Above the Ledger - November 2025

Turning AI learnings into measurable results

Welcome to the November edition of Above the Ledger, your monthly guide to modern finance leadership.

This time of year always sparks reflection, and for finance leaders, that means looking ahead.

In 2025, many teams tested what AI could bring to their operations. In 2026, the real challenge will be turning those early learnings into measurable results.

AI has become part of the finance toolkit, but the real value lies in how we use it to guide smarter decisions, improve accuracy, and strengthen profitability. The coming year will be about discipline, architecture, and outcomes that last.

Enjoy this month’s edition, packed with insights to help you plan with confidence for what’s next.

AI is everywhere in finance right now, but most teams are still applying it the wrong way. The hype focuses on speed, autonomy, and “AI-powered” dashboards, while the real issues — control, governance, and process quality — get overlooked. That’s why so many pilots look good in demos but fall apart in practice.

This article breaks down the five biggest myths holding finance teams back and shows why the real advantage in 2026 won’t come from bigger models, but from better-designed systems.

Profitability has become the central question for every SaaS CFO heading into 2026. Growth alone no longer defines success. Efficiency, capital allocation, and transparency do.

The best finance leaders are rethinking how their businesses create and measure value. They’re rebuilding their P&Ls around expansion efficiency, treating customer success as an investment engine, and setting clearer rules for how AI impacts cost and margin.

The result is a new profitability model: one that’s intentional, measurable, and built to last.