What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Planning for CPM Success Before it’s Too Late – Episode 52

Thinking about a OneStream implementation? In this episode, host Andy Smetana talks with Susan Maron, Chief of Staff at Nova Advisory (OneStream Diamond Partner), about how finance leaders can set their teams up for success before kickoff. From pre-project prep and steering committees to scoping tradeoffs and change management, Susan shares a practical playbook to avoid common pitfalls and keep the focus on long-term outcomes.

You’ll hear how top-performing teams lock in a clear “true north,” staff the project with the right people (not just available ones), calendarize critical milestones, and use early prototypes to validate design with real data—so go-live is calm, not chaotic.

Listen now:

What You’ll Learn

• The pre-project moves that prevent costly rework (goals, governance, staffing, timeline)

• Classic pitfalls to avoid: lift-and-shift thinking, scope cuts that backfire, DIY tasks without capacity

• How to communicate across the org (leadership cadence, stakeholder updates, reference sites)

• During-project tactics: time management, issue triage, upstream data fixes, expectation setting

• After go-live: listening for value, planning bi-directionally, and assigning ownership to sustain momentum 

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