Off the Books

Ask a Former SEC Regional Director Anything

April 25, 2024 07:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MB

Steve and Catherine got to ask a former SEC regional director two big questions: Just how much should a CEO know about operations? What’s up with the SEC climate disclosure rule now that it’s stayed? David Peavler of Jones Day shares his perspective and blows their minds! Listen now.

What Is NOCLAR? Breaking Down the PCAOB's Proposal

April 18, 2024 07:00 - 16 minutes - 15.7 MB

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s NOCLAR proposal has caused quite a stir in the audit community. Matt Kelly, Editor and CEO of Radical Compliance, joins Steve and Catherine to share more about what the NOCLAR audit proposal is, why many audit firms are expressing concerns about it, and what audit committees are asking about it. Tune in to get all the details! Read Matt Kelly’s article on NOCLAR here: https://www.radicalcompliance.com/2024/02/27/noclar-audit-proposal-keeps...

Audit and Risk Prep for the SEC Climate Rule

April 11, 2024 07:00 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MB

Now that the SEC climate disclosure rule is final, Off the Books hosts Steve Soter and Catherine Tsai bring Matt Kelly of Radical Compliance back on the show to dive into what it means for internal audit and risk teams. Hear more from Matt on the SEC cybersecurity rule in this podcast episode Learn more about how audit and risk teams can prepare for ESG assurance Get a full summary of the SEC climate disclosure rule in this blog post

Off the Books vs. All the Smartest Queen’s Horses in the Room

April 04, 2024 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MB

Off the Books takes on two movies up for our consideration as the best accounting movie of all time, and they’re both documentaries—Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and All the Queen’s Horses. Hear what Steve, Catherine, and Mike think of these two films. For a look back at all the movies in the running for best accounting movie, check out the original episode (and movie bracket). For more accounting fun, follow us or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss any new e...

The Strategy of a Pre-IPO Accounting Leader

March 28, 2024 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.5 MB

After working with global companies, Nick Gerostathos got into the venture capital and private equity game, helping companies on the road to going public. Today he’s the Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller at Talkdesk. Catherine Tsai and Josh Gertsch ask him about challenges facing private companies.

Different Perspectives From Internal Audit Leaders

March 21, 2024 07:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MB

Tom Rams, Charles Silvey, and Waseem Samaan stopped by the Off the Books Studio at Amplify to talk about the state of global audit. The three internal audit leaders shared their thoughts on ESG, curiosity, gen AI, career advice, and so much more. Tune in!

Making Sense of the SEC Rule on Climate-Related Disclosures

March 15, 2024 07:00 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MB

In light of the SEC's new climate-related disclosure rule, the ESG Talk and Off the Books podcast crews huddled to make sense of it all. In this episode, Steve Soter asks Mandi McReynolds, head of ESG at Workiva, and Andie Wood, Vice President of Regulatory Strategy at Workiva, for their thoughts. Then Jonathan Gregory, North America Controller at The Hershey Co., and Alan Wilson, Partner at WilmerHale, share their initial reactions, what surprised them in the rule, and some of their quest...

Off the Books vs. Stranger Than Fiction

March 07, 2024 08:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MB

It’s another movie episode! Could Stranger Than Fiction, a quiet, metatextual Will Ferrell indie rom-com actually be the best accounting movie? Will Mike get too defensive about one of his favorite movies? Can a movie about writing a novel capture the life of an IRS auditor? Tune in!

Inside Baseball: What It’s Like to Be CFO with Steve Cates

February 29, 2024 08:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MB

Follow Off the Books so you don’t miss any of our upcoming interviews of accounting and finance leaders! You can find all our episodes at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast.

Getting Ready for Regulations and Gen AI

February 22, 2024 08:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MB

Follow Off the Books so you don’t miss any of our upcoming interviews of accounting, finance, and risk leaders at Amplify.

The Road to Becoming a Financial Controls Director

February 15, 2024 08:00 - 14 minutes - 13.8 MB

Believe it or not, a dental hygienist helped nudge Amy Hafen of AstraZeneca down the path to becoming a financial controls director. Mike and Catherine caught up with Amy at the Workiva Amplify conference to ask her more about it on this episode of Off the Books. Follow Off the Books so you don’t miss any of our upcoming interviews of accounting, finance, and risk leaders.

