If you're in a startup or scale-up and responsible for finance updates, before you start building any slides, remember that nobody has time for 50-page finance decks full of screenshots, tiny tables, and no clear message.

This blog gives you 7 practical tips for running sharper, more strategic finance updates.  The kind that actually get listened to in a QBR, board meeting, or all-hands.

For each tip, I’ll walk you through:
✔ What people do wrong
✔ What works better
✔ How to fix your example on the spot

Whether you're a Finance Manager, Head of Finance or stepping up into your first CFO role, this is how you lead the room instead of just reporting the numbers.

1. Lead with What’s Changed

What doesn't work:

“Here’s the full P&L and balance sheet. I’ll walk you through each line…”

Everyone zones out by line 4. You’ve lost them before the meaningful stuff.

What to do instead:
Start with movement. The goal isn’t to read out the accounts, rather it’s to call out what’s changed since the last update, and what the implications are.

Instead of a table dump, say:

“There are 3 key changes this month: 

1. Runway dropped by 2 months due to a late invoice
2. Our gross margin improved by 5 points thanks to better supplier terms
3. Headcount is flat, but we’ve got two hires starting next week”

Simple. 

2. Pick 3 Key Messages

What doesn't work:

“I’ve included everything just in case someone needs it.”

Too much.  No one has the time or inclination.

What to do instead:
Define the three things you want them to remember or act on. Frame your update around those.

Bad:

“So… let’s start with revenue, then cost, then gross margin, then net margin, then cash, then…”

Better:

“Here’s what matters this month:

• Pipeline is strong, but conversion is down
• Burn rate is higher than forecast due to timing on marketing spend
• We need to discuss if we pause hiring in Ops”

This shifts your update from passive reporting to strategic leadership.

3. Tailor to Your Audience

What doesn't work:

Sending the same pack to the board, founders, and department heads.
Each group has different priorities and limited attention span.

What to do instead:
Curate your update to the audience.

• Board: Risk, cash, forecast, funding plan
• Exec: Performance vs. plan, hiring, margin
• Budget holders: Variance to budget, what it means for them

Instead of:

“Let me take you through the full 25-slide deck.”

Try:
“You’ll find the full P&L in the appendix, but for this session I’m focusing on these 5 slides: cash, forecast, margin trend, and hiring spend.”

Respect their time. Keep control of the room.

4. Highlight Decisions Needed

What doesn't work:

“Any questions?” at the end of the meeting.

No one knows what to ask. Nothing gets actioned.

What to do instead:
Be direct about what you need input on. Finance isn’t just reporting it should be enabling decisions.

Instead of:

“Here’s the report, let me know if anything stands out.”

Try:
“We need your input on three things today:

• Do we proceed with the planned Ops hire?
• Do we shift ad spend into Q1 to ease cash pressure?
• Are we aligned on a reduced revenue target for Q4?”

Make the decisions the centre of the update.  People will then be VERY engaged.

5. Ditch the Data Dump

What doesn't work:

Screenshots of 20-tab Excel models, 6-point font tables, or raw exports from Xero.

It’s not transparent, it’s lazy. And it creates confusion.

What to do instead:
Show summaries. Call out the line items that moved. Use simple visuals or narrative bullets.

Bad:

“Here’s the full P&L report from, followed by the Balance Sheet in detail…”

Better:

“Here’s a summary of the key variances this month:

• SaaS spend was £2k over due to an annual renewal
• Payroll variance was driven by a one-off bonus
• Revenue was flat but ahead of forecast due to upsell in two accounts”

You’re the interpreter, not the spreadsheet.

6. Tell a Story, Not Just the Numbers

What doesn't work:

“Revenue was £183,942. Margin was 53.4%. Net loss was £71,240.”

These are facts. Not insights.  Similar to writing commentary for the management accounts, you want to add some value.

What to do instead:
Use numbers to build a narrative. What happened? Why? What’s next?

Instead of:

“Churn increased by 2%.”

Try:
“Churn spiked this month due to a legacy enterprise client leaving.  We’ve already reallocated two CS reps to support at-risk customers.”

That’s context. That’s leadership.

7. Use Visuals Sparingly but Smartly

What doesn't work:

Pie charts for every category. Bar graphs for things that don’t need bars. Slides with 6 different graphs squeezed in.

Too much visual noise makes the data harder to absorb.

What to do instead:
Pick one strong visual. Use it to reinforce your key message.

Bad:

4-slide sequence showing MRR, ARR, CAC, churn, LTV, and gross margin and with no commentary.

Better:

“I’ve pulled just one chart.  It shows our monthly cash position and forecast to year-end. You’ll see we dip below £100k in March, which is why we’re flagging this now.”

The chart is a prompt, not the story.

Startups don’t need glossy finance decks.  They need finance leaders who can communicate clearly, focus on what matters, and support the business to make good decisions.

Pick 2–3 of these improvements to start with and build from there. That’s how you move from Finance Manager to strategic finance leader.

Want to become a confident, strategic finance leader in a startup within the next 12 months? 

Here’s your plan:

1. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and Newsletter for weekly practical tips and real talk about startup finance leadership.
2. Read my book Financial Leadership Fundamentals to get clear on what’s expected of you and how to show up as a leader.
3. Join the Financial Leadership Fundamentals course to fast-track your growth with structure, support, and strategy that works in the real world.