Engaging Financial Storytelling

I once watched a CFO lose millions in three minutes (and no, the numbers weren't wrong, he just didn't know how to tell the story behind them). The investors kept asking "so what" after each slide, and the CFO kept responding with more numbers. By minute four, the lead investor was checking her phone. This happens more often than you think, and, over the years, I've realized that the single thing that separates strategic CFOs from glorified accountants is storytelling. Here's how to master this skill (bookmark this for your next board meeting): 1. Map the stakeholder landscape and narrative arc Before touching a single spreadsheet, identify who needs to hear your story and what keeps them up at night. Your CEO wants strategic implications, while board members focus on governance and risk. Your narrative map should include: → The company's past journey and pivots  → Your current position and priorities  → Where you're heading (hint: product roadmap and vision) 2. Weave your narrative arc into department-specific models Product doesn't care about EBITDA margins and Sales doesn't think in terms of cash flow. The best finance leaders create department-specific narratives that turn financial data into metrics that each team understands (and cares about) 3. Adjust technical depth based on financial fluency Some stakeholders want simplified explanations while others require in-depth information. Make sure you can present the same financial story at different complexity levels without watering down the core message. • Executives and board members: Often want high-level strategic implications with key metrics supporting the narrative • Department heads: Need medium depth with specific focus on how the financials impact their area of responsibility • Technical stakeholders: May require detailed breakdowns of the underlying data and methodologies • Cross-functional teams: Benefit from seeing connections between their work and financial outcomes 4. Show how customer stories fit within the narrative arc This is where so many finance teams fail. Without context, the numbers are meaningless, so you need to show Product how feature adoption impacts expansion revenue or help Sales understand LTV by customer segment. That's where you go from a number-cruncher to a strategic partner. Here are some ideas to make this happen: → Show what happens to a lost customer: Break down the financials of a high-CAC customer who churned early  → Demonstrate value chain connections: Map how implementation time affects upsell probability  → Build interactive models: Let teams explore financial impacts using customers they recognize Your numbers should tell a story, so make it one worth listening to. P.S. I share detailed breakdowns like this every week in my newsletter. I'll share the link to sign up in the comments.

The Day I Learned That Numbers Tell Stories I'll never forget the board meeting where I presented our annual financial review. Armed with perfectly formatted spreadsheets and detailed P&L statements, I watched as eyes glazed over within minutes. One board member finally asked, "But what does this actually mean for our mission?" That question changed everything. I realized I wasn't just a numbers person. I was a storyteller. Those spreadsheets weren't just data; they were the narrative of our organization's journey, struggles, and triumphs. The next month, I came back with 5 simple slides instead of 20 pages of financials. I talked about how our declining enrollment wasn't just a number - it represented families we weren't reaching. How our personnel costs weren't just expenses - they represented our investment in the people delivering our mission. Suddenly, the room was engaged. Questions flowed. Decisions were made with clarity and purpose. Financial storytelling isn't about hiding behind jargon or overwhelming people with data. It's about: -Translating complexity into clarity -Connecting every dollar to mission impact -Creating alignment across your entire organization -Building trust through transparency Now, whether I'm speaking to donors, board members, or program staff, I start with one question: "What story do these numbers tell about our impact?" Because at the end of the day, people don't remember spreadsheets. They remember stories that move them to action. What's one financial insight that changed how your organization operates? I'd love to hear your story.

