From Numbers to Narratives with Karma Auden

In this conversation, Alena Bennett interviews Karma Auden, the CFO of the University of New England, who shares her unique career journey from aspiring pharmacist to financial storyteller. Karma discusses the importance of understanding the human side of finance, the impact of purpose-driven work, and the nuances between impact and outcome in financial discussions. She emphasises the need for financial storytelling to make numbers relatable and engaging, and shares her experiences using metaphors to enhance communication in financial presentations. The dialogue highlights the evolving role of finance professionals as they navigate the intersection of numbers and people, ultimately advocating for a more empathetic approach to financial communication.To reach out to Karma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karmaauden/The Real Math of Business with Alena Bennett is a podcast where we look beyond the numbers in business; where people serve people, and the maths just works.Chapters00:00 TPQ: Are you Avoiding Simple, Because it's not Easy?05:22 Chat with Karma Auden: Karma's Unique Career Path10:04 The Impact of Purpose in Work11:21 Understanding Impact vs. Outcome18:31 The Art of Financial Storytelling26:04 Using Metaphors in Financial Presentations28:32 The Role of Feelings in Financial Storytelling31:09 Balancing Integrity and Messaging in Finance34:13 Understanding the Real Math of Business37:47 Linking Time Investment to Outcomes41:40 Framework for Financial Storytelling47:19 The Intersection of Numbers and People50:01 Inspiration from Businesses and Leaders