Black Diamond Podcast

Tiffany Ma, Director of Product Marketing for AI and Operational Analytics at OneStream, returns for her second podcast appearance to share what's really happening with AI in finance. From 100+ live customer implementations to natural resource forecasting, the AI hype is meeting actual results. Remember when Tom Shea showed IBM Watson back in 2017 and shocked everyone by saying "this is really hard, I'm not gonna sell it to you"? That honesty was refreshing, but also showed the problem - AI was expensive, complicated, and required data scientists writing Python for years. Fast forward to today and OneStream's cracked the code on what they call "applied AI" - purpose-built for finance, no coding required, delivering results in weeks instead of years. But here's what's really interesting - the use cases have exploded beyond what anyone expected. Started with demand forecasting, expanded to P&L, now customers are doing workforce planning, cash management, even trying to forecast the materials needed to produce steel. That's not your typical FP&A use case, but when you have a tool that's agile enough to iterate quickly, people start getting creative. Tiffany breaks down why OneStream renamed Sensible Machine Learning to Sensible AI. Machine learning is quantitative - numbers forecasting numbers. But they've added generative AI for automated commentary and variance analysis, plus agentic AI with their new agents. They couldn't box themselves into "machine learning only" when the solution does way more than that.  

John Kowalkowski, Senior Manager of Financial Systems at BradyPLUS, shares the wild story of taking over a failing OneStream implementation, managing consolidations across 35-40 different ERPs, and building a roadmap for a newly formed $5 billion distribution company. Plus, insights on AI from someone with actual machine learning background. John started when an implementation was at a "trainwreck status". Everyone was overwhelmed with too many responsibilities. John took it over, spent a year getting everything in place amid ongoing organizational change. The data wrangling nightmare included 35-40 individual ERPs and ended up being organized and usable. John's machine learning background makes his AI takes carry weight. He thinks OneStream is taking the right track with a plug-and-play approach. With about a third of Splash sessions being AI-related, you could be cynical and say it's just positioning, but "their hearts are in it" and they're making good decisions building it into the platform.

Ricky LaBerge shares how a global manufacturing company transformed both consolidation and planning processes with OneStream.  Their old planning system was basically just a repository. Offline models everywhere, constant data loading issues, and fire drills that ate up valuable time. Instead of discussing the business, they were stuck trying to get numbers into the system.  After their OneStream implementation, there were no more fire drills. They were consistently closing books and issuing results to management on day four instead of day five. On the planning side, they started working before books are even closed thanks to the accordion setup. Thorough reviews happen a week earlier than before, and they keep shaving days off every year. DexKo was an amalgamation of an American firm and a German firm with completely different planning processes. BDA's Accordion Rolling Forecast helped bring them together while keeping separate models for different brands. The challenge wasn't technical - it was getting everyone aligned on new processes. Ricky's advice to companies starting their OneStream journey: From his consulting side: Ask lots of questions, keep requirements simple, don't spend 80% development time on 10% value, and really focus on design because it's expensive to change later. From his industry side: Training is everything. OneStream can be intimidating. Prying Excel from finance people's hands is hard, but communicate the value and it works.  

Phil Kaplan, FinTech Manager at Unifi, joins Cameron and Celvin to discuss running OneStream for a complex aviation services business. From contract-level planning across US, Canada, and UK airports to exploring AI for flight forecasting - this is real-world FP&A in action. Unifi is doing everything at airports except flying planes - baggage handling, cleaning, maintenance for Delta, Southwest, and other airlines. They have a CFO-driven AI initiative with a tangible use case: improving flight count forecasts. Weather, events, and seasonal patterns make flight forecasting ideal for AI. External data sources could dramatically improve accuracy of their departure-based revenue planning. OneStream's AI library could leverage multiple data sources for better volume predictions. What's your use case?

Heather from Attain Finance sits down with Cameron and Celvin to share her journey from the early days of Hyperion consulting to running OneStream at a financial services company today. This is a refreshingly honest conversation about career transitions, platform evolution, and trying to figure out what AI actually means for finance professionals. Like everyone else at Splash 2025, AI came up a lot. Heather's take is refreshingly measured - she describes herself as "excited but optimistic but skeptical." It's an initiative for Attain Finance this year to figure out where AI fits, so she's attending sessions and trying to separate signal from noise. The honest assessment from both sides: yes, AI will change things. The timeline is uncertain, and it'll probably be more evolutionary than revolutionary. But the professionals who are actively learning, experimenting, and figuring out how to augment their work with AI will be the ones who thrive in that future.

