In today's episode of the Smart in Public podcast, the Katies welcome Daniella Vallurupalli, VP and Head of Global Communications at Cloudflare, to demystify the role of communications professionals during the IPO process.

Daniella shares the importance of preparing for an IPO well in advance (with some incredibly helpful tips on how to do that), how to get a S.E.A.T. at the table throughout the entire process, and the unique challenges faced by comms teams when trying to navigate a time at the company where it's likely it's everyone's first rodeo -- even your stakeholders. We cover key strategies for tracking media, maintaining transparency, identifying who your new best friends on the leadership team (looking at you IR and legal), and preparing executives and employees for messaging beyond IPO.

Thank you so much Daniella for coming on the show!

Chapters

07:18 - The Importance of Communications in IPOs
12:23 - When to Start Preparing for an IPO
15:55 - Key Steps for Comms Professionals Pre-IPO
19:08 - Tracking Media and Conversations
22:40 - Maintaining Regular Announcements During Quiet Periods
24:01 - Understanding the S1 Document
27:28 - The Role of Comms During the IPO Process
30:25 - Cultural Shifts in Comms Pre and Post-IPO
33:18 - Balancing Transparency with Regulation
36:02 - Preparing Executives for Public Speaking
39:15 - Mock Earnings Calls and Their Importance
43:50 - Celebrating the IPO Day
46:17 - Final Thoughts and Advice for Comms Professionals

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Demystifying the IPO for comms with Daniella Vallurupalli