🎙️ The Power of Storytelling: Turning Investors Into Believers “People remember stories, not spreadsheets.” In startups, a compelling story is your most powerful tool. Investors aren’t just looking for returns—they want to believe in something bigger. A great story turns your pitch into a mission they can rally behind. Here’s how to craft a narrative that inspires action: 1️⃣ Stories Resonate More Than Data Metrics matter, but they come alive when tied to a story. A strong narrative helps investors connect emotionally with your vision. 2️⃣ Frame the Problem and Solution Start with the problem—make it relatable and urgent. Follow with your solution as the clear, logical answer. 3️⃣ Embrace the Hero’s Journey; Every great startup story includes: - The Problem: A clear market pain point. - The Visionary: Why you’re uniquely qualified. - The Journey: Milestones and growth so far. - The Destination: The impact you’re aiming for. 4️⃣ Make It Personal Investors fund people, not just ideas. Share personal stories that connect you to the problem and show your passion. 5️⃣ Answer ‘Why You’ and ‘Why Now’ - Why You: What makes your team the perfect fit? -Why Now: What trends or shifts make this the moment to act? 6️⃣ Balance Emotion with Logic Emotion drives action; data builds trust. Use both to inspire and validate. 7️⃣ Show the Vision Paint a future where your solution transforms industries or lives, creating real impact.💡 A Framework for Your Startup Story: - The Hook: Grab attention with something emotional or surprising. - The Problem: Make the issue relatable. - The Solution: Show why your product is unique. - The Evidence: Prove it with traction or validation. - The Vision: Share your big-picture goals. - The Ask: End with a confident investment request. 📢 The Takeaway A great story isn’t just a pitch—it’s the foundation of your journey. It should make investors want to join you, not just for returns, but because they believe in your mission. ➡️ What’s your go-to tip for storytelling in pitches? Let’s exchange ideas and elevate the art of fundraising! #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #Startups

The Most Underrated Skill in Finance Business Partnering When people talk about what makes a great finance business partner, you’ll hear a lot about financial acumen, data analytics, and strategic thinking. All important. But there’s one skill that rarely gets the spotlight, yet it makes all the difference: Storytelling. After spending years in corporate finance, leading FP&A and commercial finance teams, I’ve seen firsthand how the best finance professionals don’t just crunch numbers, they tell the story behind them. Here’s why storytelling is an absolute game-changer in finance business partnering: - Data Alone Doesn’t Drive Decisions – You can have the most sophisticated analysis, but if your audience doesn’t get it or feel compelled to act, it’s useless. A great finance partner connects the dots in a way that makes sense for the business. - Numbers Need Context – Saying, “Margins are down 2%” isn’t enough. A finance storyteller explains why and what to do about it, turning financial data into a call to action. - Influence Comes from Emotion, Not Just Logic – The best finance partners know that business leaders don’t make decisions purely based on numbers. They use stories to frame insights in a way that resonates and drives action. - Bridges the Gap Between Finance & the Business – A finance business partner who can simplify the complex and make financials relatable earns the trust and buy-in of commercial teams. In my experience, the finance professionals who rise fastest are the ones who master this skill. They don’t just present numbers; they craft a narrative that influences strategy and decision-making. #finance #storytelling

The 4 Card Storytelling Framework 🃏 You know what separates good financial reporting from great financial reporting? It's not the numbers...it's how you tell the story. 🎬 Watch the FULL video about financial storytelling right here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eNMjWwPV After years of presenting to boards and executives, I've learned that most finance professionals get the data right but miss the narrative completely. They dump spreadsheets on people and expect them to figure out what it all means. But here's the thing...your audience doesn't have time to decode your data. They need you to connect the dots for them. Now before you start crafting stories, remember that great stories require great data. If your numbers aren't reliable, your narrative falls apart. Make sure your data integrity and controls are solid first. ➡️ AUDIENCE (ACE) See every presentation needs to start with who you're talking to. A CEO cares about burn rate, runway, and investor readiness. They want clarity, control, and confidence in financial decision making. A board of directors focuses on different metrics entirely. They're thinking about growth trajectories, market positioning, and exit strategies. Think about that difference...same data, completely different focus depending on your audience. Your CFO dashboard shouldn't look the same as your department head reports. ➡️ KEY METRICS (KING) This is where most people stop, but it's just the foundation. Revenue of $420K and 72% gross margin tells part of the story. Cash flows of $327K with 7 months runway tells another part. But raw numbers without context are just numbers sitting on a page. Your audience needs to understand what happened in the business through both financials and KPIs. The key is presenting metrics that matter to your specific audience, not every metric you can calculate. ➡️ QUESTION WHY (QUEEN) Here's where the real storytelling happens. Revenue grew but margin shrank because of higher COGS from recent hires. Burn rate increased due to R&D spending. ARR growth came from enterprise segment, not SMB. You need to add context, ratios, and comparisons that help your audience understand the story behind the numbers. How does our 72% gross margin compare to industry median? What changed from last period? Are we hitting our targets? ➡️ JUMP INTO ACTION (JACK) The best financial reports don't just explain the past...they guide the future. Cut low ROI ad spend and reallocate to partner channels. Pause hiring until new revenue milestones hit. Run margin analysis on top 10 clients. Give your audience clear next steps they can act on immediately. Build the plan for what should happen next, with specific timelines and ownership. === That's my approach to turning financial data into compelling business stories that drive decisions. What's your experience been with financial storytelling? Let me know in the comments below 👇

