How do you move from chasing $15 cloud savings to building a scalable FinOps program that actually drives impact?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Chandan Bukkapatnam, Senior Cloud FinOps Analyst at Procore Technologies, to unpack what it really takes to mature a FinOps practice from tactical cost-cutting to strategic influence.

Chandan shares how he intentionally built his career at the intersection of cloud architecture and finance, why he initially focused too heavily on granular optimizations, and how automation changed everything. He explains why small “one-off” savings often waste engineering time, and how building systems is what truly scales cloud cost optimization.

The conversation also explores one of the most important skills in FinOps: influencing without authority. Chandan breaks down how to build trust with engineers, secure leadership buy-in, and meet finance and engineering teams where they are, using the language that matters to each.

Finally, the episode dives into the future of FinOps in an AI-driven world. From FinOps for AI workloads to AI for FinOps automation, Chandan shares how he sees artificial intelligence amplifying the practitioner’s role.

Here’s what we talked about:

• Why focusing on tiny cloud savings can backfire
• How to prioritize high-impact cloud cost optimization
• Building automation workflows that scale
• Gaining leadership buy-in for FinOps initiatives
• FinOps for AI vs. AI for FinOps
• The evolving strategic role of FinOps practitioners

🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/

Quote of the Show:

• “ AI is taking over the world… but context is still number one.” - Chandan Bukkapatnam

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandan426/
• Website: https://www.procore.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f25a9d18-c12f-4ee4-93f5-2aa96e509b55
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finops-in-action/id1790497808
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/268443483/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/finops-in-action-5958339
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IpjMc3qxDXZAjic5Zq21t
• Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/
• Transistor: finopsinaction.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

What if the biggest mistake new FinOps teams make isn’t missing savings, but executing them too soon?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sit down with Henrique Amorim, Business Analyst and FinOps Specialist at Crayon. He shares an honest look at what it really takes to build a successful FinOps practice. From resisting the urge to immediately slash costs to navigating engineering relationships and preparing for the AI-driven future of cloud spend, this conversation goes far beyond surface-level optimization tips.

Henrique breaks down why FinOps isn’t about being the “cost police”. It’s about building influence, trust, and a culture of cost awareness across engineering, finance, and leadership. If you’re working in cloud cost optimization, FinOps, or AI cost management, this episode will challenge how you think about leverage, execution, and long-term impact.

Here’s what we talked about:

• Why you should treat early cloud savings as strategic leverage
• The difference between theoretical savings and truly actionable optimizations
• How AI is reshaping the FinOps function
• The importance of building dashboards, processes, and visibility before scaling savings
• Why some “cost inefficiencies” are actually architectural features
• The role of community in accelerating your FinOps maturity
• Managing up: how to communicate FinOps impact to executives

🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/

Quote of the Show:

• “Identify those savings and keep them as an ace up your sleeve while using that as leverage to get your roots in the system.” - Henrique Amorim

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henriqueamorim/
• Website: https://www.crayon.com/us/

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f25a9d18-c12f-4ee4-93f5-2aa96e509b55
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finops-in-action/id1790497808
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/268443483/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/finops-in-action-5958339
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IpjMc3qxDXZAjic5Zq21t
• Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/
• Transistor: finopsinaction.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency

What is FinOps really? Is it just about cutting cloud costs?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, Rense Siegmund, Founder of FinOps Academy and FinOps Lead at Gasunie, shares a practical perspective on what FinOps actually is and why it’s about far more than technical cloud optimization.

With a background in coaching and team development, he brings a unique lens to cloud cost management: collaboration, culture, and data-driven decision-making.

If you’ve ever wondered how to scale FinOps beyond a single practitioner, or how small and mid-sized organizations can manage $1M–$3M in annual cloud spend without a dedicated FinOps team, this conversation is packed with insight.

Here’s what we talked about:

• The realities of FinOps for smaller organizations managing $150K–$3M in annual cloud spend
• How to embed FinOps into company OKRs and governance
• Why behavior change starts with small, repetitive actions
• The growing impact of AI as a cloud cost driver
• The importance of “fail fast, learn fast” in cloud cost optimization
• Why collaboration between engineering, finance, and leadership is the biggest challenge in FinOps

🎧 Subscribe for more FinOps leadership conversations → https://www.finopsinaction.com/

Quote of the Show:

• “Behavior comes from repetitive small actions, so the sooner you get the first actions in the organization, the easier it becomes.” - Rense Siegmund

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rense-siegmund-0b363b1b/
• Website: https://www.gasunie.nl/en
• FinOps Academy: https://finopsacademy.nl/

Ways to Tune In:

• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f25a9d18-c12f-4ee4-93f5-2aa96e509b55
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finops-in-action/id1790497808
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/268443483/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/finops-in-action-5958339
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IpjMc3qxDXZAjic5Zq21t
• Substack: https://finopsinaction.substack.com/
• Transistor: finopsinaction.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency