According to AWS, “Creating a software system is a lot like constructing a building. If the foundation is not solid, structural problems can undermine the integrity and function of the building.” This is especially true when it comes to the cloud. If an organization doesn’t effectively oversee key areas of its foundation, it’s likely the result is not going to be successful. When it comes to cloud management, we look at it through the lens of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.

Like any SaaS organization, CloudZero cares about our COGS, margin, and unit cost. As you can imagine, we have a fair amount of insight into how those numbers are changing every day thanks to being “customer zero” on our cloud cost intelligence platform. Talking with other companies, I often find that the best organizations understand that measuring the cost implications of new products and features once you’ve deployed them can be too late.

If you're in FP&A, it can sometimes feel like outsiders think your job is all about routine tasks, like tracking budgets and reporting on cost — which couldn’t be further from the truth. A great FP&A professional deeply understands the business, has a strong command of its metrics, and uses that data to serve as a trusted advisor and partner to stakeholders. You’re not just a “counter” and “tracker” — you’re a driver of strategic outcomes.

Finance and engineering both thrive on efficiency. So when companies realize they’re wasting cloud spend, but aren’t sure where or how, both teams become frustrated. It’s remarkable how common this scenario is, particularly in the past five years. Before the pandemic, Gartner reported companies wasted over $14 billion in 2019 on cloud services. During the height of the pandemic and cloud adoption spurt in 2020, IDG reported that 70% of US businesses overspent by as much as 62%.