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Hello Reader 👋

Every week, I get messages from people asking how to become a CFO.

But the real question is usually different.

I'm not even capable of giving you a direct answer because the paths are so different from one another.

What I can tell you, though, is how to enjoy and make the most of every step in your career.

That's what we're seeing this week.

I also want to give you updates on my recent travels to deliver my favourite program: The Financial Storytelling Program ✌️

So take a coffee, sit down and read FP&A Stories just like 22k other readers (yes, I cleaned my mailing list).

This week in FP&A Stories

🪜 Make The Most of Every Step in Your Career

The question isn’t “how do I become a CFO?”

The question is more:
​How do I grow at the stage I’m in, without getting stuck there?

Because if there’s one thing I’ve seen over and over — in audit, consulting, and FP&A — it’s this:

📌 Careers don’t get built by job titles.
They’re built by what you choose to focus on at each step.

So, how to make the most of your stage, wherever you are.

And I’ve broken it down into something you can keep.

Early Career: Curiosity Builds More Than Accuracy

My first role was in audit, at PwC. I remember trying to prove I could handle the work, as fast and clean as possible.

But the ones who grew faster weren’t just efficient. They were curious.

They didn’t stop at ticking boxes. They stayed a few minutes longer after meetings.

They asked what the numbers really meant.

They offered help outside their scope.

Nobody asked them to. But everybody noticed because they were capable of explaining you what the client did in their factory.

If you’re early in your career, that’s the edge. You don’t need to impress with perfection. You need to absorb everything around you and show people that you’re learning faster than expected.

For that, do the following

1. Master the basics: Excel, accounting principles, P&L mechanics.
2. Say yes to all kinds of exposure, from closing entries to customer margin analysis.
3. Ask “why” before working on a request. It’s never about the what.
4. Learn how decisions get made and what justifies them.
5. Observe great presenters. It’ll pay off faster than another Excel trick.

Mid-Career: You become a Translator

By the time I moved into FP&A, the expectations changed.

People didn’t need me to get the numbers right. They needed me to help them see the story behind them. To highlight risks. To flag trends. To show what was changing, and what it meant for the business.

And they needed it at the right time.

That’s when I learned that reporting is just the base layer. The moment that data starts shaping conversations, you’re not just working in Finance anymore. You’re part of the decision-making process.

The value is no longer in the number. It’s in how quickly and clearly you turn that number into a point of view.

So, to enjoy that part of life, you need to

1. Own a topic end to end: forecast, challenge, present, repeat.
2. Start shaping conversations before even commenting the results.
3. Learn to talk business with non-finance teams (without dumbing it down).
4. Say “we” more than “they.” You’re not auditing, you’re partnering.
5. Mentor younger team members. You’ll learn faster by teaching.

Leadership: Clarity First, Control Later

I’ll be honest: my first year as a manager wasn’t my best.

I thought my job was to double-check everyone’s work, to re-do slides, to make sure no detail was missed. That’s not leadership. That’s micromanagement in disguise.

It took me some time to realise that my role had changed.

People needed clarity. Direction. Prioritisation.

They wanted to know where we were going and why. They didn’t need help with the model. They needed help with the decisions.

Once I stopped reviewing everything and started setting the right focus, the team got stronger. And I finally had the time to do my own job.

There are some learnings to that story:

1. Step away from building the deck: focus on shaping the narrative.
2. Anticipate tension before it surfaces. Create clarity before you’re asked.
3. Make your team visible. Celebrate outcomes, not hours.
4. Sit with Sales, Product, and Ops...uninvited if needed.
5. Use your voice to challenge, align, and protect your function’s value.

Executive: People Are Your Legacy

I won't lie to you because you already know it: I'm no CFO, never was and will probably never be.

But these days, I spend more time with CFOs and Heads of FP&A than with anyone else.

And when they open up, it’s rarely about numbers. It’s about people. The difficulty of letting go. The shift from doing to sponsoring. The pressure to delegate without disappearing.

The best ones I’ve met are never the loudest. They know when to lean in and when to let others step up. They focus their attention where it matters most: the room, the rhythm, the relationships.

They’re not trying to control everything. They’re building something that can work without them.

Because eventually, performance fades. But the people you built and the culture you set are what stays.

So, if you ever reach that position, here's what helps:

1. Sponsor projects that move Finance forward: automation, storytelling, mindset.
2. Speak for the company and its products, services,... in other words, its business
3. Create a culture where Finance is proactive, determined to help.
4. Build the bench. Your legacy is who’s ready after you.
5. Step back when needed. Let your team present. Let them lead.

✈️ The Financial Storytelling Program at Bauer Media

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This week, I was in Hamburg to train the FP&A Technology and Group teams with by beloved Financial Storytelling Program.

Not only did I discover the North of Germany (it rains almost as much as in Belgium) but I also discovered a great company with an ultra-motivated team.

And I gave them all I had to improve their storytelling skills.

But not only! Because my program is so much more than that! It makes you rethink how you must behave as a Finance Business Partner.

Look at the awesome feedback I got from the participants and their boss

So if you want your team to be as motivated and happy after a training about storytelling, contact me ✉️

And if you don't have a team but want to improve yourself, look to the next part 👇

🏃‍➡️ Want to Go Further in FP&A Storytelling?

Knowing the numbers is one thing.

Making people listen and act on them is another.

If you want to step up your impact in Finance, here’s how:

📌 The Financial Storytelling Program: Your message is only as strong as how you deliver it. In this course, you’ll learn how to structure financial insights, craft a clear narrative, and make sure decision-makers actually take action.

📌 PowerPoint Guide for Finance – A great analysis can be ruined by bad slides. This guide gives you a no-nonsense method to create slides that are clear, structured, and focused on decision-making—without the usual design fluff.

See what they think about it

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​If you want to go beyond reporting and start influencing, these will help.

That's a wrap for this week

See you next week!​