#scenario-planning

#scenario-planning

Google is rolling out Scenario Planner, a no-code tool designed to make its Meridian marketing mix model accessible to marketers who do not have a data science team on speed dial. Marketing mix modeling has long promised rigorous, data-driven budget optimization. The problem has always been usability. Scenario Planner aims to change that by turning complex model outputs into something marketing leaders can actually use.

As global markets continue to navigate economic uncertainty, one theme dominates business leadership discussions in 2026: decision quality under pressure. From capital allocation to talent retention, success increasingly depends on how well leaders assess environments, manage risk, and act decisively with limited information. Interestingly, these same principles are now being examined through the lens of the leisure and hospitality economy.

"The worst feeling in the world is to be in the middle of an incident and realize that it would be a great thing that you could do to resolve that incident, if only a tool had been built before, right? So it'd be great if you figure that out before you get into that incident, and then you have the tool ready to go. "

Scenario planning and agile governance: Finance chiefs are balancing cost efficiency with growth investments, while supply chain disruptions remain a major source of volatility and cost. Roughly 75% of respondents say their companies lack sufficient resources for investment, and priorities are tightly clustered: Planning for external challenges, adopting new technologies, and reducing costs all ranked nearly evenly at the top.

So, how do you stay ahead of the chaos, plan for slow months, and dodge financial surprises before they hit? Start with the right cash flow projection template-a high-impact tool that clarifies your financial runway, flags risks early, and helps you make smarter decisions. Stick with us, we've rounded up the best free templates to keep your cash flow in check.

In a world of SuperShifts, planning for the most probable future is no longer enough. We need approaches that embrace complexity, expand foresight, and prepare us for disruptions.