If you’re constantly responding to pings, Slack messages, Looms, and “Can you just…” messages, you’re in good company. Finance leaders in startups are bombarded daily but better communication skills (not faster replies) are what actually build influence.

In this post, I’m sharing 10 practical communication tips for startup finance leaders who want to reduce noise, reclaim their focus, and improve leadership visibility across the business.

You're not a Slack bot.

One of the most important habits you can build is not checking or replying to Slack in real time. It trains the business to expect instant responses and destroys your ability to focus on strategic work.

✅ Try checking Slack 2–3 times per day.
✅ Set a custom status (e.g. "Head down on board pack" or "Replies later today").
✅ Turn off pop-up notifications when deep in budget work or forecasting.

If you’ve been replying immediately for years, you’ll need to reset expectations gradually. But your team and the business will survive. And your focus will thrive.

2. Summarise First, Then Add Detail

A lot of finance people write long, detail-heavy messages.

That’s not what startup leadership needs.

Always start with the key takeaway or action right at the top — then add context below. For example:

"Cash is down by £100K vs forecast due to timing of enterprise invoice. We need to catch this up next month. Details below."

This way, the founder gets the message fast, the sales lead can scroll for context, and you’ve earned trust by being clear and to the point.

And don’t forget to end with a call to action — something specific like:
🕒 "Please confirm by 2PM tomorrow."
📆 "I need this by Friday to finalise the forecast."

3. Be Explicit About Deadlines

Stop saying “Let me know your thoughts.”

Be specific. If you need approval by Friday, say that. If the numbers won’t land without input, make that clear.

You can even write:
“I’ll assume approval if no reply by EOD Monday” (use this one with care in finance, of course).

Most missed deadlines in startups aren’t about bad intentions — they’re about vague communication.

4. Don’t Let the Loudest Voice Win

Just because someone is panicking loudly on Slack doesn’t mean it’s the top priority.

It might be — especially if it’s about a key customer or a time-sensitive decision — but it’s worth taking a breath and asking questions before jumping in.

Use tools like weekly cashflow trackers, project trackers, or scheduled board pack updates to anchor everyone to what matters. Lead the priorities — don’t just react to noise.

5. Set Meeting Cadence for Key Topics

If you’re constantly messaging about the same topic (e.g. payments, headcount, forecast updates), then it’s time to get a recurring meeting in the diary.

A few examples:

• Weekly payment scheduling (especially if you’re managing cash tightly)

• Fortnightly fundraising updates

• Monthly budget vs actuals review

Even 15-minute standing meetings can stop messy Slack threads and help founders give you proper attention.

6. Push Back on Unclear Requests (Nicely)

If someone Slacks you with “Can you pull a quick report?”, don’t default to yes.

Ask questions like:
👀 “What decision are you trying to make?”
📊 “Is this something we’ll need monthly?”
🧠 “Do we already have something similar I could tweak?”

This positions you as a strategic partner — not a reporting machine. It also helps you prioritise and spot repeatable work that should be automated or delegated.

7. Flag Trade-Offs in Plain English

Saying “we can’t afford it” or “we’ll breach a covenant” doesn’t always land.

Try framing it in business terms:

“If we hire this person now, we can’t also extend runway past June.”
“If we pay this early, we’ll need to delay the next hire.”

You’re not just protecting the numbers — you’re helping leadership make real choices with finite resources.

8. Use Visuals When They Help

A chart or traffic light dashboard often communicates better than five paragraphs.

Try:

• RAG status updates (Red, Amber, Green)

• Screenshot of a cash graph with a Loom explainer

• Forecast accuracy % with a chart comparing months

Startup leaders move fast. Make it easy to digest your updates at a glance.

9. Repeat the Strategic Message (Yes, Again)

You will sound like a broken record — and that’s a good thing.

Every business has 3–5 strategic goals. Part of your job is to keep reinforcing them:

🎯 “We’re focused on extending runway to July.”
📈 “We need 50%+ gross margin to hit Series A plan.”

Repetition equals alignment. And when you’re the one keeping everyone on track, you become the strategic voice in the business.

10. Use the 24-Hour Cooldown Rule

If your CEO Slacks at 10PM in a panic, don’t reply right away (unless it’s genuinely urgent).

Pause. Gather facts. Respond clearly the next morning.

One example I shared in the video — we had a panicked founder who thought a huge chunk of revenue was missing from the board pack. After reviewing the KPI tracking method, we found it wasn’t missing — just displayed differently vs last year. Small issue, big panic.

Calm, fact-based responses build trust. Don’t fuel chaos.

Final Thought

You don’t need to work faster — you need to communicate smarter. Try 2–3 of these changes this week and you’ll start to notice less chaos, better focus, and more headspace to lead.

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.