Off the Books

Camping season is upon us! The crew asks Kelly Davis, Director of Research for the Outdoor Industry Association, how she works with the office of finance and what outdoor trends she’s seeing. Then Steve and Catherine sneak in questions about skiing, and it’s all downhill from there. Listen in:

ESG Talk’s Mandi McReynolds joins Off the Books to give an ESG director’s point of view on the SEC’s climate disclosure proposal, while Steve offers the perspective of an SEC reporting director. Will they see eye to eye? Will Catherine have to give them a timeout? Will the Workiva podiverse ever be the same? Tune in:

Mike pits Catherine and Steve up against fan favorite The Shawshank Redemption. Does this Stephen King adaptation count as an accounting movie? Does its beloved reputation make sense? Is there ever such thing as TOO much Morgan Freeman narration? Tune in for the answers to all of the questions and more!

Wouldn't it be nice if crypto accounting were less ... cryptic? FASB, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, has finally said it will think about setting rules around accounting for certain digital assets like bitcoin. Ben Taylor of SoftLedger, whose accounting software can help automate cryptocurrency transactions, breaks it all down. Listen in.

The first part of season 3 is in the books (errr, off the books?), and it’s time to listen back to our deep conversations about career paths, what to disclose, and even the best accounting movies before we head out for spring break. Plus, a teaser for the new podcast from Mandi McReynolds!

As companies work to protect employees in Ukraine, they’re also making related adjustments in accounting and risk management. This week, Steve and Catherine are joined by Mike Ruble, an audit partner at PwC, to dig into issues from asset impairment to materiality to the risk of nationalization.

Kevin O’Leary of “Shark Tank” fame recently spoke about ESG investing, so Catherine decided to make Steve share his unfiltered reactions to what Mr. Wonderful said.

The office loudmouth isn’t the only one swearing at work. A few executives have let an expletive—or eight—fly in public, according to transcripts analyzed by the AI-powered financial search engine Sentieo. Nick Mazing returns to give us the real shi—er, scoop.

Researchers say audit experience can influence a chief financial officer’s behavior—but not forever. Returning guest Josh Gertsch has worked with CFOs in a variety of ways and unleashes his expertise on the topic. Listen in:

Mike Whitmire wasn’t even a decade out from graduating with an accounting degree when he co-founded FloQast, a software company created by accountants for accountants in 2013. Mike shares how he became CEO of a startup, how he keeps blazing his own path, and why he wanted to make a web series for accountants.

It’s a takeover! Off the Books producer Mike Gravagno takes the microphone, yo (see what we did there), and we’ll never be the same. It’s an episode unlike any other. Check it out.

How does someone go from earning an accounting degree to becoming a securities lawyer? Catherine and Steve are joined by Alan J. Wilson, JD, CPA, of the law firm WilmerHale to discover what led him down a career path where law and accounting intersect—and what secrets are hidden in such an intersection!

Podcast recidivist Nick Mazing of Sentieo returns for a look at trends in Q4 2021 earnings calls and earnings releases! Catherine, Steve, and Nick discuss what public companies are saying about Ukraine, inflation, and the disease that shall not be named. Plus, what’s the most-searched item on Valentine’s Day?

Moves are under way in the investment universe to help individual shareholders take back the vote! Will that change how CEOs and boards act? Tune in as we wade into the waters of corporate civics with David Webber, author of "The Rise of the Working-Class Shareholder: Labor's Last Best Weapon."

Black accountants are underrepresented in the profession, which matters as companies look at candidates to promote on the path to CFO. Levongia Carrera of Airbnb shares what can help Black executives feel more supported.

Podcast recidivist Nick Mazing returns to break down 10-Ks, CEO letters, the historical approach to accounting, and the non-traditional sources of information that offer hints of how investors truly value a company—even when that company’s voice is cracking and it isn’t always sure what it wants to be when it grows up.

A few private companies that drew big headlines and even bigger valuations have imploded, taking investors’ cash down with them. Should we require private companies to tell us more? Is that like forcing teens to post on social media when they’re still in their sloppy, angst-filled years? Nemit Shroff shares his thoughts.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is taking a closer look at rules for special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs—the blank check firms that have drawn celebrity endorsements from the likes of Shaq, Serena Williams, and A-Rod. Michael Coke of the law firm Wilson Sonsini joins Off the Books to break it all down!

The hosts talk to Brandon Ziegler, chief legal officer at Workiva, about insider trading and how executives might get themselves in trouble, even when they have 10b5-1 plans that are meant to help them steer clear of it.

To kick off Season 3, Steve and Catherine are joined by Matt Kelly of "Radical Compliance," the blog devoted to corporate compliance, audit, and risk management issues. Matt picks through clues in the latest State of the SOX/Internal Controls Market Report to decipher how SOX compliance teams fared through the pandemic.

On this special bonus episode, returning guest Nick Mazing of Sentieo joins Steve Soter and new co-host Catherine Tsai to share nuggets from companies’ Q3 earnings disclosures. They talk supply chain issues, housing markets, inflation, flies in Chardonnay, and so much more! We’ll be back in 2022 with season 3!

The hosts talk to author Erica Dhawan about her latest book, "Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance," and share practical advice on how companies and teams can build cultures that thrive, even from a distance.

Nick Renkoski and Steve Soter are joined by Nick Mazing of Sentieo and Nancy Mentesana of the Argyle Company to discuss Workiva’s new Marketplace and its benefits.

Nick Renkoski, Steve Soter and Penny Ashley-Lawrence complete their discussion of the challenges of women in finance and what can be done.

Nick Renkoski and Steve Soter are joined by Penny Ashley-Lawrence to discuss workplace issues that affect women and what everyone can do to make the world of finance more fair.