Leveraging Data Insights for Smarter Business Decision Making, with Jim Cook and Winnie Aoieong

Episode notes

This week on The Growth-Minded CFO, we’re sharing a special podswap with our friends at the FP&A Unlocked podcast (formerly FP&A Tomorrow). Host Paul Barnhurst sits down with two finance leaders who’ve shaped how modern FP&A operates: Jim Cook (former CFO of Mozilla, with leadership roles at Netflix and Intuit) and Winnie Aoieong (VP of Business Finance at PowerSchool). Together, they explore what great FP&A looks like today - and why the function’s real power goes far beyond data analysis. Jim and Winnie unpack how to build decision-making systems , create trust-based business partnerships , and balance technical depth with clear, actionable communication. They also dive into the growing role of generative AI , and why “progress over perfection” is now the mindset every high-performing finance team needs. If you’re a CFO, FP&A leader, or operator who wants to elevate how your team influences decisions, this conversation is packed with practical insights.