Incoming Statements
"Incoming Statements" is your guide to mastering modern accounting challenges. Whether it’s perfecting your month-end close, preparing for audits, or harnessing AI for better financial decisions, this podcast gives you the tools to streamline your processes, elevate your role, and deliver insights that matter.
Scaling for Success: Ajay Vashee's Journey from Dropbox to IVP
In this episode of Incoming Statements, Anthony Alvernaz sits down with Ajay Vashee, General Partner at IVP and former CFO of Dropbox. Ajay discusses his career path, sharing insights into his time at Dropbox and his transition to venture capital. He emphasizes the importance of purpose-driven companies and measurable metrics in achieving long-term success.
Ajay explains how Dropbox's mission to simplify file sharing guided its early growth. He highlights the value of setting ambitious goals while remaining adaptable to market changes. He notes that companies should regularly check if their goals align with current market conditions and...
Data Infrastructure: The Central Pillar for Modern Finance Operations
In this episode of Incoming Statements, host Anthony Alvernaz speaks with Sruthi Lanka, CFO of Public. With a unique background transitioning from software engineering during the financial crisis to finance leadership, Sruthi shares her perspective on how data and finance should be intertwined in modern financial operations.
Sruthi discusses her philosophy that data warehousing should be central to finance teams, enabling daily financial visibility instead of traditional monthly reporting cycles. She explains how Public captures business metrics daily, and why she prioritizes hiring team members who demonstrate curiosity, technical expertise, and collaborative problem-solving skills.
The...
Beyond the Numbers: Creating Legibility in Complex Finance Systems
In this episode of Incoming Statements, Anthony Alvernaz talks with Colin Anderson, co-founding partner of Friends & Family Capital and former Palantir Technologies CFO, about building exceptional finance teams during periods of hypergrowth.
Colin shares his journey at Palantir, where he helped scale the company from 100 to over 2,000 employees and $20 billion in valuation. He explains his philosophy on hiring mission-driven people with high "CPU" rather than specific experience, and the importance of creating data systems with "hygiene and legibility" that can answer any business question.
The episode explores how finance functions serve as a support role...
Beyond the Numbers: Creating Legibility in Complex Financial Systems
In this episode of Incoming Statements, Anthony Alvernas talks with Colin Anderson, co-founding partner of Friends & Family Capital and former Palantir Technologies CFO, about building exceptional finance teams during periods of hypergrowth.
Colin shares his journey at Palantir, where he helped scale the company from 100 to over 2,000 employees and $20 billion in valuation. He explains his philosophy on hiring mission-driven people with high "CPU" rather than specific experience, and the importance of creating data systems with "hygiene and legibility" that can answer any business question.
The episode explores how finance functions serve as a support role...
From Nintendo Ledgers to Now: How Curiosity Shapes Great Auditors
In this episode of Incoming Statements, Anthony Alvernaz sits down with Chris Canoles, Head of Strategy at Numeric, to explore what really defines a successful auditor—and why it’s not just about numbers. Chris shares how early obsessions with tracking stats on Nintendo games revealed a natural pull toward data, but it was the human connection that truly shaped his career.
Through stories ranging from frozen warehouse audits to high-growth IPO environments, Chris highlights the critical role of professional judgment, authenticity, and trust-building in modern accounting. He explains how blending technical skills with genuine rapport turns audi...
From Close to Compliance: Building for Public Life
Going public is a milestone—but getting there takes serious groundwork. On this episode of Incoming Statements, host Anthony Alvernaz sits down with Joanna “Jo” Lynch and Jordan Teitelbaum from Connor Group to unpack what IPO readiness really looks like behind the scenes.
They break down the key elements every company needs to get right: accurate historicals, scalable close processes, and thoughtful system design. The trio also dives into the realities of scaling finance operations under pressure, where automation and strong controls aren’t optional—they’re expected.
Jo and Jordan share what separates companies that thrive...
More Tech, Same Problems: Why Controllers Struggle to Automate
In this episode of Incoming Statements, host Anthony Alvernaz sits down with Jason Pikoos, Managing Partner of Technology & Innovation at Connor Group, to explore the challenges and opportunities in finance automation. Jason shares his perspective on how teams often over-index on software solutions instead of focusing on the true capabilities of their existing technology. He stresses the importance of understanding what a tool can do rather than just how to use it.
They dive into the shift from transactional accounting to strategic decision-making, highlighting how automation frees up teams for higher-value work. Jason outlines the risks of...
The Zero-Day Close: A Fantasy or the Future of Accounting?
In this episode of Incoming Statements, host Anthony Alvernaz sits down with Nate Carbrey, VP and Global Corporate Controller at Paddle, to explore the evolving role of finance leadership. Nate shares his perspective on scaling finance operations, the impact of AI-powered automation, and what it takes to build an efficient close and reporting process.
The conversation dives into how AI-driven tools, like those offered by Numeric, are reshaping finance workflows. Nate discusses how automation helps finance teams streamline reporting, reduce manual work, and improve accuracy. He also shares lessons learned from his experience leading global teams and...
