E13: Architecting IPO Readiness from Day One with Nadia Asoyan, Formerly of Square, Robinhood, and Strike
"Tech Finance" with Sasha Orloff: B2B Fintech | AI | Finance Tech
Intro
Learn about the critical steps and strategies for setting up scalable processes and relationships with product managers and engineers from the beginning to ensure IPO readiness, featuring insights from industry experts.
In this episode, Sasha sits down with Nadia Asoyan, former CFO of Strike, Robinhood, and Controller at Square. Nadia shares her journey from EY to Silicon Valley's top fintech rocketships, offering invaluable insights on transitioning from accounting to CFO positions. She discusses the challenges of IPO readiness, the evolution of financial processes in fast-growth startups, and the delicate balance between growth and profitability. Nadia also provides candid advice for aspiring CFOs, emphasizing the importance of cross-functional partnerships and data literacy.
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LINKS:
Strike: https://strike.me/
X/SOCIAL
@sashaorloff
@NadiaAsoyan
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:06) Nadia’s Accounting Origins
(04:17) Big Four Lessons
(07:38) Square's Early Days
(09:03) The Audit to In-House Transition
(11:22) IPO Readiness at Square
(17:05) Building Processes at Robinhood
(18:21) Sponsors: Netsuite | CommandBar
(21:00) Attracting Founders
(24:30) Expanding Responsibilities
(28:18) Evolving Processes
(28:42) Sponsors: Babbel | Attio
(32:33) Advice for Accounting Professionals
(35:05) Board Management and Fundraising
(42:00) Board Meetings
(45:20) Growth vs. Profitability
(48:32) Counterintuitive Advice
(50:00) Misconceptions and Unsolved Problems
(54:41) Square IPO Challenges
(59:48) Complexity and Automation
(1:04:10) Free Products and Hyper Growth
(1:07:01) Pricing Models
(1:10:22) Budget Setting
(1:14:20 ) Wrap
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