About Finance Leader Academy
Grow into the finance leader your organization needs
Finance Leader Academy helps finance and accounting professionals move beyond reporting results to shape better business decisions.
Through practical courses, coaching, leadership development, and professional resources, we help you strengthen the skills that make finance a more effective partner to the business: strategic thinking, financial storytelling, executive communication, business partnership, and leadership through others.
Our programs are designed for FP&A professionals, accountants, finance managers, controllers, aspiring CFOs, and finance teams ready to increase their influence and contribute more fully to organizational strategy.
Our purpose
Finance leaders help organizations understand performance, evaluate choices, and act on priorities. That takes more than technical expertise. It takes the ability to connect financial information to business needs, communicate clearly, build trust, and help others make sound decisions.
Finance Leader Academy gives professionals practical ways to develop those capabilities and prepare for their next level of responsibility.
Part of McLain Solutions, LLC
Finance Leader Academy is an education and leadership development business of McLain Solutions, LLC. McLain Solutions is a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)-certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).
Through Finance Leader Academy, we focus on developing finance professionals and teams. McLain Solutions also provides advisory services that help organizations strengthen finance, accounting, planning, and decision support.
Explore our courses and resources, listen to The Finance Leader Podcast, or learn how McLain Solutions can support your organization.
Meet Stephen McLain
Finance Team Alignment Strategist & Coach
Stephen McLain founded Finance Leader Academy to help finance professionals build the judgment, communication, and leadership skills to make a greater impact at work.
Stephen is a retired U.S. Army Finance Officer whose 24-year career included overseas deployments, service with NATO, and work on the Army Staff at the Pentagon. After retiring from the Army, he brought that experience into corporate finance and accounting, helping teams address complex challenges, improve processes, and strengthen how finance supports the business.
Stephen is also the host of The Finance Leader Podcast, where he explores finance leadership, strategic decision-making, communication, and organizational performance.
Explore Our Services
"Leadership is bigger than the numbers."
- Stephen McLain
Finance Leader Academy was founded by Stephen McLain, who is also the Host of The Finance Leader Podcast.
Stephen believes in the importance of leadership on a team. Leaders set the pace and direction of the organization and uphold the culture and values of the team as a whole.
Without strong, yet compassionate leadership, an organization will fail to compete in the complicated marketplace we have.
In the photo, Stephen is being presented with his certification (Certified Defense Financial Manager - CDFM) by Major General John Ferrari, Director - Army G8, Program Analysis and Evaluation.
Download Our Free Finance Leadership Guide
WHAT I'M KNOWN FOR:
Podcasting
I am the Host of The Finance Leader Podcast, which is dedicated to highlighting topics to develop your finance leadership skills, grow your mindset, and transform your organization.
Growing Others
Leaders help others improve their skills and career potential. With the heart of teacher, I love to coach others to overcome their obstacles to grow their potential. What is holding you back?
Leadership
As a career Army Officer, I am passionate about learning leadership, which means I love helping others succeed and to become more than they ever thought they could achieve.
Advisory
The more aligned your Finance and Accounting teams are with Operations the more likely your organization can achieve more clarity and execute the strategy. Do your processes make sense?
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We share leadership, mindset, and process improvement tips. We won't share your information ever! You will also receive our free leadership guide.
"If you change your mindset, you will change your outcome."
- Stephen McLain