Checking in on Cybersecurity & SEC Comment Letters on Climate

February 08, 2024 08:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MB

Off the Books is back with updates on a few hot topics, including the SEC cybersecurity rule and SEC comment letters on climate-related disclosures. Nicola White of Bloomberg and Nick Mazing of AlphaSense pop in to tell Steve, Catherine, and Mike what’s new. Hit that “Follow” button for Off the Books wherever you hear your podcasts to catch updates on these topics and more throughout the year.

Reading the Tea Leaves: Predictions for Cybersecurity, ChatGPT, and More!

December 14, 2023 08:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MB

Matt Kelly of Radical Compliance returns! Catherine and Steve pepper him with questions about defining a material cybersecurity event, whether or not ChatGPT is going to replace us all, new regulations, and more! Tune in.

Gotta Keep ‘Em Regulated

December 07, 2023 08:00 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MB

Arthy Kumar, Workiva Industry Principal for Investments and Financial Services, stops by to answer producer Mike’s questions about the SEC! What’s the deal with the SEC private fund regulations? How is it changing the private fund industry? What’s the SEC approval process for naming funds? Find out:

Get That Job: How to Become a Financial Controller

November 30, 2023 08:00 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MB

When Thermon Inc. Vice President and Corporate Controller Greg Lucas plotted his course for becoming a CFO, controller, or finance leader, he thought about it from the perspective of a hiring manager. “I wanted to almost take away every excuse that a hiring manager would have not to hire me,” he quipped. Steve and Catherine asked Greg to share his list of six things hiring managers look for when filling accounting and finance roles. Listen in!

Q3 Earnings Wrap-Up with Nick Mazing: Pumpkin Spice Edition

November 16, 2023 08:00 - 19 minutes - 17.9 MB

Nick Mazing of AlphaSense returns to talk about surprise appearances in companies’ earnings calls and disclosures this fall. Diet drugs, for one! Steve and Catherine ask what other trends Nick is seeing. Listen in!

How to Assess the Materiality of a Cybersecurity Event

November 09, 2023 08:00 - 16 minutes - 15.2 MB

Steve and Catherine ask Workiva General Counsel Brandon Ziegler how he would handle a cybersecurity incident. How would he assess if the incident is material and needs to be disclosed? Listen now.

Capital Markets Trends with Mike Nordtvedt and Josh Gertsch

November 02, 2023 07:00 - 13 minutes - 12.6 MB

Mike Nordtvedt, partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and unofficial Off the Books co-host Josh Gertsch stopped by the studio at the Workiva Amplify conference to dish about the state of capital markets and what companies can do to get ready to go public. Listen in.

Straight Tea with Accounting, ESG, Audit, Risk, & Compliance Experts

October 26, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes - 29.4 MB

Off the Books set up a studio in the middle of the action at the Workiva Amplify conference and interviewed accounting, finance, ESG, and GRC leaders like you. Hear from: Rachael Staab, ESG Tiffany Leiva, internal audit Maria Siglin, internal audit Jonathan Gregory, accounting and finance Jeffrey Pullen, accounting and finance Ana Sheikh, ESG We asked them about their careers, what they’re looking for in the year ahead, and how to get the most out of conferences like Amplify. Listen i...

Fallout from Fines at a SPAC Audit Firm

October 19, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 18.1 MB

Show notes: Read more from Nicola and Bloomberg on the soaring IPO and SPAC markets that ensnared two audit firms.

Getting Comfortable with Climate Disclosures

October 12, 2023 07:00 - 21 minutes - 20.3 MB

Show notes: Join the SEC Professionals Group to attend events like the one featuring Emily. Membership is free and open to people who are members of financial reporting teams, even if your organization is not a public company. Learn more. Follow Off the Books to catch all upcoming episodes.

Unite to Ignite: Workiva Amplify 2023

September 26, 2023 08:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MB

View select sessions from Workiva Amplify 2023 on demand. Sign up for the virtual conference to gain access. Learn more about Amplify Asia Pacific and Amplify EMEA. If you’re in the Americas, watch this space for more information about how to join us at Workiva Amplify 2024 in Denver.

