The traditional approach that finance directors and CFOs have taken when seeking solutions to workplace challenges is changing. In the past, these decision-makers may have been swayed by slick advertising campaigns or information presented at conferences.
However, the landscape today is very different. Instead of relying on the same old resources, today’s finance professionals are turning to alternative avenues for quick solutions to queries about people, processes, or technology.
One of the most important of these alternative avenues is “dark social.” Put simply, dark social is a term used to describe the “invisible shares”. Conversations that take place in channels such as Slack, WhatsApp, or SMS messages. This type of web traffic is essentially untraceable, and it is where you will find finance newcomers and experts in a private setting, discussing their jobs, careers, challenges, and needs for processes and automation.
Despite its name, dark social is not a part of the dark web. It is not as secretive as it sounds and has become a go-to resource for CFOs looking to quickly solve problems and stay up-to-date with the latest trends in finance.
As these decision-makers prioritize tech spending, they are inundated with emails from finance vendors seeking their attention. However, when a Slack channel is buzzing with activity, it is difficult for CFOs to resist taking a quick look.
If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve, there are six leading communities that you should be aware of.
FP&A Community
Datarails, a financial planning and analysis (FP&A) platform for Excel users. It has launched its own global Slack community and resource hub for modern FP&A leaders last year. More than that, the FP&A Community is a safe space to connect with finance leaders from around the world who are dealing with similar challenges and willing to give real-time advice in order to see FP&A’s best practices come to life.
Some of the unbelievable FP&A talents in the group consist of:
- Anders Liu-Lindberg, Partner & CCO Business Partnering Institute and Leading advisor to senior Finance and FP&A leaders.
- Christian Wattig, former FP&A lead at Unilever, Squarespace, and Procter & Gamble + runs FP&A Bootcamp (#1 course for FP&A).
- Carl Seidman, FP&A Leader works with Fortune 500 companies.
- Annette DeYoung, former FP&A lead at JL Clark and Berner Food and Beverage.
- Asif Masani, FP&A Manager, Coursera and FP&A Educator.
- Paul Barnhurst, aka The FP&A Guy, Host of FP&A Tomorrow. He has 16+ years of finance and FP&A experience, having worked in several industries, including the US government, travel services, finance, automotive, Cyber Security, and E-commerce.
The community emphasizes professionalism, confidentiality, and a no-sales policy. It also features a podcast, FP&A Today. This is where leaders discuss key issues and provide actionable advice, followed by AMA sessions on the Slack channel.
CFO.Chat
CFO.chat is a Slack community exclusively for CFOs established in 2020. It is a free platform for global professionals to connect, exchange ideas, and access expert advice and support to advance their careers and expand their networks. The community was created by Shiny, a marketplace for fractional executives, with the goal of replicating the same sense of community that has long been available to startup founders in the finance space.
The platform provides access to curated content, resources, job opportunities, and expert advice, aiming to support CFOs in advancing their careers and expanding their networks. Membership is vetted to ensure the quality and value of interactions within the community.
For years, founders have had access to a wide range of Slack communities and Facebook groups to connect with peers, seek advice, and share ideas. Now, CFOs can do the same by joining CFO.chat, an inclusive and collaborative community that welcomes both part-time and full-time CFOs from all around the world.
Finance Alliance Community
In 2022, The Alliance, a professional development platform dedicated to high-growth organizations and individuals worldwide, launched The Finance Alliance. The goal of this initiative is to establish a global network of finance leaders who can support and empower each other in their current roles and beyond. It has created a Slack community that is a welcoming, informal, and inspiring space for finance professionals to come together and discuss their ideas and experiences with like-minded individuals.
Its Slack community covers a wide range of topics, from FP&A to budgeting and forecasting, finance metrics, digital finance transformation, and more. They also provide insider tips to help members align with the C-Suite for optimal collaboration. As a result, whether you are a CFO, VP of Finance, Finance Director, Finance Manager, or an aspiring CFO, you will find a supportive community of peers who share your passion for finance and want to help you accelerate your career.
Off The Ledger
Airbase, is a leading spend management software catering to businesses ranging from startups to IPOs. It has launched a Slack community called Off the Ledger for finance and accounting professionals from all industries, including non-profits. This private space provides members with networking opportunities, advice, and exclusive events. Since its launch in January 2020, the community has witnessed phenomenal growth, with membership numbers skyrocketing from only 50 to over 5,000 members.
Off the Ledger is a “sales-free zone,”. This is where accounting and finance professionals can interact and engage with each other on a wide range of topics, such as business trends, hiring, software recommendations, accounting treatment questions, and career guidance. Airbase identified the need for a platform that could bring together finance professionals to collaborate and share ideas online, leading to the creation of this community. When the pandemic hit and remote work became the norm, many professionals felt the absence of the camaraderie and collaboration of an internal team, leading to Off the Ledger’s rapid growth.
CFO Connect
CFO Connect is a private network designed for high-performing finance executives, aimed at facilitating professional growth. This exclusive community consists of 1,500 vetted members, averaging 10 years of experience, and spans across 20 countries.
CFO Connect has organized around 100 events, offering finance leaders a unique opportunity to meet and learn from each other, akin to a personal advisory board. The network hosts regular events, produces exclusive content, and provides online spaces for members to learn from their peers.
Membership is free but highly selective, requiring a current role in finance, more than five years of professional experience, and a willingness to engage. Rod, CEO of Spendesk and founder of this community, notes that while the roles of finance leaders are rapidly evolving, the tools and resources have not kept pace. It aims to simplify the life and work of finance leaders with its comprehensive platform, and this community further supports this mission by offering valuable expert content and a robust professional network.
FP&A Trends
The FP&A Trends community was established to offer a hub for those eager to enhance their expertise in organizational Financial Planning, Forecasting, and Analytics. Recognizing the intricate dynamics within FP&A departments, the community focuses on the synergy between technology, people, and processes in the planning and monitoring phases. It’s driven by practical insights, feedback from a diverse FP&A network, and a common-sense approach to organizational performance and decision-making.
Founded by Larysa Melnychuk, a renowned FP&A professional, the group has developed into a high-profile think tank headquartered in the UK but with a global reach. Larysa, having held senior positions in top organizations and being well-regarded in the field, launched the International FP&A Board in 2013. This initiative aims to bring together senior finance professionals in a non-competitive environment to share practices and collaborate on challenges. The Board now has chapters in 33 cities across 19 countries. She also chairs the Global AI/ML FP&A Committee which aims to guide the development of better practices of data science and related techniques within the finance function.
The FP&A Trends community offers various educational resources including articles, webinars, and videos, along with research outputs that set and identify trends in FP&A. They also host a vibrant LinkedIn Group with over 48,000 members.
