What happens when tariffs spike, marketing spend tightens, and customer acquisition costs keep climbing? On this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Fractional CFO Richie Mashiko to discuss how fast-growing e-commerce and CPG brands can weather today’s financial and operational challenges.

Host Erik Zhou sits down with Amber Papp, VP of Finance at Scentbird, to dive into the challenges of e-commerce accounting. Amber shares insights on managing massive inventory, scaling warehouse operations, and making smart automation decisions in a fast-growing subscription business. She and Erik also explore AI’s role in finance and the importance of data integrity. Plus, Amber reveals one of the wildest budget requests she’s ever received—hint: it involves a Cybertruck and a demolition derby.

On this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Brad Silicani, COO of Anrok, to talk about his journey from Big Four accounting to leading operations at a fast-growing tech company. They dive into the hard work it takes to build and optimize finance functions, from developing revenue recognition methods to managing international tax structuring ahead of an IPO, and discuss why a background in accounting and finance has helped Brad be the operations leader he is today.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, Erik Zhou sits down with Michael Williams, a Tax Partner at PwC, to unpack both his career path to Partnership and his firm’s POV on corporate tax strategies in 2025 and beyond.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, Erik Zhou sits down with Karen Wu, the Chief Accounting Officer at Clari, to discuss the role of accounting in a company’s exit strategy. The conversation starts with an overview of Karen’s time in Transaction Services at PWC, where she helped a myriad of companies prepare for IPO - including Alibaba, the largest IPO in US history. Drawing on those experiences, Karen covers the reasons why a company may look for an exit, the types of exit strategies, and the role of the accounting team in those strategies.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou sits down with Jeff Arensman, Controller at Bloomerang, to cover two important topics: building a finance function from scratch and the role of finance in acquisitions. For Jeff, the two are inextricably linked at Bloomerang. As the first finance hire at the company, his first task was supporting an acquisition that needed to close in just three weeks.

Accounting at growth-stage companies might not sound like an art form, but Desene Sterling makes it feel that way in this episode of Controllers Classified. As the Controller at Sourcegraph, she shares how building processes—like procurement workflows and streamlined month-end closes—can be as satisfying as painting a masterpiece. Desene reveals the chaos and creativity of scaling startups, from taming “free-for-all” credit card policies to navigating the complexities of revenue recognition. Packed with humor and insights, this episode highlights how accountants can balance structure with innovation while forging strong relationships to drive impactful change.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou, CAO at Brex, dives into the world of accounting and automation with Jake Jones, Controller at FinQuery. Jake shares his journey from a decade at Cherry Bekaert to his current role, detailing his transition approach from audit to client side. The conversation then explores Jake’s approach to finding efficiencies in the accounting process through automation tools, effective team building, and cross-functional relationship building.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, Erik Zhou speaks with Jessica Peng, Controller at Invoca, about mastering change management. Jessica shares her experiences transitioning from a Big Four to client side, offering insights into SOX compliance and the nuances of internal controls. She then uses Invoca’s recent revenue recognition system overhaul to highlight best practices and considerations for managing complex change.

In this special bonus episode of Controllers Classified, host Eric Zhou, Chief Accounting Officer at Brex, is joined by Kevin Moore, Brex's Controller, to discuss the recent resignation of Ernst & Young as the auditor for Super Micro Computer. The conversation delves into the nuances surrounding auditor transitions and explores potential reasons behind such decisions, touching on factors like corporate governance, risk management, and regulatory scrutiny. The episode also highlights the challenges that will be faced by both the internal accounting team at Super Micro and the audit team at EY as a result of the shift.

In this episode host Erik Zhou is joined in discussion by Eric Van Cleve, Controller at 8x8. The episode begins with Eric sharing how he thinks about directing accounting operations at scaling companies, including how to structure teams and make automation decisions. It then turns to a deep dive on public company accounting, with Eric sharing recommendations for those accounting leaders who may be thinking about IPO readiness.

We’re thrilled to be joined by Jack McCullough, President of the CFO Leadership Council, for this episode of Controllers Classified. The episode takes a deep dive into how accounting and finance professionals can think about growth and development given the evolving role of the CFO and the rise of the CAO role.

In the season two premiere of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou welcomes Matt Didden, Controller at NexHealth, as he shares his journey in accounting at companies in highly regulated industries. He also spends some time defining the role of the controller in today’s world as well as talking about how to most effectively engage leaders and cross-functional team members on key projects.

In the season 1 finale of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Sarah Hinkfuss from Bain Capital Ventures for an overview of the VC investment landscape and a deep dive into her investment due diligence approach for growth stage companies.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Eugene Spevakov, Treasurer and Head of Corporate FP&A at 6sense. The conversation begins by tracing Eugene’s path, highlighting his start in civil engineering and his transition into treasury and corporate finance. It then does a deep dive into the primary responsibilities of a treasury function and Eugene’s focus areas at 6sense, including the design of an investment portfolio to optimize yield and reduce banking fees. The theme throughout is how to effectively manage the risk by identifying what you can control and scenario planning for what you can’t.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Erik Zhou is joined by Patrick Lynch, Senior Vice President and Controller of the Boston Celtics. Patrick first discusses career milestones (he started as a ball boy in the 90s!) and offers advice for entering the sports industry. The episode then does a deep dive in the world of accounting and finance for sports teams. How does revenue recognition work for sponsorships? How do you account for multi-year player contracts? What are the implications for renting vs. owning a stadium? All of this and more are covered in this exciting episode.

In this episode of Controllers Classified, host Eric Zhou is joined by Katie Slattery, VP of Accounting and Corporate Controller at Fivetran. The conversation begins with Katie’s start in Ireland at KPMG Dublin as an auditor, and traces her path from auditor to accountant. It covers key topics including building a high performing accounting function, thinking about IPO readiness in uncertain times, and navigating cross-border tax policies within a global company.

On this episode host Erik Zhou welcomes Barrett Daniels, the co-leader of US IPO services at Deloitte. Drawing from his two decades of expertise in guiding companies through the IPO journey, Barrett takes us on a deep exploration of the process – from the pivotal board decision to the exhilarating moment of ringing the bell at the stock exchange.

In this episode, host Eric Zhou welcomes Sean Soper, the Head of Financial Operations and Accounting at Alchemy, to discuss the state of the union for blockchain and web3, the possible accounting use cases for the technology, and regulatory considerations. It’s a must listen for finance tech enthusiasts!

In this engaging episode, we're joined by Tom Kelly, the Director of Product Marketing at NetSuite. The conversation starts with an overview of Tom’s career and his blending of experiences across finance, technology, and marketing at companies big and small. The theme throughout his experiences has been leading teams through technological leaps in search of greater process efficiency. The conversation then shifts to Tom’s role, priorities, and roadmap at NetSuite given where he sees the ERP and broader finance ecosystem headed.