Join Allie, Senior Director of Corporate FP&A at Generac, as she shares how they transformed their financial planning process using OneStream. Discover how this leading generator manufacturer eliminated weeks of manual work and gained unprecedented visibility into their business. The brutal reality of their old process: "finger in the air hoping the wind hits it right" for anything beyond annual budgets. Sound familiar? What actually changed: Roster updates went from once yearly (50+ spreadsheets) to quarterly with granular detail Long-range planning moved from Excel guesswork to real-time accordion forecasting Compensation modeling now handles 60% of their OpEx automatically When business turned south, they weren't scrambling - they had the data they needed The best part? Allie says she now takes for granted what used to be impossible. Her users went from confused about the system name to constantly asking "Can OneStream do this too?" This is what real transformation looks like - not just new software, but fundamentally changing how finance operates. Perfect timing too, since they went live right before a business downturn and actually needed the agility.

Hosts Greg Beaton and Ryann Hristovsky sit down with Adrian Griffin, Financial Systems Manager at Subaru of America, to explore an incredible transformation story. Recorded at OneStream Splash 2025 in Nashville, this episode reveals how Subaru evolved from skeptics to enterprise-wide advocates through strategic implementation and smart change management. Key Discussion Points: Corporate transformation journey: How Subaru went from skeptical to having departments compete for the next OneStream project Beyond traditional CPM: Custom OneStream applications for extended warranty business (Added Security) using relational tables and cube integration VIN-level transaction drilling: Custom development enabling users to "see the VIN behind the numbers" with seamless Oracle ERP integration Change management strategies: Overcoming Excel dependency while maintaining user comfort Platform scalability: Multiple OneStream initiatives including consolidation, planning, account reconciliation, and marketplace solutions Real-time data integration: Nightly staging table processes connecting Oracle sub-ledger detail with OneStream summary reporting Adrian shares honest insights about user adoption challenges, the balance between summary-level reporting and transaction detail requirements, and how OneStream's platform capabilities enabled custom solutions beyond traditional financial consolidation. This episode demonstrates the power of how gradual transformation can turn into important change.

We sit down with Dane Arbuckle from Richardson International to explore how a 160-year-old agribusiness company successfully transformed their finance operations through strategic OneStream implementation. This compelling conversation reveals the critical lessons learned from scaling digital transformation across complex business models. Key Discussion Points: Building dedicated digital transformation teams: Why Richardson's Digital Ambition Group became the key to OneStream success From Excel chaos to one-click consolidation: How finance teams eliminated the "smoosh" of manual spreadsheet linking The power of future-proofing: Learning from phase one mistakes to build scalable, long-term solutions Accordion Rolling Forecast implementation: Real-time collaborative planning across diverse business units (grain, processing, retail) User adoption strategies: How teams evolved from Excel dependency to leveraging OneStream's cube views and dashboards Advanced functionality roadmap: Narrative reporting, Genesis no-code solutions, and machine learning applications Cultural transformation: Teaching 160-year-old processes to embrace automated consolidation and real-time reporting Dane shares candid insights about Richardson's journey from fragmented Excel-based reporting to unified OneStream consolidation, planning, and forecasting. This episode offers valuable lessons for finance leaders managing complex, multi-entity organizations seeking to scale their digital transformation efforts.

