Book excerpt: The Future Of Finance Finance is the only function intertwined in every business decision. Despite this, it is often misunderstood and underappreciated within small and midsize businesses (SMBs). Finance is more than numbers; it is a toolbox to craft a culture of accountability, credible goals, and an enticing narrative about the future. In Relational Finance: Better Teams, Better Growth, Better Deals, Ben Lehrer breaks down the finance function into five easily digestible components, the finance spectrum: 1. Data 2. Reporting 3. Projections 4. Planning 5. Capital Lehrer then introduces the innovative Relational Finance model. Untethered from the rigidity and piecemeal nature of traditional finance models, Relational Finance enables SMBs to harness the entire finance spectrum. The results are powerful and invaluable, with visibility into performance data and future scenarios driving confident decision-making, lower stress, and a more rewarding journey for business owners and leaders. By investing in finance and leveraging Relational Finance, business leaders create better teams, better growth, and better deals while attracting the right capital and partners to achieve their goals. Relational Finance is the future of finance, for the future of your business.