could you walk us through your career path, and your journey, particularly your transition from, say, accounting-heavy roles into FP&A leadership at Dental Intelligence?

I chose accounting mainly because it was one of the strongest programs in my business school.

After school, I got into Big 4 accounting and was at Ernst and Young for several years. While I was excelling in my role, I was drawn to finance. I actually interviewed for finance jobs while I was there. But I didn't get accepted, I was labeled as “too accounting.”

Instead of getting discouraged, I decided to get really good at accounting and learn everything I could about running a department. The next job I took of was an assistant controller at a growing public SaaS company where I got exposure to leadership, finance operations, and automation. When I joined Dental Intelligence, I made a conscious effort to streamline my accounting workflows to allow more time for finance projects on the side. This proactive approach eventually led me to take on FP&A responsibilities and, subsequently, a VP role.

What are some transferable skills that accountants can apply right from the get-go into their finance or FP&A roles?

Be really good where you are. Three key transferable skills stand out:

1. Deep understanding of actuals. Accountants live in the specifics. They have a sense of where each dollar is spent, whereas FP&A tends to be more forward-looking. Having both in your arsenal makes you a more effective finance leader.
2. Data discipline. Accounting teaches you to be accurate and disciplined. That's a skill worth its weight in gold when you begin working on forecasting, budgeting, and scenario planning.
3. Systems knowledge. Controllers interact very closely with ERPs, reporting tools, and automation. This technical knowledge enables them to do their job better in finance operations.
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Secondly, if you are a few years into accounting, learn how to run a department: hiring people, coaching people, maybe even firing people if need be. If you can't do that, it doesn't matter if you go into finance or accounting. You've got to have that foundation.

The FP&A Appeal: Why to transition and skills required

If Reddit is to be believed FP&A seems like a promised land for accounting folks. Why is it such a desirable transition?

There’s definitely a perception that FP&A is the “cooler” side of finance, but I think the appeal depends on what you enjoy. Accounting is essential, but it can be seen as more rules-based and compliance-driven. FP&A, on the other hand, is about looking forward, shaping strategy, and working directly with business leaders. So maybe I'll give one word of caution there for the accountants. Your life will not magically get that much better when you go to FP&A. It’s worth noting that the work itself isn’t that different. Both fields rely on data, spreadsheets, and systems; FP&A just focuses more on the future rather than the past.

For those who want to become a CFO, FP&A experience is almost mandatory. There's some ceiling to accounting. If you get to a big enough company, maybe they have a Chief Accounting Officer, but typically, especially for smaller and midsize companies, CFO is at the top. I totally get that aspiration to be the leader of a function and to really understand the whole business.

What are some key skills that accounting folks have to build to step into their FP&A role?

1. Collaboration & Business Partnering: In accounting, you present financial reports to internal finance stakeholders. In FP&A, you work not only with finance but also with business leaders and investors. You need to be comfortable engaging with sales, marketing, and human resources teams and helping them make financial decisions.
2. Data Visualization & Storytelling: Accountants produce reports primarily for other finance professionals. In FP&A, you’re presenting to non-finance leaders. That means using dashboards, charts, and clear explanations to translate financial data into actionable insights.
3. Flexibility in Decision-Making: In accounting, the right answer is governed by rules and compliance. In FP&A, there’s no single right answer; only various ways of modeling and interpreting data. You have to be comfortable with ambiguity.
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Overcoming roadblocks in the transition

What were some key roadblocks or challenges in stepping into a finance role from accounting?

One of the biggest roadblocks is perception and stigma around accounting. Hiring managers often have a bias that accountants are too rigid in their thinking. To overcome that, you need to demonstrate understanding of key metrics like ARR, CAC payback, and NRR. Collaborate with your finance team, shadow them, and ask to work on FP&A-related projects. The more exposure you get, the easier it is to break down that perception.

If someone is in accounting today and wants to move into FP&A, where should they start?

Don't wait for a finance title to start building finance skills. Start taking up projects overlapping with finance: variance analysis, budgeting, process automation. Offer to sit in on FP&A meetings and provide insights from the accounting side. You’ll make it very easy for leadership to picture you in this role if you demonstrate that you are already doing the work.

Interview tips for aspiring finance professionals

Any interview tips for accounting professionals looking to move into finance or FP&A roles?

When I was interviewing for finance positions, I thought that my accounting background would speak volumes by itself. Not so much. You need to be well prepared, and this is what I would do:

1. Understand metrics that matter. Read up on key performance metrics that FP&A folks care about such as customer acquisition cost, churn rate, revenue growth, etc.
2. Illustrate strategic thinking. Rather than simply describe how you handle financials, discuss how you apply data to inform business decisions.
3. Gain hands-on experience. Volunteer to work on FP&A projects in your current company, even if it's outside your role. That hands-on experience is invaluable.
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Recommended Resources

What’s on your reading list?

• Newsletter: Atlas by Bessemer Venture Partners
• Current Favorite Read: Sapiens by Yuval Harari