Our expert panel discussed on the revolutionary impact of AI in finance and corporate performance management. This candid conversation features Carl Yost, Vincent Valentine, Daniel Hopson, and Randy Werder as they explore how artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the way CFOs and finance executives approach planning, forecasting, and decision-making. We dive deep into the practical realities of AI implementation, moving beyond the buzzwords to discuss real-world strategies, challenges, and opportunities. From understanding executive mindset shifts to navigating the evolution from Excel-based processes to AI-enhanced workflows, this discussion provides actionable insights for finance leaders at every stage of their AI journey. Recorded at the premier OneStream user conference, this podcast captures the urgency and excitement surrounding AI adoption in finance, featuring real client stories, implementation strategies, and candid advice from industry experts who are actively guiding organizations through this transformation. Key Discussion Topics: Executive AI Interest: 75% of CFOs now prioritizing AI discussions (from Splash 2025 keynote) Fundamental shift in executive engagement with technology Genuine curiosity driving attendance at AI events and conferences Executives seeking practical knowledge and implementation strategies AI vs Traditional Performance Management: Moving beyond "Excel in my cold dead hands" mentality Evolution from driver-based planning to AI-enhanced forecasting The critical role of change management in AI adoption Education requirements for leaders to craft AI messaging Two Categories of AI in Finance: 1. Sensible AI (Platform-Based): OneStream's existing predictive analytics capabilities Number-based analysis and forecasting improvements Platform-native AI integration within existing workflows 2. Large Language Models: ChatGPT-style conversational AI applications OneStream's emerging agent-based technologies Natural language interfaces for financial data From Driver-Based Planning to AI: Driver-based planning as essential foundation for AI readiness Understanding business connectivity between operational and financial metrics Moving beyond "same as last year plus 2%" approaches Building models before implementing AI solutions Practical Implementation Strategy: Crawl, Walk, Run Approach: Start with small wins in specific business areas or product lines Identify biggest problems and apply AI to targeted solutions Build on initial successes rather than attempting complete transformation Focus on incremental improvements leading to significant change Platform-First Philosophy: AI implementation within OneStream application layer Leveraging existing data stores and workflows Avoiding external AI solutions separate from core processes Using OneStream's extensibility for AI integration Cycle Time Revolution: Moving from monthly forecasting to on-demand analysis Responding to real-world events (elections, tariffs, geopolitical changes) immediately Building "muscle memory" for rapid forecasting capabilities Enabling scenario planning beyond traditional cycles Client Maturity Evolution: Eight-year OneStream journey case study Clients advancing from basic implementation to AI readiness Mature conversations focusing on model training and optimization "Earning the right" to examine AI process transformation Walmart Case Study: Requirement to defend any process NOT using AI Assumption that all operations should leverage AI capabilities Challenging traditional operational components Setting new industry standards for AI adoption Implementation Readiness Assessment: Do you understand your business model and metrics? Are you still struggling with basic forecasting processes? Have you moved beyond Excel-based planning? Is your data foundation ready for AI enhancement? Black Diamond's Advisory Role: Moving from words to numbers in client discussions Creating practical roadmaps beyond buzzword discussions Taking stewardship responsibility for client AI transformation Launching AI education book and resources Key Takeaways: AI is not a magic wand - foundational work required first Start somewhere but don't wait - action required now Focus on solving real business problems, not implementing technology Education and change management are critical success factors Partners must lead AI transformation, not just implement technology Warning Signs: "If you don't have an AI plan now, you might be too late" Three-year timeline thinking means missing the opportunity Stalling on AI while competitors advance Talking about AI without creating actionable roadmaps Perfect for: CFOs and finance executives evaluating AI strategies Finance professionals seeking practical AI implementation guidance Organizations using OneStream considering AI enhancement Change management leaders driving technology transformation Anyone interested in the future of corporate performance management Transform your finance function from traditional forecasting to AI-enhanced decision making with practical guidance from Black Diamond's expert panel.

Join Cameron Lackpour and Celvin Kattookaran as they sit down with Peter Fugere, Chief Solutions Officer at OneStream Software, to explore the rapid evolution of the FP&A platform ecosystem. From his early days as a Navy veteran discovering Hyperion Enterprise to becoming employee #9 at OneStream, Peter shares his unique perspective on building communities around complex financial software. The conversation dives into OneStream's strategic approach to democratizing enterprise planning through CPM Express—a solution that brings sophisticated consolidation and planning capabilities to mid-market companies in just five days. Peter reveals how OneStream's publishing initiative and Architect Factory are creating new pathways for knowledge sharing in the FP&A space, while addressing the critical balance between platform innovation and partner ecosystem development. Key insights include the transformative impact of AI on financial planning, the importance of creating multiple learning channels for technical adoption, and why the next generation of finance professionals will have an entirely different relationship with data. Peter also discusses the challenges of maintaining community connections as OneStream grows from a startup above a sporting goods store to a major player reshaping the FP&A landscape.

