We’re celebrating Mike Lancia’s recent six-year anniversary with 8020 Consulting! In our Q&A, Mike explores his professional growth, the unpredictable nature of projects and what to expect if you find yourself pursuing a career with our company.
1. What do you enjoy most about your work these days, and how has that changed over time?
I enjoy bringing a fresh perspective to an organization using my previous project experience. Throughout my tenure at 8020, I’ve been able to take on greater responsibilities in my projects, which has only increased the value I can deliver to new Clients.
2. What are some memorable projects, and how did they challenge you or make you grow?
Several projects have challenged me over the years, but the one that stands out is a project at an Entertainment Client. I was initially brought in for a short-term project to help with redesigning the cash flow forecasting process. After completing the process redesign, the Director of Finance asked me to stay and work with him on several other initiatives—including the buildout of the Sponsorship Revenue Forecast and the compilation of the Board Deck presentation.
As I supported the other initiatives, the Director of Finance left the company for another opportunity, and I assumed the Interim Director of Finance position. I helped lead the organization through the budget cycle while establishing a formalized budget procedure and templates to serve as a base for future budget cycles.
Then, as I was about to transition off the project, the company became engaged in a potential transaction, and I was asked to stay on and lead the due diligence efforts.
As a Consultant, you are often tasked with wearing many hats. Having the ability to utilize both my FP&A background as well as my transaction-based background simultaneously was very enjoyable.
3. What has been the most unexpectedly rewarding part of working as a consultant?
I find it rewarding to make an impact on the Finance function of a company in a relatively short period of time, and it’s an added bonus when your work plays a key role in the growth of a company.
4. What advice would you give someone considering a career at 8020 Consulting?
If you’re looking for an environment where you’ll be continuously challenged, complete intellectually engaging projects, have opportunities to work across various new industries and collaborate with a great group of supportive colleagues and management team, then a career at 8020 is something you should consider.
5. Is there anyone you’d like to thank or acknowledge?
I’d like to thank the management team for continuing to staff me on challenging/interesting projects that have allowed me to continue to develop my skills. I’d also like to thank all the colleagues (past and present), who I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside. Your business insight and humor are equally appreciated.
6. What are you most excited about currently?
I’m having a lot of fun being a Dad, and I enjoy spending time with my daughter Mila!
Careers at 8020 Consulting
We take pride in nurturing long-term relationships with our team members and our clients. If you’re interested in working on our team of accounting and finance professionals, visit our careers section of the website, where you can learn more about life at 8020. You can also put in an application for consideration by following the instructions at the bottom of that page:
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More About Mike
Mike has more than 10 years of experience in roles requiring expertise in strategic planning, forecasting, budgeting, business valuation, financial modeling and both buy-side and sell-side M&A transaction support. He served as a Sr. Analyst at Elements Behavioral Health, where his responsibilities included leading the budgeting and forecasting processes as well as acquisition transaction support. Additionally, he served as a Sr. Associate in the Private Capital group at Union Bank where he focused on executing middle market acquisition opportunities across various sectors. Mike holds an MBA from the Graziadio School at Pepperdine University, a B.A. in Economics from Brock University and is a CFA Charter holder.
