Welcome to 2026. Before we get stuck into another fast paced year, I wanted to look back at what actually mattered to finance professionals (and founders) in 2025. The topics you read, watched, searched for, and shared paint a very clear picture of the shifting expectations in finance leadership.

If 2024 was transitional, 2025 was the year everything got louder.

Rising costs across suppliers, software and hiring. Post Brexit friction still causing delays with European operations. Tariff uncertainty with the US creating swings in margins. A fundraising market that rewarded hot sectors and pushed everyone else towards extension rounds and CLNs. And of course, the ongoing need for sharper forecasting as marketing returns softened and cashflow became tighter.

All of this showed up clearly in the content you gravitated towards.

Here is what stood out.

The Most Popular Articles of 2025

1. Finance Tech Stack Recommendations

Your most clicked on and most shared piece of the year. Rising SaaS costs and inconsistent workflows pushed many teams to review their tools properly for the first time. This article helped people clean up duplication, automate the basics, and build a finance function that runs properly instead of running on panic.  See here.

2. Will Robots Take Over My Job

AI anxiety hasn’t faded. If anything, it intensified as tools improved. This article hit a nerve because it focused less on fear and more on how to stay relevant. The takeaway wasn’t to outrun AI but to learn how to use it strategically, particularly across analysis, reporting and workload reduction.  See here.

3. Finance Business Partnering

As founders demanded more insights and commercial support, this article became a practical guide on shifting from technician to leader. It was especially popular with finance managers who stepped into leadership roles faster than expected.  See here.

4. Budgeting vs Rolling Forecasts

With cashflow pressure and volatile marketing results, many teams realised their static budget was outdated within weeks. This article helped finance leaders future proof their planning process and communicate scenarios more clearly to founders and boards.  See here.

The Most Watched Videos of 2025

1. The Future of Accounting with AI

No surprise here. This video became a reference point for anyone trying to understand how AI changes the role of finance, what will be automated next, and where finance leaders should focus their development.  You can watch that video here.

2. How Accountants Can Use AI

This was the practical follow on. People wanted examples, workflows and actual use cases they could adopt immediately.  You can watch this video here.

3. Startup Cashflow Management

Cash was tight for many businesses in 2025. Between higher supplier costs, rising NI, more expensive marketing and continued cost of living pressure, this video helped leaders build a calmer, more structured approach to cash.  You can watch this video here.

4. Fractional CFO Guide

With many senior finance professionals experimenting with fractional work, this video hit the sweet spot. It acknowledged the reality. Fractional isn’t replacing full time roles. It’s simply allowing founders to bring leadership in earlier, and giving finance professionals flexibility to test what works for their lifestyle.  You can watch this video here.

5. CFO Challenges and How to Avoid Burnout

The pressure on finance leaders intensified in 2025. This video resonated because it addressed the hidden load. Scenario overwhelm. Founder expectations. Faster reporting cycles. More commercial involvement. And trying to hold everything together while working alone or with an inexperienced team.  You can watch this video here.

The Big Themes Behind All Your Engagement in 2025

Looking at the top articles and videos together, the through line is clear.

1. Finance leaders needed more support with technology

Not chasing shiny tools, but learning how to build a stack that reduces workload.

2. AI integration became a real skill expectation

Not optional. Not theoretical. Necessary.

3. Cashflow pressure made scenario planning essential

Founders asked for more versions than ever. Weekly cash visibility became normal.  Putting together many different scenarios and revisiting the rolling budget is what we're also spending a lot of time with founders on.

4. Fractional finance continued to grow

Not as a replacement for full timers but as a bridge. Founders could access senior talent earlier. Many finance leaders tested fractional work, and some moved into full time roles with clients they connected with.

5. Burnout risk increased

Workload grew faster than headcount. Month end and reporting expectations tightened. And many finance leaders felt isolated in their roles.  Networking, spending time with peers, working with other finance professionals helps here and is more important as many of us work from home.

6. The role of finance shifted further into business partnering

The demand wasn’t for more spreadsheets. It was for clarity, communication and leadership.

What This Means for 2026

2026 is shaping up to be the year of consolidation and maturity in finance leadership.
The focus will be on:

• Smarter AI usage
• Cleaner finance systems
• Stronger cross functional communication
• Real business partnering
• Better commercial judgement
• Sustainable workload
• Better quality forecasting
• Finance leaders stepping into true leadership earlier

And based on how 2025 played out, the content you’ll see from me this year will continue to focus on exactly those areas.

Here’s to a calmer, more structured and more confident year ahead.

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