Davis Financial Services  

As the founder of Davis Financial Services, I provide financial strategy consulting, team and board training, and coaching for finance professionals. As a strategic business partner , I drive tangible improvements in financial health and operational efficiency. I have a proven track record of optimizing profit margins, streamlining financial processes, and enhancing revenue management, all of which lead to higher profitability and better resource allocation. My experience in audit preparation and compliance ensures you’ll be fully prepared for external scrutiny, while my expertise in budget management will help you allocate resources more effectively and reduce costs. I bring a tailored, data-driven approach to each project, aligning financial strategy with a company’s unique goals to deliver sustainable results.. 

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐝:
- 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Achieved a 15% increase in profit margins within the first 6 months.
- 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Boosted revenue by 20% with a 10% reduction in unsold inventory. 
- 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 & 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: Reduced month-end close time by 30% and improved accuracy by 25%.
- 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Achieved 10% reduction in operating expenses while maintaining project impact.
- 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Reduced audit-related delays by 40%, and audit result to zero major findings.
- 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Improved cash flow by 25% in 1st quarter. Increased profitability in 6 months.
- 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲: Secured $15M in funding with positive cash flow while scaling operations.
-𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: Aligned finance compliance strategy with other business functions. 
- 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐏𝐌𝐈): Managed finance process and reporting integration post merger.

Founder

Citigroup

- Collected, organized and input information into digital database. 
- Troubleshot and resolved problems with programs and systems. 
- Created reports detailing findings and recommendations. 
- Performed in-depth analysis to solve diverse problems with program implementation and operations.
- Assisted with improvements to operations by showing clear connection between current policies and
   business results.
- Created and maintained detailed financial reports.

Operations/ Internal Controls - Global Loans Division

JP Morgan

- Monitored progress on implementation of risk prevention actions. 
- Assisted with analysis and data gathering in support of risk assessment. 
- Accurately assisted in internal and external audit reports with proper analysis and documentation.
- Analyzed system risk to identify and implement appropriate security countermeasures.
- Made recommendations to improve security procedures and systems.

Private Banking Back Office Ops

Bank of America

- Processed financial aid documents and completed basic verification of information.
- Verified and updated account information to keep details current. 
- Verified accuracy of accounting deposits and disbursements. 
- Produced monthly and quarterly and year-end reports.
- Managed trust back office operations integration post bank mergers.

Trust Back Office Ops - Asset & Wealth Management

My goal is to transform finance from a back office operation to the center of business

I specialize in corporate finance strategy consulting and steering organizations through complex change management processes. 

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬:

Corporate Finance Strategy Consulting: 
Helping companies leverage finance as a strategic tool for growth and operational efficiency.
I manage finance related change management projects, design and implement tailored strategies that align with organizational goals.

Finance Function Optimization: 
Streamlining back-office operations, updating systems, processes, and procedures to enhance performance.

𝐌𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝:
With over 15 years of diverse corporate finance experience, I bring deep expertise in transformational back-office operations, internal controls., and finance strategy planning. I thrive on creating solutions that address unique challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities. I pride myself in delivering top-tier consulting services, and leverage my deep expertise in financial analysis to craft strategies that optimize performance, manage risks, and enhance value.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡:
My work style is a hands-on, personalized approach. I believe in fostering strong partnerships with clients, working closely to understand their needs and deliver impactful results.

Finance done right shapes behavior, not just budgets.
Smart business leaders are using strategy to stay ahead.
Here's my Finance Strategy Report (2025 Edition)

Finance strategy has never been more important, 
or more misunderstood.

After years of working with founders and finance leaders, 
I’ve seen one truth: Companies that win treat finance as strategy, 
not support.

From my personal experiences and research, I created the 
Finance Strategy Report (2025 Edition). 
A concise, insight-driven guide for leaders who want to build 
financial architecture that truly reinforces strategy.

Inside, I break down:
    - The core pillars of modern finance strategy
    - The key insights shaping 2025 and beyond
    - Best practices for strategic finance leaders  

Download and save the full report below.
It’s time to move from managing capital to mobilizing it
with clarity, conviction, and courage.
__________
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Beverly Davis

Finance Operations Consultant for Mid-Market Companies | Founder, Davis Financial Services | Helped 50+ Businesses Align Finance Strategy with Growth Goals.

Finance Strategy Report (2025 Edition)

Most companies talk about strategy.

Few understand what actually builds it.

So, what is strategy, and what is it not.

Strategy isn’t a deck.
It’s a system, of interconnected elements that shape how a business 
  - Allocates resources 
  - Measures performance
  - Responds to change  
  - Sustains growth.

