Sarah Schlott
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Sarah Schlott

About Sarah Schlott

Welcome—I’m Sarah Schlott, a finance professional with over 18 years of experience in FP&A, strategic modeling, and operational finance leadership. I’ve built this blog to share practical insights, tested frameworks, and lessons learned from years spent supporting high-growth SaaS, fintech, and private equity-backed companies.

Entries by Sarah Schlott

Finance, FP&A

The 5 Most Common Mistakes I See in Financial Models—and How to Fix Them

Financial modeling, when it’s good, is like jazz—dynamic, structured, and intentional. When it’s bad, it’s a car crash on the freeway: you can’t look away, and everyone’s pretending it’s still moving forward. I’ve reviewed hundreds of models in my career, from scrappy startup decks to nine-figure buyout scenarios. Some were elegant. Many were… not. The […]

May 10, 2025/1 Comment/by Sarah Schlott
Finance, FP&A

Implementing Zero-Based Budgeting in FP&A: A 10-Step Guide

Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) sounds like one of those things consultants throw into the air like a glitter bomb: shiny, disruptive, and mostly theoretical. But trust me—when done right, it’s not just buzzword bingo. It’s a radical clarity tool. And if you’re in FP&A like me, you know the annual budget ritual has devolved into a […]

May 9, 2025/1 Comment/by Sarah Schlott
Finance, FP&A

Top 10 Principles for Transforming FP&A Towards Long-Term Value Creation

It’s been said a hundred times in every boardroom I’ve ever sat in: “We need to be more strategic with our planning.” Great. But what does that actually mean in a world where financial planning and analysis (FP&A) is still, in many places, little more than spreadsheet jockeying dressed in quarterly PowerPoint suits? I’ve watched […]

May 7, 2025/1 Comment/by Sarah Schlott
Finance, FP&A

Mastering AI in Finance: Building Expertise for a Data-Driven Future

Somewhere between the endless waves of hedge fund quants and Silicon Valley’s dopamine engineers, finance quietly fell in love with artificial intelligence. Not the kind that makes TikToks or generates emails. I’m talking about AI in finance—technology that can out-predict, out-price, and outmaneuver legacy systems that once defined Wall Street. I’ve watched it happen. At […]

May 6, 2025/1 Comment/by Sarah Schlott
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Latest Posts

  • Contractor+ Is Growing. I’m More Interested in What the Cash Has to Do Next.
  • Private Colleges Have a Revenue Problem That Looks Familiar
  • The Orlando Housing Story I’m Watching Isn’t Home Prices. It’s Household Pressure.
  • Bookkeeping vs. Accounting: What Does Your Business Actually Need?
  • The 2,232-Acre Osceola Data Center Story Needs One Important Asterisk
  • Orlando Tourism Doesn’t Get to Coast on Being Orlando
  • Statusphere Just Made a Very Physical Bet on Scaling Software
  • A $103 Million Orlando Industrial Deal Says More Than the Price Tag
  • How Much Do Accounting Services Cost in Orlando?
  • Carvana Is Adding 100 Orlando-Area Jobs. The Number I’m Watching Is What Comes Next.
  • Accounting Services in Orlando: What Should a Growing Business Actually Expect?
  • The FP&A Calendar: Build a Finance Rhythm That Leaves Time to Think
  • How Often Should You Update a Financial Forecast?
  • Capital Expenditure Forecasting: The Annual CapEx Number Is Not the Forecast
  • Gross Margin Forecasting: Revenue Can Be Right and the Economics Still Be Wrong
  • Forecast Assumptions: The Model Should Remember What Changed
  • Working Capital Forecasting: Why the P&L Can Be Right and Cash Still Be Wrong
  • Operating Expense Forecasting: Stop Treating Every Cost the Same
  • Month-End Close and FP&A: When Are the Actuals Actually Ready?
  • Ad Hoc Reporting in FP&A: When the Same Quick Question Keeps Coming Back
  • Headcount Forecasting: Why Approved Hires Keep Breaking the Plan
  • Management Reporting Pack: What CFOs Actually Need Every Month
  • Budget Variance Analysis: How FP&A Finds What Actually Matters
  • FP&A Software vs. Excel: When Has Finance Actually Outgrown Spreadsheets?
  • What Is FP&A? A Practical Guide to Financial Planning & Analysis
  • FP&A Software: When Does Your Finance Team Actually Need It?
  • Driver-Based Forecasting: How to Find the Right Business Drivers
  • Financial Forecasting Methods: How to Choose the Right One
  • Financial Scenario Planning: How FP&A Can Build Scenarios That Actually Help Management
  • AI Agents in Finance: What Should CFOs Actually Let Them Do?

Sarah Schlott

FP&A consulting, forecasting, accounting support and finance strategy for CFOs and growing finance teams.

Work With Sarah →

FP&A

FP&A ConsultingForecasting & PlanningScenario Modeling & Decision SupportManagement ReportingCash ForecastingFP&A Function & Finance SystemsVariance AnalysisKPI DashboardsBoard ReportingFP&A for PE-Backed CompaniesOrlando FP&A Consulting

Accounting

Accounting ServicesAccounting & Bookkeeping SupportMonth-End Close & Financial ReportingFinancial Statements & ReportingAccounts Payable SupportAccounts Receivable SupportAccounting Cleanup & Catch-UpOrlando Accounting Services
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