How can strong tagging practices make or break your FinOps strategy?

In this episode of FinOps in Action, I sat down with Sherri Wooldridge, Manager of Cloud FinOps at Carnival Cruise Lines and former FinOps lead at 3M, to explore the foundational role of data classification and tagging in cloud cost management. Sherri shares early lessons from her FinOps career, explains why weak tagging can derail M&A activity, and stresses the importance of aligning with finance teams on how costs are tracked and reported.

Together, we dive into key topics, including:

• Why scalable tagging strategies are critical for accurate reporting and savings

• The value of cost avoidance and collaboration between engineering and finance

• How to educate leadership on the variable nature of cloud spend vs. CapEx

• Tips for building relationships through agile meetings and one-on-one conversations

• The cultural challenges of cloud-first transformation post-acquisition

Sherri also touches on the future of FinOps in AI, and shares a glimpse into her life in Utah—from book recs to downtime between initiatives.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more real-world FinOps insights, cloud cost best practices, and expert leadership strategies!

Quote of the Show:

• “ Fix what you can, because it's very foundational. Tagging is so foundational at the resource level.” - Sherri Wooldridge

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherri-wooldridge/
• Website: https://www.carnival.com/

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• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finops-in-action/id1790497808
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• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3IpjMc3qxDXZAjic5Zq21t
• Transistor: finopsinaction.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PointFiveCloudCostEfficiency