Join Cameron Lackpour and Celvin Kattookaran as they sit down with Jack Lacava, Product Enablement Manager at OneStream, to discuss the evolution of financial planning platforms and the critical role of community-driven learning. Jack shares his unique journey from web developer to EPM consultant to community moderator, offering insights into how OneStream's rapid pace of innovation—including hybrid cubes and AI capabilities—is reshaping FP&A workflows. The conversation explores practical challenges facing finance teams today: managing feature adoption, establishing best practices for new tools, and bridging the knowledge gap between technical capabilities and business users. Jack provides valuable perspective on OneStream's community platform, the importance of peer-to-peer learning in the FP&A space, and what the shift from traditional EPM systems means for finance professionals navigating increasingly complex planning environments. Key topics include: OneStream version 8 performance improvements, workspace dynamic dashboards, hybrid scenarios implementation, and the balance between flexibility and usability in modern FP&A platforms.

A deep dive into how OneStream is democratizing access to financial planning solutions through Partner Place, Open Place, and the broader Solution Exchange ecosystem Daniel Iannucci, Senior Program Manager of OneStream's Solution Network team, joins for an insider's perspective on one of the most ambitious initiatives in the FP&A technology space. This isn't just another product demo - it's a candid conversation about building a marketplace that could fundamentally change how finance teams access and deploy specialized solutions. From Credit Unions to Solution Marketplaces Daniel's path to OneStream is refreshingly unconventional. With 20+ years in project and program management but no traditional FP&A background, he brings an outsider's perspective to an industry that can sometimes be insular. His transition from managing internal OneStream projects to launching the Solution Exchange at Splash 2023 demonstrates how cross-functional expertise can drive innovation in unexpected ways. The "process nerd" advantage: Daniel's passion for optimizing business processes perfectly aligns with the Solution Exchange mission - making it easier for partners to develop solutions and customers to access them. Demystifying the Solution Exchange Ecosystem The conversation breaks down the three distinct but interconnected platforms: Marketplace (OneStream Internal) Developed and supported directly by OneStream Premium solutions with full commercial backing Direct integration with product roadmap Partner Place (Commercial Partner Solutions) Developed by implementation partners like Black Diamond Advisory Partners handle sales and support Rigorous vetting process including line-by-line code scans and go-to-market analysis Examples include Black Diamond's Accordion and Metadata Manager Open Place (Community-Driven) Free solutions with community support Anyone can contribute (partners, customers, even external developers) "Open source" philosophy with templates and blueprints for learning Currently OneStream-developed but expanding to partner and customer contributions The Trust and Adoption Challenge Daniel candidly discusses the biggest hurdle: customer timidity. Many organizations worry that adopting marketplace solutions will be "like deploying OneStream all over again." The platform's power can be intimidating, and customers need reassurance about partner support capabilities. The breakthrough moment: Successful partners offer free trials, and customers consistently respond with "I don't want to live without this now." It's the classic marketplace adoption curve - skepticism followed by dependency. The Vetting Process: Quality Without Gatekeeping The rigorous review process includes: Line-by-line code scanning Security reviews Go-to-market viability analysis Total Addressable Market (TAM) assessment Balancing opportunity with reality: OneStream provides honest feedback about market size and viability, protecting partners from investing in solutions with insufficient market demand while still serving niche verticals strategically. The GitHub Vision: Democratizing Development One of the most intriguing aspects is Daniel's vision for GitHub-style collaboration. Currently, Open Place solutions can be downloaded and modified locally, but there's no repository-style version control. The team is actively exploring: Automated development pipelines Community-driven solution evolution Faster time-to-market for targeted solutions Repository-style collaboration tools Industry Vertical Strategy The focus on specific industry verticals represents a sophisticated go-to-market approach: Automotive manufacturing Food processing Industrial manufacturing Financial services Education The specialization advantage: Rather than generic solutions, the marketplace enables highly targeted tools that address specific industry pain points, making adoption more compelling and ROI more measurable. Exponential Growth Predictions Daniel's projection of exponential growth within 3-4 years isn't wishful thinking - it's based on case studies from Salesforce and ServiceNow marketplaces. Key growth drivers: Automation of the development and deployment process Elimination of cohort-based launches in favor of continuous deployment Expansion beyond traditional OneStream partners to independent software developers Current baseline: 26 solutions growing to hundreds within 2-3 years The Developer Ecosystem Expansion Perhaps most exciting is the conversation about attracting developers with no FP&A background. The Solution Exchange could become a platform for software developers to create specialized financial tools without deep domain expertise, similar to how mobile app stores democratized software development. Personal Touch: The Podcast Within the Podcast The episode's lighter moment - Daniel's personal podcast about random topics like "which side of the shower to enter" - humanizes the conversation and shows how diverse perspectives can strengthen product development. The shower debate (team "closer to faucet" vs. "further away") generated 1,000 Facebook comments, proving that seemingly simple topics often have passionate advocates on both sides. Key Takeaways for Finance Leaders For CFOs and Finance Directors: Marketplace solutions can extend OneStream capabilities without custom development costs Free trials reduce adoption risk Industry-specific solutions may offer better ROI than generic tools For Implementation Partners: Clear path to monetize specialized expertise Rigorous but fair vetting process Opportunity to reach customers beyond direct relationships For Software Developers: Emerging opportunity to serve finance market without traditional FP&A background Platform handles infrastructure, focus on solving specific problems Community-driven development model reducing barriers to entry This episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in how enterprise software marketplaces evolve, the challenges of building trust in complex B2B environments, and the future of specialized financial planning tools. Daniel's combination of process optimization expertise and genuine enthusiasm for community-driven development makes this a uniquely informative conversation about where FP&A technology is heading.