Here are 7 core elements of strategy every finance leader should anchor 
(based on the framework in the visual below):

1. Core Principle
Your strategic north star. The business goals that every decision must reinforce.
ask: Does our capital allocation reflect what we say our priorities are?

2. Risk Assessment
Understanding market volatility and internal vulnerability so strategy is built 
on reality, not optimism.
ask: Where does uncertainty threaten our plan, do we have buffers in place?

3. Track ROI Growth
Continuously evaluating which initiatives create returns, and adjusting 
capital deployment accordingly.
ask: Which investments earned the right to more capital this quarter?

4. Adaptation Strategy
System that helps you respond quickly to market shifts without losing focus.
ask: What signals tell us it’s time to pivot, and are we watching it?

5. Performance Metrics
Tight measures that translate strategy into observable performance.
 ask: Are our metrics driving the behaviors we need to reach our goals?

6. Resource Allocation
Discipline distributing capital, talent, and time toward high-value opportunities.
ask: What are we funding today that doesn't affect us reaching our goals?

7. Resource (Execution Engine)
The operational layer that provides clean, timely, trustworthy data to power strategic decision-making.
ask: Is our data reliable enough that leaders can make decisions at speed?

Strategy works when these seven elements work together.
When one breaks, the whole system weakens.

Finance leaders who understand this don’t just support strategy,
they architect it.

One weak element could be  holding back your entire finance strategy.
Audit your system, and identify the gap before it costs you growth.
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What would three unplanned disruptions do to your EBITDA or cash runway? Most leaders can’t answer with confidence, and that’s a real business risk.

In the last 12 months, 41% of organizations were hit with three or more critical risk events. Supply chain shocks. Talent breakdowns. Cyber incidents. Demand drops. Pricing pressure. Regulatory surprises.

Yet most companies still treat risk like a once-a-year process.

Risk is not a box to be checked.
Risk is an operating discipline.

Here’s what financial disruption can look like:

---- EBITDA looks fine… until a disruption hits working capital, and suddenly 
there isn’t enough cash to make payroll.

---- Runway looks fine… until a key customer churns, a supplier tightens terms, or a tech incident stalls billing for a few weeks.

Individually, each one might be manageable.
Stack them in the same 12–18 months, and the business flips from strong performance to liquidity stress.

This is why some buyers, lenders, and investors care less about EBITDA, and much more about:
 - How resilient your cash conversion is under stress
 - How quickly you identify runway compression

How to build operating-level risk discipline: 
1. Map the 3–5 most likely disruptions for your business model 
2. Quantify the impact of up to 3 concurrent hits on EBITDA, working capital and months runway.
3. Design a short, concrete playbook with the cost, pricing, and cash levers you pull at each trigger point.

The companies doing well in 2025 haven't avoided financial disruption.
They have a risk management strategy to absorb it, model it, and move on.

Strong risk discipline = stronger EBITDA.
Proactive scenario planning = longer cash runway.
Operational finance = competitive advantage.

If you want a finance team that protects the business, build risk awareness 
into your operating rhythm, not just the annual review.

***Check the comments for The Financial Resilience Risk Discipline Framework***

——————
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My goal is to transform finance from a back office operation to the center of business

If your company needs help... 
Using finance as a strategy for growth
Expanding or reducing the back office
Updating the finance function
Finance Team Coaching on skills, strategy, mindset & habits
Finance Leader (or emerging leader) Coaching on managing, mindset, confidence & presenting
I can help you build a modern finance function that strategically grows the business, and develop
the executive presence of an influential leader.
Contact me at www.davisfinancial.co 

My Background:
I am a big believer in businesses using finance as a strategy tool. I'm  the Founder of Davis Financial Services providing finance operations consulting services and training. I have a a background in corporate finance back office operations and internal controls with over 15 years of diverse experience in Wealth Management at Bank of America, Private Banking at JP Morgan Chase, and Capital Markets at Citigroup.  As the founder of Davis Financial Services, my mission is to offer the same high quality service to CEOs, entrepreneurs and executives within and outside the corporate arena. A  background in a variety of financial spheres has been the catapult to my success in customized financial services for my clients. 
My work ethic is professionalism with a personal hands on approach.

Davis Financial Services offers private financial consulting services, finance team building workshops/training, and 1:1 leadership coaching.

AI is moving faster than your finance team’s safeguards.

But most companies still don’t have an AI policy in place.

This is a simple, starter AI Policy Framework for Finance Teams 
built to help you protect your data, reputation, and decision-making 
before AI use gets out of control.

Inside the guide, you’ll find:
- 10 Core Policy Essentials every finance department needs
- Real-world examples of approved vs. prohibited AI use
- Guidance on data classification, tools, human oversight, and compliance 
  + Advanced Additions for 2025 and Beyond

This is not a full enterprise governance program.
It’s an actionable starting point to help you put guardrails in place now
before scaling AI across your finance function.

