TJ Johnson of MGM Resorts International Shares That FinOps Isn’t a Solo Job & Why Partnerships Matter
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.
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:
In this episode of FinOps in Action, TJ Johnson of MGM Resorts International shares how to drive real FinOps impact through trust-building, sustainability reporting, and unit economics. With decades of experience, TJ explains how to shift from KPI-driven metrics to momentum-based KMIs, use partnership language to improve collaboration, and engage engineers without gimmicks. This conversation is packed with practical strategies for scaling FinOps and reducing cloud waste.