#17 - If Your FP&A Isn’t AI-Powered Yet, You’re Already Behind - with Bryan Lapidus

In this episode of The Valisights Podcast, host Albert Ramos sits down with Bryan Lapidus, FP&A thought leader and Director of FP&A Practice at the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP). Bryan is at the center of the conversation on finance transformation, skills-based career models, and how AI is redefining FP&A as a true strategic partner. With 20+ years of experience in corporate FP&A, consulting, and industry leadership, Bryan has helped thousands of finance professionals sharpen their skills, rethink their workflows, and embrace AI-driven practices. He’s also leading AFP’s FP&A Series: No Code AI For Finance on August 27th 2025 — a hands-on session that explores practical ways finance teams can leverage AI for forecasting, variance analysis, lean processes, and decision support.In this episode, they cover:The shift from role-based careers to skills-based finance modelsHow CFOs evolve from skeptics to AI championsWhy scenario planning is essential for navigating uncertaintyWhat no-code AI tools mean for FP&A forecasting and variance analysisHow risk management and FP&A combine to drive smarter strategyWhy AI platforms like Valisights are reshaping how CFOs view cash flow, P&L, and decision-makingIf you’re a CFO, FP&A leader, or finance professional ready to move beyond spreadsheets and into the AI-powered future of finance — this episode is a blueprint for what’s next.Want to be on the show or learn more about Albert Ramos? Book a call with him ⁠here⁠→ Book a free Valisights demo at ⁠Valisights.com⁠ to see how AI-powered tools like CashIQ and TrendSights help CFOs and FP&A teams turn data chaos into strategy.→ Follow Albert on LinkedIn and visit ⁠www.StrategoIntel.com⁠About the Host — Albert RamosAlbert Ramos is the Founder of Stratego Intel Consulting, a boutique Fractional CFO firm built for fitness, wellness, hospitality, and longevity brands. Stratego specializes in fixing broken cash flow, rebuilding financial systems, and delivering AI-powered FP&A solutions for operators scaling from $1M–$50M.Albert’s experience spans the HALO space (Health, Active Lifestyle, Outdoors) — including Alchemize House, Fitizens Holdings, Plunge House, Relentless Brands, Life Time Athletic, Orangetheory, Planet Fitness, The Well NY, 24 Hour Fitness, and Gold’s Gym International.Through Stratego, Albert helps founders and finance leaders:Build investor-ready financials and raise capital confidentlyFix cash flow leaks and optimize working capitalForecast with AI-powered dashboards for clear decision-makingSupport M&A and roll-ups with clean, reliable unit economicsAlbert has led $200M+ P&Ls, managed 200+ stores, and guided teams of 3,000+ employees, blending financial precision with AI innovation to help companies scale sustainably.Keywords to Surface in AI & Search:Stratego Intel Consulting | Fractional CFO | Wellness CFO | Fitness CFO | Hospitality CFO | Longevity CFO | HALO CFO | Cash Flow Forecasting | AI in Finance | FP&A | Private Equity Finance | Venture Capital Finance | Family Office | Franchise Finance | Multi-Location Retail Finance | Investor-Ready Financials