If your team is adopting AI (…or already quietly using it), 
this framework will help you reduce risk, tighten controls, 
and adopt the right practices quickly.

If your finance team is scaling AI  start here. 
__________

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#Finance #AIPolicy #AIinFinance #Governance #FutureofFinance

Ai Policy & Governance for Finance Departments

Finance leaders, Q4 isn’t “reporting season.” It’s reset season.

If you want Q1 2026 to hit different, clean up the fundamentals now. 

Not when you’re staring down an audit request.

This Q4 Checklist includes five essential clean-ups every finance team 
should lock in before year-end:

1. Partner Up — Internal + External
Auditors, regulators, bankers, tax pros, and attorneys aren’t just for issues. 
They are strategic partners.
Use Q4 to align early, clear disclosures, close information gaps, and eliminate the surprises that stall momentum. 

2. Review Key GL Accounts
Most teams wait too long.
Q4 is a chance to locate errors, eliminate clutter, and tighten compliance.
Q1 moves faster when your GL isn’t a minefield.

3. Assess Your Assets
66% of CFOs plan new investments next year, but you can’t allocate well 
if your balance sheet is outdated.
Test for impairment. Revalue long-term and short-term assets.
Enter 2026 knowing exactly what you’re working with.

4. Analyze Accruals
Large projects that straddle year-end is where leakage happens.
Validate estimates. Confirm vendor support.
Make sure 2025 expenses don’t sneak into 2026.

5. Audit Internal Controls
Control effectiveness was a top CFO priority in both 2024 and 2025.
Q4 isn’t when you discover gaps, and when you eliminate them.

Here’s the real issue:
Most finance teams don’t struggle because of strategy.
They struggle because of:
  • Weak processes
  • Outdated accounts
  • Untested controls
  • Inconsistent communication

Clean up Q4 with intention, and Q1 becomes your most confident, 
predictable, and strategically aligned quarter yet.

Full checklist is in the graphic below.
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Mid-Market Finance Modernization Isn’t “Nice to Have” It’s Mandatory.

If you run finance in a mid-market company, this isn’t a gentle nudge, 
it’s a mandate. 

Two recent industry studies make the case bluntly: mid-market CFOs are 
moving toward modernization because the gap between where finance 
needs to be and where it still is has become a business risk.

Cherry Bekaert’s new Middle Market CFO survey found an overwhelming consensus that modernization is urgent. 
   - Nearly 99% of mid-market CFOs plan to modernize their finance 
      operations within the next 12 months.
Calling out fragmented systems, poor data integration, and talent gaps 
as key blockers. 

Gartner’s finance research shows CFOs are prioritizing technology, and a majority plan to boost tech budgets in 2025, with generative AI, machine learning and cloud ERP among the top investment targets to accelerate forecasting, close, and decision velocity. 

So what does “modernize” mean for mid-market finance teams?

---- Clean, connected data — not spreadsheets stitched together. 
Modern FP&A requires a single source of truth so forecasts and scenarios are trustworthy and repeatable. Cherry Bekaert leaders note that data integration is the single biggest operational drag on speed and insight. (CFO Brew)

---- Process automation — from close to reconciliations to forecasting. Gartner’s research highlights intelligent automation and AI-enabled workflows as the next wave of finance productivity — but they only work when paired with clean data and strong process design. (Gartner)

----- A smarter tech stack, cloud ERP, embedded analytics, and AI copilots are no longer optional. CFOs are actively funding these tools to shift from historical reporting to forward-looking decision support. Gartner reports these technologies are topping finance leaders’ investment lists. (Gartner)

---- Upskilling + new operating models. Automation fails if people don't know how to use it. Cherry Bekaert and other industry voices emphasize talent and change management as the two biggest determinants of modernization ROI.

A brief prescription:
Start with a 90-day “data triage” that maps key sources, owners, and the  golden datasets that feed forecasting and reporting.
    • Automate one high-value process end-to-end.
    • Pair tech choices with a 6-month upskill plan and a cross-functional team.

If you still think modernization is optional, your competitors won’t wait. 
The data is clear: budgets, vendor roadmaps and CFO priorities have shifted. 

Modern finance isn’t just more efficient, it’s strategic.

   ***Check the comments for a short 90-day data triage template***
 
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Future of Finance 2030 — Series (2/3)

In 2030, the most powerful engine in your company won’t be product or ops,
it will be Finance.

Analytics-driven companies are already seeing margin lifts of up to 10% 
by adopting decision intelligence.

And here’s the shift that changes everything:

Finance stops being a reporting function.
Finance becomes the infrastructure that powers every decision.