Velibor, Director of Finance Transformation at OceanaGold, shares his journey implementing OneStream while leading broader finance transformation efforts after the company relocated from Melbourne to Vancouver. Working with an entirely new finance team creates a unique advantage—no attachment to legacy processes or outdated methods. Velibor details his whirlwind travels from the Philippines to Las Vegas, training teams who are eager for the planning module following their successful consolidation implementation. The conversation reveals how proper financial systems drive strategic decisions, with Velibor emphasizing that organizations must "continue to evolve, don't be stagnant" to leverage technology for accessible, accurate data that powers business growth.

Onthis episode of the Black Diamond Podcast, Mel Lenhardt—Strategic CustomerAdvisor at OneStream—shares his journey from the early days of Hyperion toleading strategic initiatives today. He dives into how consulting has evolved,the impact of generational shifts in the workforce, and why AISML is set toredefine the future of EPM. Whether you're deep in the tech or just curiousabout where the industry is headed, this episode has something for you.

What does it take to solve complex challenges in enterprise software? In this episode, Ludovic De Paz shares his journey from working with SQL and Hyperion to leading innovative solutions at OneStream. He discusses the evolution of OneStream’s services, the power of cross-team collaboration, and how AI is shaping the future of financial technology. Tune in for valuable insights on problem-solving and adapting to a rapidly changing industry.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Jon Rambeau as he shares his journey from writing code on IBM mainframes in the 1980s to driving innovation at OneStream. Hear about his experiences in corporate finance, his role in the evolution of enterprise software, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Plus, discover how teamwork, adaptability, and a passion for problem-solving have shaped his career. Don’t miss this engaging episode!

AI is shaking up the consulting world—are you ready? In this episode, we sit down with Tiffany Ma, a powerhouse in product marketing, to talk about career pivots, AI’s growing role in consulting, and what the future holds for the next generation of tech professionals. From her journey through Deloitte, UC Berkeley, OneStream, and beyond, Tiffany shares insights on how AI is transforming implementation, the skills consultants need to stay ahead, and why adaptation is the key to success.

In this episode of the BDA Podcast, we’re joined by Andrew Shea, Senior Vice President of AI Engineering at OneStream, for an insightful and entertaining discussion on Sensible Machine Learning and the future of AI. Andrew shares how OneStream is revolutionizing business forecasting and offers advice for companies looking to begin their AI journey. Tune in for expert insights, practical tips, and a few laughs along the way!

Join Black Diamond Advisory for an insightful conversation with OneStream Co-Founders Bob Powers and Tom Shea! Dive into the future of finance as they discuss groundbreaking innovations for 2025, including: - Enterprise Finance AI - New Functionalities - Experiflow - Sensible Machine Learning - Dynamic Dimensions - And much more! Don't miss this opportunity to explore the cutting-edge advancements shaping the world of enterprise finance. Subscribe for more expert insights and updates!

