Let me start with a simple truth that finance teams rarely say out loud: most reporting processes aren’t strategic. They’re reactive, redundant, and riddled with risk. And yet, we keep clinging to them like a CFO to their last clean version of Excel. I’ve worked across startups, mid-market firms, and corporate mazes. The pattern never […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-7868972-scaled-e1747874851857.jpg8011200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-24 11:58:272025-08-14 00:47:575 Hidden Costs of Manual Reporting—and How to Eliminate Them Fast
There’s an awkward silence in every pitch deck review, and you usually know when it’s coming. It’s the moment you flip to the financial model and someone on the investor side leans forward, squints at your screen, and says: “Walk me through this part again.” If you’ve been there, you know. The narrative stalls, confidence […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-pixabay-265087-scaled-e1748002234248.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-23 08:15:402025-08-14 00:48:00Why Most Models Fail in Fundraising Conversations—and What to Do Instead
Here’s a hard truth most finance professionals avoid: AI won’t replace you. But it will expose you if you don’t know how to think strategically. Today reminded me why this matters more than ever. AI-Powered Valuation: Smarter, Not Easier I started the day wrestling with valuation multiple justification. Not the sexy kind you read about […]
Here’s the truth most FP&A leaders won’t say out loud: the majority of financial models aren’t built for decision-making. They’re built for optics. They exist to be opened in board meetings, skimmed over by execs, and bookmarked as evidence that Finance is doing its job. But when Sales wants to run a hiring scenario or […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-gustavo-fring-4975637-scaled-e1747874826891.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-21 21:11:242025-08-14 00:48:05How to Build a Driver-Based Model That Actually Supports Decision-Making
Here’s the truth no one wants to admit: most 13-week cash flow forecasts are just glorified guesswork. We treat them like gospel because they’re standard. Safe. Palatable. But if you’ve ever had to explain a sudden shortfall to your CEO or board, you already know: Thirteen weeks is not a crystal ball. It’s a snapshot. […]
Let’s start with a blunt truth most leaders don’t want to admit: You’re not going to predict the future. Not with that pristine forecast. Not with that 50-tab spreadsheet. Not even with your new AI-powered tool that’s supposed to “learn” the business. And that’s okay. Because scenario planning isn’t about guessing right. It’s about being […]
Let’s skip the pleasantries. If you’re in strategic finance and still fumbling around with basic formulas, you’re wasting time, missing insights, and burning credibility. I’ve seen it firsthand: high-performing FP&A teams with broken models, inconsistent logic, and bloated files that barely run. The fix? It’s not another dashboarding tool or AI-powered platform. It’s mastering the […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-leeloothefirst-5561913-scaled-e1747444484811.jpg8011200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-20 21:54:372025-08-14 00:48:133 Excel Functions Every Strategic Finance Team Should Master
Let me say this up front: Month-end reporting doesn’t have to feel like an endurance sport. We all know the drill. You build your reporting pack. You double-check numbers. You chase down last-minute actuals from operations. You rebuild links that broke since last month. You massage charts to be board-ready. And somewhere along the way, […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-rdne-7947716-scaled-e1747790397288.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-20 21:54:352025-08-14 00:48:16How Small Excel Tweaks Can Save You Hours in Month-End Reporting
Let me be honest: budgets are broken. At least, the traditional kind. You know the one: twelve-months-in-advance, set-it-and-forget-it, rooted in last year’s numbers, built to please the board rather than steer the business. I’ve built those. I’ve torn them apart, too. Rolling forecasts, when done right, aren’t just a better planning tool—they’re a better way […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-rdne-7947999-scaled-e1747790424274.jpg8001200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-20 21:54:332025-08-14 00:48:19Rolling Forecasts vs. Budgets: What High-Performing Teams Get Right