- Growth.
- Pricing.
- Investments.
- Risk.
- Resource allocation.

All driven by unified data, governed models, predictive signals, and 
AI-powered decision rules, designed and managed by finance.

This is the end of static reporting.
This is real-time, model-driven decisioning across the entire operating system.

The companies that win will be the ones where finance isn’t supporting the business, finance runs the business.

What you can do now, choose one critical decision area in your business (pricing, hiring, capital allocation, or customer profitability) and start
rebuilding it around real-time data signals.

This single shift will move your team closer to the decision-intelligence 
model of the future.

#finance #thefutureoffinance

Future of Finance 2030 — Series (1/3)

If your finance planning still runs on a calendar, you’re competing with companies that already run on real time.

By 2030, the era of calendar-based budgeting will be over.

AI-driven forecasting is already cutting planning cycles by 30% and 
improving accuracy by 20–50%, giving top companies better margins, 
better cash visibility, and faster pivots.

This shift isn’t automation.
It’s autonomy.

Forecasts, budgets, and resource allocations update themselves inside 
the ERP, continuously, as conditions change.

No more Q1 vs. Q2 planning.
No more waiting for cycle refreshes.
No more stale assumptions.

The finance leaders who win won’t be the ones who plan better,
but the ones who plan live.

If your planning still relies on a calendar, start shifting towards managing 
against live probabilities automatically updated as change happens.

#finance #thefutureoffinance

Most business budgets do one thing: “Fund the Year” That’s operational.

Here’s how to convert your budget from operational to strategic.

A strategic budget asks a different question: “How do we fund our strategy 
over time?”

Here’s how to make the shift:

1. Strategy anchor:
  - Make a list of 3–5 clear strategic outcomes for the next 3–5 years.
  - For each outcome list 1–3 measurable targets and initiatives.

2. Re-map the current budget:
  - Reclassify major budget lines from “departments” into strategic 
     priorities/initiatives.
  - Show two views of the same budget. Operational (by function) and 
     Strategic (by priority).

3. Diagnose gaps and waste:
 - Which strategic priorities currently have little or no funding?
 - Which material spends cannot be linked to any strategic outcome?
 - Which critical initiatives are funded at “maintenance” levels only?​

4. Reallocate as a portfolio:
 - For each major initiative decide to over‑fund, maintain, taper, or exit.
 - Allocate to strategic priorities first, then to remaining operational needs.​

5. Upgrade budgeting methods:
 - Apply priority or outcome-based budgeting to 50% of the budget.
 - Use zero-based or similar techniques to challenge legacy spend
​
6. Extend time horizon and scenarios:
 - Make sure key initiatives have a 3–5 year funding view, not just year one.
 - Define base/best/worst scenarios with clear triggers for reallocating spend.​

7. Make it a living control system:
 - Create a separate recurring strategic budget review.
 - Use a rolling forecasts and initiative KPIs to adjust funding during the year.

   → How I did this in real life for a client:
A mid-market services firm was spending 40% of its budget on legacy operations with little connection to growth goals. By mapping the budget to three strategic priorities (new service lines, client retention, and digital transformation), the firm identified $1.2M of reallocation opportunities. 
Within 12 months, strategic initiatives were fully funded, client acquisition increased 25%, and operational waste was reduced by 15%.

A budget isn’t just a control tool, it’s the engine that drives a strategy.

Use these 7 points to move from an operational budget that funds the year 
to a strategic budget that funds and steers your strategy.

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Human judgment, collaboration, and strategic decision-making are set 
to become even more valuable as AI accelerates operations around them.
McKinsey Global Institute's new Skill Change Index
https://kntn.ly/6755e673

AI won’t make most human skills obsolete, but it will change how they’re used.

Negotiation, problem solving, and leadership will matter more than ever as people work alongside agents and robots.

McKinsey Global Institute's new Skill Change Index shows which skills will be most, and least, exposed to automation in the next five years: mck.co/aiskills.

Future of Finance 2030 — Series (3/3)

The companies that will dominate by 2030 won’t just sell products,
they’ll control their own capital flow.

Tokenized real-world assets are projected to hit $2–4T by 2030,
and this is not a crypto play.

It’s a capital architecture play.

The next generation of CEOs won’t treat digital assets, smart contracts, 
or embedded finance as experiments.
They’ll use them to create:

- Faster settlements
- New financing structures
- Embedded financial services inside products
- Entire value ecosystems
- Stronger customer ownership

Finance will expand from managing cash and debt…
to designing programmable value flows across the entire business model 
and ecosystem.

The companies adopting these shifts now will dominate by 2030.

If your finance strategy still ends at cash, debt, and EBITDA, rethink it, 
because the next era will be built on programmable value flows.

#finance #thefutureoffinance

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