A real-world case study in moving from 16 Excel templates to sophisticated capital asset planning - and why the detailed approach delivered surprising accuracy Nicole Cunningham, CFO of Jack Doheny Company (JDC) shares one of the most compelling implementation stories you'll hear. This isn't a theoretical discussion - it's a finance leader being brutally honest about what actually works, what doesn't, and how to avoid the traps that sink most projects. The Perfect Storm: New CFO, New ERP, and COVID Nicole's story begins with impeccable timing - she joined JDC in March 2020, right as they were implementing a new ERP and COVID hit. The new ERP was great for operations but terrible for reporting, leaving the finance team scrambling with dashboards that couldn't deliver the insights they needed for their rental equipment business. The Excel template nightmare: 16 different branch locations, each requiring custom templates Manual updates once (then twice) per year consuming massive amounts of time A four-person finance team drowning in data compilation instead of analysis Planning at equipment type level rather than individual assets, leading to "law of averages" inaccuracy The Controversial Decision: Asset-Level Planning Here's where the story gets interesting. Nicole had detailed Excel models and was comfortable planning at a higher level - 25 equipment types covering 1,000+ rental assets. But the BDA team (Greg and Ashwin) pushed for something that made her "really nervous": asset-level capital planning. Why this was terrifying: Individual asset decisions: what to buy, sell, keep Utilization planning at the asset level Depreciation schedules that actually matched reality instead of averages Balance sheet implications that seemed overwhelming Why it worked: The "law of averages" was killing forecast accuracy Different product lines had vastly different lifecycles (2-4 years) Asset-level detail enabled proper depreciation calculations Balance sheet planning became automatic instead of manual nightmare

The wrap-up conversation you weren't supposed to hear - four hosts getting real about conferences, careers, and the future of OneStream Our hosts step away from interviewing guests to have an honest conversation about what they've learned, where they're going, and why this little corner of the tech world matters so much. The Magic of Conferences (And Why We're All Secretly Introverts) The hosts get surprisingly vulnerable about the conference experience - from Cameron's revelation about being "selectively extroverted" to the reality that they all went to bed by 11 PM. They explore the paradox of being seen as "rock stars" on stage while being regular people who just want to solve problems and teach others. Key insights: Why conferences are both exhausting and career-defining The isolation of specialized technical work and how community events solve it Meeting your heroes vs. becoming someone else's hero The difference between stage personas and real personalities Dynamic Cubes: When Technologists Get Excited Watch four cube veterans get genuinely excited about OneStream's dynamic cubes announcement. While they acknowledge that customers care more about narrative reporting and AI voices asking "what was my budget here?", they can't help but geek out over the technical implications. The technical perspective: Why dynamic cubes solve what Cameron calls "relational extensibility" How this enables seamless movement between relational and cube data Why it's been attempted before but never executed well The consultant's dilemma: knowing when to "lower the temperature" of what you implement Career Evolution in Real Time Perhaps most compelling is watching Cameron and Celvin process their career transitions in real time. For the first time since 1996, Cameron isn't doing implementations - he's moved to product management. Celvin is now development manager. They're questioning whether it's surprising they're not doing the "geeky technical presentations" they used to. Career reflections: The difference between self-awareness and true reflection Letting go of ego while embracing new roles Why teaching and sharing knowledge became core to their identities The maturity that comes from understanding your strengths and limitations The Investment and the Future The hosts reveal the substantial investment Black Diamond made in this podcast experiment - from the vice presidential suite at Harrah's to the full production crew. They're genuinely uncertain if it will continue, making this conversation feel like both a celebration and a potential goodbye. The business reality: Why no other consulting partner has attempted this format The risk-taking required to prioritize community over pure profit Their hope that competing firms will create their own content The genuine request for audience feedback to guide future decisions Why This Matters Beyond OneStream At its heart, this episode captures something universal about specialized technical communities. Whether you work with OneStream, other planning platforms, or any niche technology, you'll recognize the themes: the isolation of deep expertise, the magic of finding "your people," and the responsibility that comes with knowledge. Perfect for anyone who's ever felt alone in their technical expertise, wondered about the real personalities behind conference presentations, or is navigating their own career evolution from implementer to something else entirely. This is community building in its most authentic form.  

