William Y.

William Yang

5.0

(2)

FP&A | Cornell MBA | Entertainment and Consumer Tech

Johnson Graduate School of Management (Cornell) Logo

Studied at Johnson Graduate School of Management (Cornell)

Apple Logo

Worked at Apple

Successful clients at

Available Thursday at 2:00 PM UTC

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William's Coaching Offerings

Custom hourly · $69/hr

Get help with Variance Analysis, Skill Building, and .

William’s FP&A Qualifications

Experience level: Director

I'm a Director of FP&A Business Strategy & Planning at Lionsgate, where I help leadership evaluate decisions shaping the direction of one of the most recognizable names in global entertainment. But my path to strategic FP&A wasn't linear — and that's exactly what makes me an effective coach. My FP&A experience spans three distinct industries: entertainment (Lionsgate), hyper-growth CPG (Patco Brands), and healthcare technology (Providence St. Joseph Health). Across each, I've owned different parts of the P&L — from gross margin to G&A overhead and OpEx forecasting — which gives me a well-rounded view of what different FP&A roles actually require and how to position yourself for them. Before FP&A, I spent several years in Accounting, Tax, and M&A — at PwC advising 15+ clients across entertainment, financial services and technology, and later at Beats by Dr. Dre and Apple supporting a $3B acquisition. I understand firsthand what it takes to translate an Accounting or Tax background into a compelling FP&A narrative, because I've lived that transition myself. Whether you're making a pivot from Accounting, targeting your first FP&A role, or competing for a more senior seat — I can help you build the story, the skills, and the strategy to get there.

William can help with:

Variance Analysis

Skill Building

Financial Modeling

Financial Planning & Analysis

Networking Strategy

Promotion Strategy

Interview Prep

Budgeting & Forecasting

LinkedIn Review

Resume Review

View all of William’s categories

About William

I didn't enter the professional world knowing I wanted to end up in FP&A. Like a lot of finance professionals, I started in Big 4 accounting straight out of undergrad. I gravitated toward Tax because of how it sits at the intersection of economics, law, and business strategy — but over time, I realized I was more energized by the why behind the numbers than the compliance work itself. I wanted to be closer to where decisions were actually being made. That realization pushed me to invest in myself and pursue my MBA at Cornell's Johnson School of Management. After Cornell, I made a deliberate pivot into entertainment and media, one of my target industries. It wasn't a straight line. It took patience, strategy, and a lot of iteration before I landed where I wanted to be. Today I work in Business Strategy & Planning at Lionsgate, partnering with senior leadership on decisions that shape the future of the studio. But honestly, what energizes me most isn't the work itself — it's helping others navigate the kind of pivots I've made myself. I know what it feels like to: Question whether you're on the right finance track Try to break into a more strategic role without a "perfect" background Compete for roles where you're not the obvious candidate on paper Wonder how to tell a coherent career story across different industries or functions My coaching approach is systematic and direct. We won't just polish your resume — we'll build a clear, personalized strategy around your specific goal, whether that's landing your first FP&A role, breaking into entertainment and media, or accelerating your growth within corporate finance. Everything we do will be focused on what actually moves the needle.

Why do I coach?

When I was going through my own career transitions, I didn't have a roadmap. During my full-time MBA at Cornell, I was pursuing a path that sat largely outside the traditional on-campus recruiting process — which meant fewer guardrails, less institutional support, and a lot of figuring things out on my own. My eventual pivot into entertainment and media took longer than it needed to, not because I lacked the skills, but because I lacked a clear strategy and someone in my corner who had done it before. That experience stuck with me. I know how isolating it can feel to be mid-transition — capable and motivated, but unsure how to connect the dots between where you are and where you want to be. I also know that with the right framing, the right preparation, and a concrete plan, those transitions are absolutely achievable. That's why I coach. I want to be the resource I wish I'd had — someone who has navigated the pivot from Accounting to strategic FP&A, broken into a competitive industry, and can help you do the same with less friction and more confidence. If you're a finance professional who knows you're capable of more but isn't sure how to position yourself for the next move — that's exactly who I built this for.

