Siqi Chen, CEO of financial planning platform Runway, has announced the launch of a new newsletter titled "very serious newsletter: finance lessons from a product person who once laid himself off." The inaugural issue is set to tackle a critical challenge in corporate finance: "why your beautiful GAAP-compliant model is useless if nobody can actually use it." This initiative underscores Chen's long-standing commitment to making financial understanding accessible and practical for a broader audience.
Chen, a seasoned entrepreneur and product leader, founded Runway with the mission to simplify complex financial tasks and provide intuitive tools for financial modeling and budgeting. His company's platform, which recently introduced "Ambient Intelligence" capabilities, aims to bridge the gap between finance teams and other departments, fostering greater clarity and collaboration. Runway's approach directly addresses the usability concerns that Chen highlights in his upcoming newsletter.
The newsletter's focus on the practical application of financial models resonates with Runway's core philosophy of making finance "understandable and accessible to the entire team." Chen has frequently emphasized the need for financial tools that not only provide accurate data but also enable strategic decision-making across an organization. His personal experience, including a past layoff, likely informs his perspective on the real-world implications of financial planning.
Runway has garnered significant attention for its user-friendly interface and its aim to replace traditional, often cumbersome, spreadsheet-based financial planning. The company, which secured $27.5 million in a Series A round in 2023, is positioned as a modern alternative for businesses seeking more intuitive financial management. Chen's new newsletter extends this vision, sharing insights directly from his product-centric view of finance.
The announcement, made via his official Twitter account, invited followers to "like, comment, subscribe" to the new publication. This direct engagement with his audience reflects Chen's hands-on approach to sharing knowledge and fostering a community around practical finance. The newsletter is expected to offer valuable lessons for both finance professionals and non-financial stakeholders seeking to better understand and utilize financial data.