Financial models are fragile beasts. They look solid—clean lines, smart formulas, pristine formatting—but it only takes one wrong input or overconfident growth assumption to turn that glossy forecast into a cautionary tale. We’ve all seen it: one bad board question and the model unravels like a sweater caught on a nail. The real test of […]
https://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-leeloothefirst-5561913-scaled-e1747444484811.jpg8011200Sarah Schlotthttps://sarahgschlott.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/icon-10c-two-blob-light_clearspace-1030x1030.pngSarah Schlott2025-05-16 21:16:132025-08-14 00:48:22How to Stress Test Your Model Without Breaking It
5 Hidden Costs of Manual Reporting—and How to Eliminate Them Fast
Let me start with a simple truth that finance teams rarely say out loud: most reporting processes aren’t strategic. They’re reactive, redundant, and riddled with risk. And yet, we keep clinging to them like a CFO to their last clean version of Excel. I’ve worked across startups, mid-market firms, and corporate mazes. The pattern never […]
Why Most Models Fail in Fundraising Conversations—and What to Do Instead
There’s an awkward silence in every pitch deck review, and you usually know when it’s coming. It’s the moment you flip to the financial model and someone on the investor side leans forward, squints at your screen, and says: “Walk me through this part again.” If you’ve been there, you know. The narrative stalls, confidence […]
Building Smarter, Not Bigger: Finance Strategy When Budgets Shrink
Here’s a hard truth most finance professionals avoid: AI won’t replace you. But it will expose you if you don’t know how to think strategically. Today reminded me why this matters more than ever. AI-Powered Valuation: Smarter, Not Easier I started the day wrestling with valuation multiple justification. Not the sexy kind you read about […]
How to Build a Driver-Based Model That Actually Supports Decision-Making
Here’s the truth most FP&A leaders won’t say out loud: the majority of financial models aren’t built for decision-making. They’re built for optics. They exist to be opened in board meetings, skimmed over by execs, and bookmarked as evidence that Finance is doing its job. But when Sales wants to run a hiring scenario or […]
Cash Flow Forecasting: Why 13 Weeks Isn’t Always Enough
Here’s the truth no one wants to admit: most 13-week cash flow forecasts are just glorified guesswork. We treat them like gospel because they’re standard. Safe. Palatable. But if you’ve ever had to explain a sudden shortfall to your CEO or board, you already know: Thirteen weeks is not a crystal ball. It’s a snapshot. […]
Scenario Planning in Uncertain Times: A Practical Framework
Let’s start with a blunt truth most leaders don’t want to admit: You’re not going to predict the future. Not with that pristine forecast. Not with that 50-tab spreadsheet. Not even with your new AI-powered tool that’s supposed to “learn” the business. And that’s okay. Because scenario planning isn’t about guessing right. It’s about being […]
3 Excel Functions Every Strategic Finance Team Should Master
Let’s skip the pleasantries. If you’re in strategic finance and still fumbling around with basic formulas, you’re wasting time, missing insights, and burning credibility. I’ve seen it firsthand: high-performing FP&A teams with broken models, inconsistent logic, and bloated files that barely run. The fix? It’s not another dashboarding tool or AI-powered platform. It’s mastering the […]
How Small Excel Tweaks Can Save You Hours in Month-End Reporting
Let me say this up front: Month-end reporting doesn’t have to feel like an endurance sport. We all know the drill. You build your reporting pack. You double-check numbers. You chase down last-minute actuals from operations. You rebuild links that broke since last month. You massage charts to be board-ready. And somewhere along the way, […]
Rolling Forecasts vs. Budgets: What High-Performing Teams Get Right
Let me be honest: budgets are broken. At least, the traditional kind. You know the one: twelve-months-in-advance, set-it-and-forget-it, rooted in last year’s numbers, built to please the board rather than steer the business. I’ve built those. I’ve torn them apart, too. Rolling forecasts, when done right, aren’t just a better planning tool—they’re a better way […]
How to Stress Test Your Model Without Breaking It
Financial models are fragile beasts. They look solid—clean lines, smart formulas, pristine formatting—but it only takes one wrong input or overconfident growth assumption to turn that glossy forecast into a cautionary tale. We’ve all seen it: one bad board question and the model unravels like a sweater caught on a nail. The real test of […]