Work Experience

Lionsgate Logo

Director, FP&A Business Strategy and Planning

Lionsgate

July 2022 - Present

Hiring Manager

Currently Director of FP&A Business Strategy & Planning within the Motion Picture Group. Promoted from Senior Manager, FP&A Business Strategy and Planning (July 2022 - March 2025). Primary focus on the Library, Multi-Platform and Direct to Streaming business segments as well as providing overall support for the consolidation of reporting and forecasting for the Motion Picture Group.

Patco Brands Logo

Manager - Financial Planning & Analysis

Patco Brands

December 2020 - July 2022

Hiring Manager

MPL is maker of margaritas, tequila, hard seltzers and Irish cream liqueur among other spirits under our own brands and for private labels. Brands with nationwide distribution include Rancho La Gloria Ready to Drink Margaritas, TX Ranch Water Co Hard Seltzer, Pipers Irish Country Cream and Magave Tequila. Sold at major retailers including Costco, H.E.B, Kroger's, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods and many more. Generalist FP&A role supporting all areas of the business including gross margin modeling, sales and operations planning and corporate development.

Providence Logo

Senior Financial Analyst

Providence

2019 - 2020

Supported business unit with operating expenses of $200M+ and headcount of 700+ within the technology division of 3rd largest nonprofit healthcare system in the country with $25B+ in systemwide operating revenue. Budgeting, forecasting, month end close, ad hoc financial analysis and business case development for technology investments.

Independent consultants Logo

FP&A Analyst

Independent consultants

January 2019 - April 2019

Client: Los Angeles based management consulting startup founded by former AMEX and Accenture employees ✔Built from scratch bottoms up revenue, headcount and operating expense forecast models ✔Created Excel based engagement profitability tool to help assess go/no-go decision in response to RFPs

BR Venture Fund Logo

Associate

BR Venture Fund

June 2017 - May 2018

Performed due diligence and made investment recommendations on seed stage companies - analysis of business models, financial projections, market research, regulatory landscape, exit ops and management team assessment

Apple Logo

Tax Analyst

Apple

August 2014 - April 2016

Focused on deal close and post merger integration for $3B Beats Electronics and Beats Music deal, the largest deal size to date in Apple's history. In addition, I conducted due diligence for ongoing M&A deals across various tech verticals as member of a cross-functional M&A team.

Beats by Dre Logo

Senior Tax Accountant

Beats by Dre

January 2013 - July 2014

I left PwC for my first in house gig at Beats by Dr. Dre. Joining a hyper growth startup as one of the 1st 300 employees allowed me to have a front row seat at what it takes to scale a consumer lifestyle brand on a global basis. - First hire to report directly to VP of Tax and International Operations - Supported launch of US and International DTC, rollout of in store POP displays nationwide and various retail initiatives - Conducted sell side due diligence to facilitate minority investment from The Carlyle Group

PwC Logo

Senior Tax Associate

PwC

September 2008 - January 2013

- Fortune 500 and mid market clients across entertainment and media, financial services and technology sectors

William was also given offers to work at

  • Mattel Logo

    Mattel

Education

Johnson Graduate School of Management (Cornell) Logo

Johnson Graduate School of Management (Cornell)

Master of Business Administration - MBA, Financial Analysis and Consulting

Activities and societies: BR Venture Fund; Old Ezra Finance Club; High Tech Club; Media, Entertainment & Sports Club; Health Hackathon; Colombia Trek

USC Marshall School of Business Logo

USC Marshall School of Business

Master’s Degree, Business Taxation

University of Washington Logo

University of Washington

Bachelor's Degree, Accounting

2 Reviews

Overall Rating

5.0


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William Y.

William Y.

5.0

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