Whether navigating a high-growth startup or a maturing public entity, the Controller’s mandate is clear: move at the speed of the business, maintain pinpoint accuracy, and strike a delicate balance between rapid innovation and rigorous compliance. This fireside chat unites two distinct vantage points on the path to scale: the foundational approach of a high-growth, pre-IPO solo controller and the scalable systems architecture of a director at a recently public tech company. Kristin Johannimloh and Michael Rapp (Reddit) will discuss the evolution from scrappy manual processes to the robust, financial infrastructure required to sustain long-term growth. Attendees will explore: - The AI maturity curve: Strategies for deploying AI effectively across different stages of growth—from a team of one to a lean, SOX-compliant organization at a public company. - Compliance meets innovation: How to maintain move fast agility while ensuring documentation, global standards, and professional judgment remain intact. - Strategic evolution of controllership: Transitioning from manual workstreams and fragmented data to integrated, connected systems ready for an AI-driven future. - Building an IPO-ready high-performing team: How to build a high-performing team that can handle the move to a public company without losing the "scrappy" energy that got you there.