Folks are nodding off when you're giving your financial reports? Then don't be surprised at this 👇🏼 Your data isn't driving decisions either. Data presented in a dry, complex format not only puts your audience to sleep. It also overwhelms and befuddles. The unintended effect? Ineffectiveness. Why? Because CFOs face the challenge of making critical decisions with data that's not fully understood by the team. A team not inspired by data will miss opportunities, be inefficient, and lack strategic direction. Without engaging and clear data presentation, the potential of your data to drive growth and innovation remains untapped. 🔑 Here's how you can transform your data into compelling stories that drive action: 1️⃣ Ensure Data Accuracy Start with credible and accurate data. Reliable data is the foundation of any compelling story. 2️⃣ Visual Design Use visually appealing charts, graphs, and infographics to make complex data easily digestible. Visuals like these can transform intricate numbers into clear, understandable insights. 3️⃣ Craft Clear Narratives Develop a storyline that highlights the key insights from your data. Your narrative should explain the significance of the data and how it impacts the business. 4️⃣ Effective Communication Tailor your communication to your audience's needs. Understand their expertise and preferences to make your data relatable and impactful. 5️⃣ Interactive Elements Make your data presentations interactive to boost engagement. Use colors and visual cues to highlight important trends and insights. 6️⃣ User Personas Create user personas to understand your audience better. This helps in crafting stories that resonate with their interests and expertise. 7️⃣ Actionable Insights Ensure that the data presented leads to actionable insights. Clear, measurable goals should be set based on the data to drive strategic decisions and improvements. Implement these steps and you'll turn your financial data into powerful stories that not only inform but also inspire action. ⚡Data storytelling simplifies complex data, making it accessible and engaging for your team, which in turn enhances decision-making and fosters a data-driven culture. Ready to revolutionize how you present your financial data? Connect with me for more insights and tips on leveraging data storytelling to transform your business. Let's make your data work for you! 🔽 🔽 🔽    👋 Hi, I'm Lisa. Thanks for checking out my Post!     Here is what you can do next ⬇️     ➕ Follow me for more data insights     🔔 Hit the bell on my profile to be notified when I post     💬 Share your ideas or insights in the comments    ♻ Inform others in your network via a Share or Repost #digitaltransformation #finance #cfo #data #businessanalytics

How to Hook an Audience—Even If Your Subject Matter Is Dry or Serious Most people find finance boring or intimidating. At first, I said no. Then I said heck no. But my client pushed back. “You have a finance background. Why not help demystify it?” And I couldn’t help but think… Can I make finance fun? I love finance. I spent 15 years on the trading floor—I still geek out over financial markets. But I also know this: Most people find finance intimidating or boring. So I took on the challenge. How do you hook an audience—even when your topic is complex, dry, or just plain serious? Simple. You don’t teach it like a textbook. 🚫 Ditch the jargon. 🚫 Ditch the formulas. 🚫 Ditch the “this is how it’s always been taught” mindset. Instead, make it human: ✅ Start with what they care about (not what you want to teach). ✅ Use stories, analogies, and real-world examples. ✅ Help them see the impact—not just the information. Because people don’t engage with data—they engage with meaning. And that’s the real lesson here—great teaching isn’t about dumping information. It’s about making people care. 💡 Want to be memorable? Meet your audience where they are. Make it relatable. Make it relevant. Make it fun. And then, at the end of the session, my client turned to me and said: “Anna, I think you should teach finance more. You made it so much fun! I can see you as a star in this area. I’ve sat through so many finance trainings, and yours was really engaging.” 🤦🏻♀️ (Face palm.) 💬 Ever had to make a dry topic engaging? What worked for you? #whatsyourstory #storytelling