From the C-suite perspective: How a conscious decision to be OneStream-only transformed a consulting firm into a product powerhouse Randy Werder, CEO and Co-founder of Black Diamond Advisory, says BDA isn't just another consulting success story—it's the strategic blueprint of how to build a modern technology services company. The OneStream-Only Decision Randy shares the pivotal moment when BDA's founders made a controversial choice: they would only do OneStream. No Oracle, no Anaplan, no hedge bets. Coming from a previous firm where competing technologies created constant internal conflict, they saw opportunity in complete commitment. Key insights from the CEO: Why "all boats rise together" became more than a slogan—it became business strategy The three-tier progression: demo assets → accelerators → products (and why most firms stop at tier two) How speed-to-value became their competitive advantage: "I don't want to spend X dollars to see benefit in two years" The accordion rolling forecast origin story: when FP&A impatience drives innovation Building external value from internal excellence: how their COE became the Expert Roundtable The Growth Journey Reality Check Randy gets refreshingly honest about scaling pains: "Everything breaks at 100 people." He shares the specific challenges at 20, 50, and 100+ employees, and how maintaining culture while scaling requires constant reinvestment in what matters most. Looking Forward: AI and the Next Bet While others are nervous about AI disruption, Randy is "excited" because "with any innovation, there's opportunity." He reveals BDA's investment strategy around AI and machine learning, OneStream's potential IPO, and why he's doubling down on the OneStream bet. The Human Element Perhaps most compelling is Randy's focus on people over process. He shares stories of "overly collaborative" culture (where 50 people respond to help requests), the Expert Roundtable's nail-biting launch moment (when all pilot participants initially ghosted the paid version, then signed up within 24 hours), and why innovation became a core company value. Perfect for executives considering technology partnerships, anyone curious about strategic decision-making in professional services, or leaders thinking about how to scale culture alongside growth. This is strategy from the C-suite, with the honesty that only comes from someone who's lived through every growth stage.  

What happens when your CTO admits he built most of your products because he was "just lazy" and didn't want to hack XML anymore? Damon Mittleider, Black Diamond Advisory's Chief Technology Officer  takes a rare look behind the scenes of how a consulting firm became a software innovator in the OneStream ecosystem. The Accidental Software Company Damon reveals how BDA's product vision emerged from day one—not as an afterthought, but as a core strategy. Coming from the Oracle Hyperion world where every implementation was a custom rebuild, he recognized OneStream's object-oriented architecture could support something revolutionary: truly reusable, transportable solutions. What you'll discover: Why OneStream's relational blending and metadata capabilities make it fundamentally different from Hyperion The "platform on a platform" architecture: how Task Editor became the foundation for Accordion, which became the foundation for Compensation Management The real story behind BDA's metadata manager and security tools (spoiler: built out of pure laziness to avoid XML hacking) What it means to be in Partner Place's first two cohorts and why OneStream chose BDA as a launch partner The team dynamics behind constant innovation (and the Teams channel that's apparently a hotbed of "snark and sarcasm") Building Blocks, Not One-Offs This isn't about individual tools—it's about architectural thinking. Every BDA solution is designed to be a component in larger industry solutions, creating an ecosystem of capabilities that build on each other rather than reinventing the wheel. The Honest Take on Partner Place Damon shares a refreshingly honest perspective on OneStream's marketplace: still maturing, incredibly valuable for marketing and recognition, but the real value comes from having the structured thinking of a software company within the consulting space. Perfect for anyone curious about the intersection of consulting and software development, the technical possibilities within OneStream, or what it takes to innovate at the pace of platform evolution. Plus, you'll get Damon's retirement plan: opening a petting zoo to escape technology forever.

What happens when a company gets so serious about modernization they create an entire "Digital Ambition" department? Amanda Christensen and Dane Arbuckle from Richardson International are two managers who were pulled from their day jobs and given one mission: make OneStream's Phase 2 implementation succeed, no matter what. The 100% Commitment Experiment Richardson tried something most companies won't: they assigned full-time resources to their OneStream project instead of hoping part-time efforts would work. Amanda and Dane reveal what it's like to be completely dedicated to digital transformation while learning an entirely new platform from scratch. What you'll discover: Why going from "ERP and Excel" to OneStream creates different challenges than migrating from other systems The reality of building buy-in when users are genuinely excited about getting faster access to data How a grain exporter plans to use weather data and growing conditions in their forecasting models What it means to split an implementation between agribusiness and processing operations The unexpected connections that happen at conferences when you're solving similar problems Beyond the Buzzwords These aren't seasoned performance management veterans—they're finance professionals thrown into the deep end of a major transformation. Their fresh perspective on everything from narrative reporting to AI integration offers a grounded view of what adoption actually looks like when you're learning as you go. Perfect for anyone managing digital transformation, wondering about full-time project dedication, or curious about real-world OneStream implementations in complex industries.

