FinOps Isn’t a Solo Job & Why Partnerships Matter ft. TJ Johnson, MGM Resorts International | Ep 30

How do you build a FinOps practice that balances cloud cost optimization, sustainability, and deep cross-functional engagement?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I am joined by TJ Johnson, Lead Architect for Platform Economics at MGM Resorts International. With over 25 years in IT and 15 years focused on public cloud and optimization, TJ shares a refreshing look at what really drives impact in FinOps—from relationship-building and soft skills to sustainability reporting and unit economics.

TJ breaks down how to move from KPI-driven thinking to momentum-based KMI frameworks, why partnership language changes FinOps collaboration, and how to engage engineers in meaningful ways—without relying on one-off gamification tactics.

Here’s what we talked about:

• Why soft skills and trust-building are critical to FinOps success

• How to incentivize engineering teams without creating bad incentives

• The difference between KPIs and KMIs—and why it matters

• Sustainability modeling in cloud and how to build your own

• What "cost to serve" really tells you about engineering maturity

If you're trying to scale a FinOps practice, engage engineering teams, and reduce cloud waste—this conversation is packed with insights you can use right now.

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Quote of the Show:

• " If you find a measurement is no longer giving you what you're looking for, it's no longer effective. If it shifts from a decision making measurement to an awareness measurement, you need to find another one, because all of your measurements should require an action. Otherwise, why are you measuring it?" - TJ Johnson

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyrjohnson/
• Website: https://www.mgmresorts.com/en.html

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