Generative AI Goes to Accounting Class

August 31, 2023 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MB

Show notes: Read the paper David co-authored for more details of how Uniper used ChatGPT for internal audit tasks Hear more about generative AI for accounting, finance, risk, audit, and ESG professionals at Amplify

Real Talk on the SEC Cybersecurity Disclosure Rule

August 07, 2023 08:00 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MB

In this bonus episode of Off the Books, Catherine and Steve host Alan Wilson of the law firm WilmerHale to think through how companies will comply with the SEC’s final rule on cybersecurity disclosures.

Internal Auditors, Unite! IIA International Conference Recap

August 03, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MB

Show notes: If you’re looking for stories from internal audit heroes, Grant recommends Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower, the book from former WorldCom Chief Audit Executive Cynthia Cooper. Cynthia Cooper will be speaking at the SOX Professionals Group Summit in September. Register for the SOX Professionals Group to get the details as they are released. Membership is free. If you liked this episode, you can help us out by subscribing to Off the Books! H...

Encore Episode: How to Tame Conference Anxiety and Enjoy the Show

July 27, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MB

Join us for Amplify Nashville this September 19-21 and connect with some of the brightest minds around. Register now: https://www.workiva.com/amplify. To learn more about Robert Coplan and his work check out robertcoplan.com. And you can get his books here: The Handbook of Solitude: Psychological Perspectives on Social Isolation, Social Withdrawal, and Being Alone, 2nd Edition Quiet at School The Development of Shyness and Social Withdrawal

Back to Basics, Part 2: So…Who Regulates ESG? (And More Q&A)

July 20, 2023 07:00 - 19 minutes - 18.4 MB

Show notes: Ask Steve Soter and Mark Mellen your own questions in person at Amplify. Register now. Subscribe to Off the Books! Hit the “subscribe” button on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. Find every episode of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast

Back to Basics, Part 1: What’s Up with SEC Climate Disclosures?

July 13, 2023 07:00 - 23 minutes - 22.2 MB

Show notes: For a quick look at what’s in the proposed SEC climate disclosure rule and how to prepare for it, check out this infographic. Subscribe to Off the Books! Hit the “subscribe” button on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. Find every episode of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast

It’s All Right, It’s OK: Stayin’ Alive in Uncertainty

July 06, 2023 07:00 - 23 minutes - 21.7 MB

Show notes: Here’s the survey Steve mentioned that shows executives proactively planning to comply with proposed climate-related disclosure rules. See what else Josh has said about turning uncertainty into opportunities for CFOs and controllers. You can hear more from Josh at Amplify, Workiva’s annual conference, where he will speak about building a resilient accounting team. Subscribe and listen to all the episodes of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast.

Uncovering the Sexiest of SEC Filings with Footnoted.com

June 29, 2023 07:00 - 24 minutes - 23.6 MB

Show notes: Michelle Leder is the author of the book Financial Fine Print: Uncovering a Company’s True Value. She also runs footnoted* and the site’s subscription newsletter, Friday Night Dump, where she uncovers juicy tidbits within SEC filings. Her free newsletter is available via LinkedIn. Find all episodes of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast

Off the Books vs. The Accountant

June 22, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes - 35.2 MB

Show notes: Review which movies the crew originally considered when producer Mike Gravagno asked them to find the best accounting movie. Tell us what they got right and wrong about the movies they’ve debated so far: The Shawshank Redemption Ghostbusters Moonstruck The Untouchables Everything Everywhere All at Once Find all episodes of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast

Real Talk on SEC Rules with David Peavler

June 15, 2023 07:00 - 18 minutes - 17.6 MB

Show notes: Financial reporting professionals for private, public, nonprofit, or government organizations can join the SEC Professionals Group (it’s free!) to catch all of David’s comments from the Pro Group Q1 meeting. Find all episodes of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast

Capital Markets, IPOs, and Fab Founders with Mary Grove

June 08, 2023 07:00 - 16 minutes - 15 MB

Show notes: As Mary mentioned in this episode, her office hours at Bread and Butter Ventures are open to anyone. Learn more. Find all episodes of Off the Books at workiva.com/off-the-books-podcast

Overstock CEO Jonathan Johnson on Governance, the G in ESG

April 13, 2023 19:24 - 23 minutes - 22.3 MB

Jonathan Johnson, who became CEO of Overstock after founder Patrick Byrne resigned, chats with Catherine and Steve about the “G” in ESG, cryptocurrency, and setting the tone from the top. During his career at Overstock and elsewhere, Jonathan has served as a general counsel and CFO, giving him an appreciation for strong corporate governance. Tune in!

