May the FP&A Be with you: a hero’s journey from Pixar, Lucasfilm, and LinkedIn (with Craig Barry)
Apr 17, 2025
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Craig Barry, a seasoned finance consultant with a rich background at companies like Pixar and LinkedIn, shares insights from his incredible journey in strategic finance. He details his unique path from environmental studies to key FP&A roles, emphasizing the importance of revenue growth in creative industries. Barry discusses the intricacies of mergers and acquisitions, and the process of building FP&A from scratch at BioRender. He also touches on the evolution of financial practices in startups and the transformative role of AI in Excel.
Craig Barry's journey into finance showcases the value of nontraditional backgrounds in achieving success in strategic finance roles.
Transitioning from a focus on cost management in creative industries to prioritizing revenue growth marks a critical shift in Barry's career at LinkedIn.
Establishing FP&A processes from scratch at BioRender highlighted the importance of strong financial modeling and reporting in supporting rapid company growth.
Deep dives
Craig Berry's Diverse Career Path
Craig Berry shares his unconventional journey into finance, which began with an undergraduate degree in environmental studies after a brief foray into pure mathematics. Before settling into the finance sector, he spent time teaching English abroad, which provided him the perspective to explore various career options. His eventual decision to enter finance stemmed from conversations with peers who pursued accounting, ultimately leading him to a program at the University of British Columbia aimed at bridging non-commerce backgrounds into CPA qualifications. This nontraditional path laid the foundation for his impressive career, including significant roles at renowned companies like Electronic Arts and Pixar.
Transitioning from Cost Centers to Revenue Growth
Berry highlights the shift in focus he experienced when moving to LinkedIn, particularly the change from a cost center management mindset to prioritizing revenue growth. Initially accustomed to managing expenses in creative industries, he found himself adjusting to high revenue expectations shortly after LinkedIn's IPO. His role necessitated a deep dive into revenue forecasting and understanding bookings rather than headcount management, marking a significant shift in his professional focus. This transition taught him the importance of adapting to the demands of a high-growth environment.
Navigating M&A Activities and Their Impact
Berry describes his involvement in M&A activities while at LinkedIn, where he supported the corporate development team through various acquisition deals. His role encompassed modeling and due diligence efforts, providing insights into how each acquisition could align with LinkedIn's growth objectives. The experience underscored the importance of understanding the nuanced valuation of different businesses, from strategic acquisition to aqua hires. This knowledge of M&A processes became a critical asset as he ventured into his consulting role, where clients often seek guidance on exit strategies.
Building FP&A from the Ground Up at BioRender
At BioRender, Craig Berry faced the exciting challenge of establishing FP&A processes from scratch in a rapidly growing tech company. He initially focused on cleaning up the company's CRM data and developing financial models to support a sales-led growth strategy. Collaborating with a new RevOps hire, he implemented robust reporting mechanisms while ensuring that adjusted EBITDA became a focal metric for internal discussions. This role illuminated the need for effective FP&A as the company prepared for its Series A funding, emphasizing the value of having a well-structured financial outlook.
Launching Clearsight IQ and Its Strategic Focus
After extensive experience in large organizations, Craig Berry founded Clearsight IQ to offer fractional CFO services tailored to startups and small enterprises needing strategic finance guidance. Concentrating on companies with annual recurring revenue below $25 million, he aims to provide tailored support in areas such as FP&A, fundraising, and M&A readiness. This transition to entrepreneurship was motivated by a desire for greater autonomy while still applying his financial expertise to assist smaller firms in achieving their goals. Berry's approach leverages his comprehensive background to help clients understand their business metrics and articulate their value propositions in the marketplace.
Craig Barry has held senior finance roles at some of the most iconic companies in tech and entertainment, including LinkedIn, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Electronic Arts. At LinkedIn, he led central forecasting, supported more than 10 acquisitions, and played a key role in the company’s integration with Microsoft before becoming Head of FP&A at BioRender- building FP&A from the ground up helping the company scale ARR from $18 million to $50 million. Now Barry is principal consultant at ClearSightIQ.
In this episode
My winding road to strategic finance
Junior FP&A Analyst position at Electronic Arts as my first break
Cost center focus in creative industries at EA with $3b sales
LucasFilm (pre-Disney) run as a sole proprietorship by George Lucas
Pixar head of finance for their Canadian operations and production planning
LinkedIn and focus on “revenue, revenue, revenue”
FP&A focus on modeling for acquisitions at LinkedIn and “virtual” P&Ls
Strategy for building out FP&A from scratch at BioRender
My fractional CFO life
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