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Manufacturing and distribution leaders are navigating multiple hurdles while balancing growth, operational efficiency, and technology adoption. During a recent webinar, Austin Flynn, Director of Transactions, Strategy, and Operations (TSO) at Elliott Davis, and Zac Zasloff, President of PEAK Event Services, shared candid insights on how breaking down silos drives scalability, efficiency, and profitability.
Flynn called out the cultural and operational gap that often exists between finance and operations (two functions historically siloed) and why closing it matters for agility and decision-making:
“If finance and operations only meet every 30 days to review some high-level P&L (profit and loss statement), you’re already at a disadvantage versus making it feel like one team.”
Zasloff reinforced the urgency behind frequent communication:
“I’m a firm believer that at a minimum, you need weekly check-ins with finance to understand the health of the business and what needs to be focused on to ensure that quality financials are the result… You have to be communicating, aligned, and partnered to be able to make those maneuvers.”
Takeaway: Frequent collaboration between finance and operations is necessary for agility, accurate decision-making, and growth.
Building on the importance of alignment, Zasloff recalled his experience at an ecommerce company, Shoes.com, during the dot-com boom when free shipping and returns were standard but came with a hidden cost. Returns hit 25% of sales, straining cash flow:
“Circa 2005, we were a scrappy startup doing $13–18 million in revenue. We had a really exciting business that was going through some supersonic growth, but that also presents massive challenges.”
Preparing for an acquisition required a single solution for handling returns to serve all 500 vendors the company represented. Zasloff partnered with the CFO in unison with the technology team to build a home-grown returns database management system linked to the financial and accounting system. That tool supported an $18 million business and scaled all the way to $250 million in revenue—a clear example of finance and operations working together to drive growth.
Building the tool demanded daily meetings until deployment. Flynn summed up the collaboration:
“Procurement, technology, finance, sales, and production all need to work together. Walking the plant floor to understand root causes—that’s how you build partnerships.”
Takeaway: Cross-functional teamwork transforms operational challenges into growth opportunities by aligning resources and leveraging technology.
When Zac Zasloff became VP of Operations, one area stood out as the biggest opportunity for impact: labor. As the largest expense line on their P&L, labor could make or break margins.
“It all starts with visibility into data. We would never have been able to achieve deliverables without that.”
Zasloff partnered with the CFO and FP&A team to build a labor tracker that broke down expenses by function and displayed key indicators on dashboards. Managers could review the data in just 15 minutes every morning, enabling quick informed decisions.
Once the tracker was deployed, EBITDA jumped from 18% to 21%. By creating metrics for individual departments, tracking throughput, and displaying key performance indicators (KPIs) in real time on large flat screens, the company sparked healthy competition. Teams became motivated to hit their goals, and operational efficiency soared.
Takeaway: By tracing headcount, wages, and overtime continuously, companies can gain control over costs and improve accountability, turning visibility into profitability.
Flynn and Zasloff agreed that technology lays the foundation for smarter decisions, while artificial intelligence (AI) accelerates insights but only when systems and processes are aligned. Zasloff stressed disciplined Capital Expenditure (CapEx) planning using tools like Power BI to prioritize investments and avoid early overspending:
“Some businesses spend it all in the first 60 days, then have no gunpowder left throughout the year... We always keep CapEx in our back pocket for [high-return opportunities.] For our industry, alongside managing labor, it is the most critical aspect of the business.”
Flynn emphasized the need for real-time visibility:
“Finance needs to provide live data to the operations team to make decisions. We see companies getting data a week later or a month later—so late it’s hard to make course-correcting decisions.”
Instead of sending massive spreadsheets, Flynn urged leaders to distill information into actionable dashboards that highlight the most relevant metrics, such as production throughput, downtime, and margin by product or customer. These dashboards should be updated daily to enable quick, informed decisions.
Both leaders agreed that AI amplifies collaboration when systems are integrated and data is clean. Flynn added:
“Before AI, there’s business intelligence (BI). Once data is unified, dashboards can become scoreboards on the production floor, creating healthy competition.”
Takeaway: AI accelerates insights by providing real-time visibility, but success starts with integrated systems and strong BI foundations.
When finance and operations share common goals, the organization moves in the same direction. Incentives and KPIs turn financial targets into actionable steps for every department.
Zasloff stressed the importance of leadership working together:
“Finance is giving operations the direction and support for them to lead their team, while operations delivers on KPIs and metrics that drive the positive results finance and the executive team want.”
Flynn pointed out that linking individual roles to company-wide goals requires clear metrics and communication. Breaking down monthly objectives into daily actions helps employees see how hitting their work impacts EBITDA and profitability.
Zasloff added:
“The lift is worth the reward. It takes effort and commitment from the finance team and that’s why it’s so critical to have a great leader driving that culture. When everyone understands what they are working towards, it’s going to result in the business winning.”
Takeaway: Shared incentives and KPIs link performance to company goals, promoting collaboration across departments.
Leading finance teams unfamiliar with operations requires education and hands-on engagement. Walking the plant floor builds trust and insight far better than conference-room discussions.
Zasloff noted:
“There are times when it’s crucial to sit around the conference table, but more often, you need to walk and talk, observe operations, and take those insights back to the boardroom. Success will happen faster.”
Flynn summed it up:
“Finance and operations rarely sit near each other. If finance sits next to the production floor, barriers break down.”
Zasloff added:
“And if you’re in ops, hunt for the closest office to the CFO—build that relationship.”
Takeaway: Physical proximity and plant-floor engagement accelerate communication, break down silos, and foster trust.
When finance and operations collaborate to create visibility, they unleash performance gains that ripple across the organization.
At Elliott Davis, we offer flexible support models designed to fit your needs:
• Outsourced FP&A services
• Fractional CFO leadership
• End-to-end financial strategy execution
Our team collaborates closely with senior finance and accounting leaders to align goals, integrate dashboards, and define KPIs that guide every department toward a shared vision.
Ready to strengthen your finance and operations strategy?
Contact us today to achieve more together.
The information provided in this communication is of a general nature and should not be considered professional advice. You should not act upon the information provided without obtaining specific professional advice. The information above is subject to change.
