FinPod

In this episode of What's New at CFI, you have the whole gang: Ryan Spendelow, Duncan McKeen, Jeff Schmidt, and Sebastian Taylor. We all took part in creating this course that deeply resonates with a major reason why people come to CFI: to learn about career paths in finance and banking and the skills required.  This course is different - it does not talk about roles in isolation but rather places...

In today's episode of What's New at CFI, join us as we talk about the G in ESG. Our latest ESG offering is a mini module of three courses with a module dedicated to each of environmental, social and governance issues and financial materiality. Today, we focus on governance issues – which are arguably the most important. Why? without proper governance, how could anything be actioned?

In today's episode of What's New at CFI, join us as we talk all about the S in ESG. Our latest ESG offering is a mini module of three courses with a module dedicated to each of environmental, social and governance issues and financial materiality.  Today we focus on what social issues are and how they can pose potential risks and opportunities for investors and business operators alike.

In today's episode of What's New at CFI, join us as we talk all about the E in ESG. Our latest ESG offering is a mini module of three courses with a module dedicated to each of environmental, social and governance issues and financial materiality.  Today we kick things off by talking about environmental issues, which are often the most tangible and readily understood amongst ESG topics. In our dis...

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we sit down with Eric Mason, CFO of the City of Quincy, to explore his journey into municipal finance. Eric shares how his background as an economist, economic advisor, and chief analyst prepared him to take on the CFO role during the pandemic, leading his team through uncertainty with resilience and innovation. His story is a testament to the power...

In today's episode of What's New at CFI, we are talking about one of your favorite topics: Mergers and Acquisitions, or better known as, M&A! We're so excited to be bringing you a more bite-sized course on the topic so join us as we talk about how we've tailored this course and what you can expect to learn.

In this episode of CFI Member Spotlight on FinPod, we speak with CFI member Devrhoid Davis, who shares how following his passion and pursuing what made him curious led him from medical radiation physics to finance.  During the episode, Devrhoid shares his unconventional path into finance and how he finds himself in a full-circle moment today as he aspires to find a business in robotic prosthetics....

It's not about the extraordinary, it's about making it ordinary. In this episode we talk about our Normalizing Income Statements course where we spotlight the importance of making company income statements reflect their true underlying profitability by adjusting for any one-off or non-recurring events that make profits look more volatile than they really are.

In this episode of Careers in Finance, we sit down with Co-Founder of CFI, Scott Powell. If you are familiar with CFI, then you will know Scott as an instructor and coach. But today, he's showing you a different side as he shares his personal career journey.  Join us as Scott shares how finding his passion was a process of elimination, and how his full circle career roots his deep passion for ment...

Data analysis has had some immense benefits with the introduction of ChatGPT. A great deal of the 'heavy lifting' can be done with ChatGPT, but it takes a bit of getting used to in order to take advantage of it. Try it out with our course on how to use ChatGPT for data analysis.

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we welcome back Ashok Manthena, founder of Chatfin.ai and finance analytics expert. Ashok shares insights on how generative AI is impacting finance—from FP&A to tax and treasury—by automating tasks like reconciliation and variance analysis. We discuss how AI is improving data access, enhancing forecasting accuracy, and enabling real-time analysi...

In this episode of What’s New at CFI on FinPod,  we discuss operational risk management in banks, breaking down its four main dimensions: people, processes, systems, and external events. Operational risk stands apart from other risks like credit or market risk, affecting banks uniquely due to strict regulatory standards, particularly those outlined in the Basel Accord. We discuss why these risks a...

In this episode of the Careers in Finance on FinPod, James M. Binsfeld shares his story as a leader at the Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund, where he manages U.S. equities and private credit. With a background at Wells Fargo, Bank of America, NASDAQ, and WestPath Investment Management, James brings a wealth of knowledge from across the finance world and a hands-on understanding of how large funds wo...

In this episode of What's New at CFI on FinPod, we introduce our newest specialization, Accounting for Financial Analysts, which is designed for financial analysts who are looking to master essential accounting skills. This practical program covers the critical accounting concepts analysts encounter regularly, from dissecting financial statements and calculating essential ratios to understanding u...

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we chat with Mark Allbee, VP of Finance and Operations at Roko Labs. Mark shares his journey from Big Four accounting at KPMG, where he specialized and built key skills, to leading finance in dynamic startups. He details his transition to FP&A, tackling budgeting and reporting while navigating the unique demands of the startup world.  Mark’s rea...

In this episode of What’s New at CFI on FinPod , we discuss the latest course in the FP&A Specialization, FP&A Professional Model Protection and Presentation . This course is the third in a series designed to equip financial professionals with advanced modeling skills. It focuses on essential practices for protecting and presenting financial models, making them more efficient and secure fo...

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we sit down with Jack McCullough, the founder and CEO of the CFO Leadership Council. Jack has had a diverse career that began with earning an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and includes being a former CFO, a published author, and podcast host. His journey began in public accounting, later transitioning to leadership roles at tech startu...

In this episode of CFI Member Spotlight on FinPod, we speak with CFI member Shawn Jahromi, an experienced project manager and entrepreneur with a unique journey from electrical engineering to digital transformation. Shawn holds a Master's in Business Administration and earned the FMVA Certification from CFI, both of which have been pivotal in shaping his career. He began his career with a degree i...

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we sit down with Duncan McKeen, a seasoned equity research analyst turned financial modeler and educator at CFI. Duncan's career journey is an inspiring example of adaptation and perseverance, starting in mechanical engineering before transitioning into finance. Duncan shares how he leveraged his sector expertise in mining to break into equity resea...

In this episode of What's New at CFI on FinPod, we dive into the latest addition to our course lineup, Comparable Valuation Fundamentals . Our expert instructors discuss designing the course specifically to make valuation concepts more accessible for learners without extensive finance backgrounds. You’ll hear about the decision to use fictional companies for easier digestion of the fundamentals an...

In this episode of CFI Member Spotlight on FinPod, we feature Charaf Bourhalla, a seasoned finance professional who has built a career with major firms like KPMG and Kimberly Clark, eventually becoming Head of Consolidation at Nestle Skin Health.  He holds several key certifications, including the FMVA from CFI, ACCA with a focus on IFRS, and the PMP from PMI. Charaf offers insights into his journ...

In this episode of What’s New at CFI on FinPod, we discuss the newly released course, FP&A Professional: Model Roll Forward and Analysis. This course is the second in a three-part series designed to enhance Excel skills while focusing on essential monthly workflows for FP&A professionals. Listeners will learn best practices for managing files, rolling models forward, and incorporating both...

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we talk to Alex Yuditski, a growth investor at Bessemer Venture Partners. Starting with a pivot in college from history to economics, Alex’s path led her from investment banking at Regions Bank and William Blair to working on pre-IPO growth equity deals at Blue Owl Capital. Now at one of the top venture firms globally, Alex focuses on Series B and b...

In this episode of What's New at CFI on FinPod, we’re excited to introduce our latest course, "Intro to Bank Valuations." We’ve designed this course to simplify the world of bank valuation models by focusing on practical methodologies like the asset value approach, comparables, and the dividend discount model.  We dive into why mastering bank financial statements and Basel III regulations is a pre...

In this episode of Careers in Finance on FinPod, we welcome Kristen Kelly and Jennifer Saarbach, founders of The Wall Street Skinny . Through their podcast, social media platforms, and other channels, they've built a highly regarded brand dedicated to demystifying the complex world of finance and helping others break into the industry. Kristen and Jennifer share their journeys of transitioning int...