What happens when someone who's "grown up" in the Oracle ecosystem discovers OneStream? Mike Burens from Univar Solutions, a finance systems veteran moved from Oracle HFM and BPC to OneStream and discovered what he'd been missing all along... The "Single Platform" Reality Check Mike shares what it actually means to consolidate from separate planning and consolidation systems onto one platform. After nine months on OneStream, his team is experiencing something they never had before: everyone looking at the same data, speaking the same language, using a single global chart of accounts. What you'll discover: The real difference between having separate systems vs. one integrated platform Why the vendor relationship matters more than you might think (especially coming from Oracle) What a proper OneStream roadmap looks like: from basic implementation to driver-based forecasting, people planning, capital planning, and account reconciliations The challenge of AI adoption in finance: technology vs. organizational comfort The Attention Factor Coming from the world of massive enterprise vendors, Mike reveals what it's like to work with a company that's still focused on growth and customer success. Sometimes smaller really is better—especially when you can feel the difference in partnership and attention immediately. Looking Forward: The AI Question As someone who's "been in this industry a really long time" and seen trends come and go, Mike offers a grounded perspective on AI in finance. The technology is impressive, but the real challenge isn't technical—it's getting CFO organizations comfortable with leveraging AI from security and cultural perspectives. Perfect for finance leaders evaluating platforms, anyone curious about vendor relationships in enterprise software, or those wondering whether the AI hype in finance will actually stick.

What happens when a legacy manufacturing company finally breaks free from spreadsheet chaos? We sat down with Ryan Smith, Corporate Accounting Manager at Anderson Corporation, to explore their ongoing transformation from outdated consolidation tools to OneStream's integrated platform. The Real Story Behind Digital Transformation Ryan shares the honest reality of moving a traditional organization away from Excel-based processes that "work very well" toward a more streamlined, analytical approach. This isn't a success story about overnight change—it's about the messy, ongoing journey of getting people to embrace new ways of working. Key insights covered: Transitioning from a "bare bones, basic and very old" legacy system to OneStream Getting Excel-savvy teams to adopt new consolidation and budgeting tools The challenge of employee retention when people are stuck doing manual, non-value-add work Why having "our most valued people doing non-value-add work" is killing organizations Building transaction-level visibility beyond trial balance uploads Why This Conversation Hits Different Ryan's candid take on the struggles of change management offers a refreshing perspective on what digital transformation actually looks like in practice. He discusses losing employees due to tedious manual processes and the ongoing effort to give teams the analytical tools they want to use. Perfect for finance leaders wrestling with legacy systems, change management challenges, or anyone curious about the human side of technology adoption.

Hosts Greg Beaton and Ashwin Manthena chat with Adrian Griffin, Financial Systems Manager at Subaru of America, about the company's transition to OneStream. This goes beyond typical software implementation—it's about changing how teams work and think about their processes. What You'll Discover Adrian walks through Subaru's journey from traditional financial methods to a more integrated, user-friendly system. He shares practical insights about getting teams on board with change and building systems that actually make sense to the people using them. Key topics covered: Getting buy-in from finance teams who were comfortable with existing processes Making financial systems more transparent and easier to audit How AI is starting to simplify complex financial tasks Lessons learned about user engagement and change management Why This Conversation Matters Whether you're in finance, IT, or leadership, Adrian's experience offers a realistic look at what digital transformation actually looks like on the ground. It's not just about the technology—it's about the people and processes that make it work. Perfect for anyone curious about modernizing financial operations or leading successful tech implementations.

Join hosts Cameron Lackpour and Ashwin Manthena as they chat with Jerri Ciambriello, Director of Financial Systems and Reporting at Hubble Incorporated. Discover the transformative journey of Hubble's financial systems, moving from traditional spreadsheets to advanced forecasting with OneStream implementations. Jerri shares insights from multiple CPM implementations and reveals how a partnership with Black Diamond Advisory revamped their planning processes. Listen in to learn about the strategic steps taken, challenges faced during the transition, and the exciting future possibilities with machine learning and AI.

In this episode of the Splash 2024 Black Diamond Advisory YouTube Podcast, hosts Cameron Lackpour and Celvin Kattookaran are joined by special guest David Blanco to explore the intricate dynamics of cross-cultural interactions in the realm of performance management. David shares his journey from Latin America to North America, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities faced when working across different cultures. The conversation veers into the comparison between business practices in Latin America and North America, delving into the varied approaches to customer relationships and the meticulous care required in planning amidst economic pressures. The trio also examines the evolution of OneStream technology and its impact on global consultancy practices. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on the broader implications of cultural sensitivity in consulting and technology adaptation, enriched by personal anecdotes and industry insights from David's vast experience.