In this episode of Planning Aces, three forward-looking finance leaders share how they’re transforming planning and forecasting inside their organizations. CFO Kevin Rhodes of Extreme Networks discusses the dual lens through which he evaluates AI—external monetization and internal productivity. Brandon Sullivan, CFO of 2X, reveals how a post-PE investment reality check led him to pioneer a weekly reporting cadence to drive faster decision-making. Meanwhile, Gabi Gantus of Mytra AI draws on her Tesla FP&A roots to illustrate how finance can lead long-term operational planning. Brett Knowles joins Jack Sweeney to unpack key insights and the broader implications for FP&A.

Co-host Brett Knowles envisions a future where no single function owns critical planning tools like the manufacturing roadmap. Instead, AI monitors trigger points across departments—spend, supply chain issues, engineering delays—and autonomously convenes the right people when action is needed.

Kevin Rhodes outlines a dual-track AI strategy—externally, enhancing customer experience through embedded tools like Extreme AI Expert; and internally, boosting sales and operational productivity. He challenges organizations to rethink AI ROI: is it driving monetizable value, or creating product “stickiness” that enhances retention? Rhodes stresses that embedding AI in products without separate monetization still demands thoughtful ROI measurement. Internally, he sees AI helping reallocate workloads and drive efficiencies across sales, HR, and finance, unlocking measurable operational gains.

After 2X secured PE funding, CFO Brandon Sullivan ramped up hiring in anticipation of explosive growth—only to face stalled revenue and margin erosion. The experience revealed a critical insight: monthly reporting was too slow to catch issues. Sullivan implemented a weekly cadence with both lagging and leading metrics, enabling faster course correction and eliminating surprises. His North Star is monthly MRR growth, and with structured, quick-access reporting in place, the team is now aligned, agile, and more accountable.

Gabi Gantus reflects on her Tesla FP&A experience, where finance partnered closely with operations and even owned the long-term manufacturing roadmap. Her story illustrates how finance can go beyond traditional roles to drive strategic clarity. At Tesla, close alignment with engineering and operations enabled better forecasting and faster decision-making. Gantus believes finance should be a trusted internal partner—pushing hard behind the scenes so it can advocate credibly in front of leadership when it comes to resource allocation.

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