The Impact of Internal Audit—What We Learned at IIA GAM 2023

April 06, 2023 07:00 - 30 minutes - 28.9 MB

Show Notes: The draft of the Global Internal Audit Standards is now available for public comment through May 30, 2023 Check out the IIA’s yearly report, the Pulse of Internal Audit, which provides insights about internal audit budgets, staff, audit plans, risks, and more Get more internal audit tips and takeaways for 2023

Behind the Scenes of “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street”

March 30, 2023 07:00 - 37 minutes - 34.9 MB

Show Notes: The Netflix docuseries Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street was directed by Joe Berlinger. Jim Campbell is the author of Madoff Talks: Uncovering the Untold Story Behind the Most Notorious Ponzi Scheme in History and was co-executive producer of Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street. He is also assistant news director at WCGH-AM. Ali Levin, a co-producer of Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street, is also a comedian, impressionist, actor, writer, singer, and film producer.

What Happened to Silicon Valley Bank, and What’s Next?

March 23, 2023 07:00 - 31 minutes - 30 MB

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the ripple effects have left us with so many questions. Catherine and Steve sit down with former auditors Ernest Anunciacion and Josh Gertsch to try to answer them all. Let’s dive in.

Off the Books vs. Everything Everywhere All At Once

March 16, 2023 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MB

Show notes: Review which movies the crew originally considered when producer Mike Gravagno asked them to find the best accounting movie. Tell us what they got right and wrong about the movies they’ve debated so far: The Shawshank Redemption Ghostbusters Moonstruck The Untouchables

How I Became a Controller (Who Also Does ESG Accounting)

March 09, 2023 08:00 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MB

Catherine and Steve sat down with Jonathan Gregory, North America Controller for The Hershey Co., to discuss how he ended up with what has to be one of the sweetest accounting and finance jobs in Pennsylvania. Sink your teeth into this episode.

Breaking Down Q4 2022 Earnings with Nick Mazing

March 02, 2023 08:00 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MB

Nick Mazing of AlphaSense is back to cover a whirlwind of info related to Q4 2022 earnings. The crew covers what companies are saying about crypto, interest, inflation, and more hot topics in their annual reports. Plus, we asked ChatGPT to come up with our closing question of the day. What could go wrong? Listen in!

Finance and Accounting Trends for Job Hoppers and Their Bosses

February 23, 2023 08:00 - 25 minutes - 23.9 MB

Read some of the latest news from Robert Half on hiring trends in accounting and finance and more: Employment trends and demand for skilled talent Salary guide for finance and accounting Survey: Nearly half of U.S. workers plan to look for a new position in the new year

Encore Episode: Diversity in Accounting

February 16, 2023 08:00 - 39 minutes - 37.7 MB

This 2022 episode is too relevant not to re-air this year. Black accountants are underrepresented in the profession, which matters as companies look at candidates to promote to CFO. Levongia Carrera shares what can help Black executives feel more supported in the workplace.

An ESG Community with Financial Reporting Folks and More

February 09, 2023 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MB

Learn more about the ESG Professionals Group, and join for free.

Off the Books vs. The Untouchables

February 02, 2023 08:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MB

Review which movies the crew originally considered when Mike Gravagno asked them to find the best accounting movie. Tell us what they got right and wrong about the movies they’ve debated so far: The Shawshank Redemption Ghostbusters Moonstruck

The Truth About Corporate Fraud

January 26, 2023 08:00 - 26 minutes - 25.1 MB

Show notes: Read the study mentioned in this episode. The study was written by Alexander Dyck, Adair Morse, and Luigi Zingales and was mentioned in the January 14, 2023, edition of DealBook.

Building Trust in the Workplace Without the Trust Falls

January 19, 2023 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MB

For more of what Curt Steinhorst said about how leaders build trust and spark organizational confidence, watch his webinar on demand. Let us know what trends you’re seeing in your workplace. Take the 2023 workplace trends survey before February 28, 2023, for a chance to win a fitness mirror.

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