Welcome to a very special "Best Of" episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets ! Join host Mike Whitmire and longtime producer John Siegel as they revisit the most impactful and entertaining moments from the podcast over the past year (and even a little further back). Beyond the highlights, Mike and John dive into a candid discussion about how the accounting landscape has dramatically shifted. They'll explore key accounting trends, regulatory updates, and evolving workplace dynamics that are r...
Aug 04, 2025•52 min•Season 4Ep. 5
On this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, FloQast co-founder and CEO, Mike Whitmire, CPA (inactive), sits down with Edwine Alphonse, Senior Controller at Ramp, to discuss how she’s shaping the future of accounting. Edwine shares her inspiring career story, from finding her passion for accounting to driving team success at one of the most innovative and fastest-growing companies in fintech. The conversation dives into her approach to tackling industry challenges, her strategies for bu...
May 12, 2025•49 min•Season 4Ep. 4
On this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets , host Mike Whitmire sits down with Vicky LeVay, Sr. Director of Compliance, Risk, and Information Security at FloQast, and Jaysen Dyal, Product Marketing Manager at FloQast and former accountant. Together, they discuss the growing role of AI in accounting and FloQast’s achievements, including earning ISO 42001 certification. Vicky provides insights into what it takes to secure this critical certification and why it’s essential for building tr...
Mar 17, 2025•46 min•Season 4Ep. 3
On this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, Mike Whitmire is joined by Shivang Patel and Megan Gallagher, two former accountants whose expertise in audit and accounting paved the way for their success at FloQast. They share how their deep understanding of the accounting profession uniquely positions them to solve client challenges, connect with peers, and drive innovation in roles like sales engineering and beyond. Additionally, the group discussed FloQast’s vision for deploying its Ac...
Feb 10, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 4Ep. 2
2025 is upon us, but what does that mean for the accounting profession? From dwindling headcounts to heightened expectations, an expected bullish IPO/M&A market to a new emphasis on utilizing technology in the profession, there's a lot we don't know. On this episode of *Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets*, join Stefan van Duyvendijk, FloQast's Accounting Operations Evangelist and a former financial controller at Skullcandy Inc. and Kodiak Cakes, and Mike Whitmire, FloQast co-founder and CEO, ...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 15 min•Season 4Ep. 1
In this special episode, cohosts Mike Whitmire and Stefan van Duyvendijk join forces to delve into their forthcoming book, "Shift Happens: The Rise of the Operational Mindset and How Controllers Can Drive Real Value." Together, they explore the evolving landscape of the accounting profession, the emergence of the operational mindset, and how controllers can become pivotal in driving organizational success.
Nov 18, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 19
In this special emergency episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, Mike and Stefan dive into the groundbreaking news shaking the accounting world — the AICPA and NASBA have proposed a radical shift in the 150-hour rule. A new "Competency-Based Experience Pathway" could eliminate the need for 30 additional credit hours, offering aspiring CPAs an alternative route through work experience and verified competencies. The guys explore: - Implications for future CPAs - How it addresses criticisms ...
Oct 21, 2024•7 min•Season 3Ep. 18
In this episode of " Blood Sweat and Balance Sheets ," Mike Whitmire interviews Kendall MacLean about her career journey from public accounting to the tech industry. Kendall shares insights into her roles at FloQast, including her start as an Implementation Consultant and her contributions to developing FloQademy, an educational platform providing free CPE credits to accountants. The discussion covers the integration of accountants into customer success roles, emphasizing the importance of conti...
Oct 07, 2024•49 min•Season 3Ep. 17
In this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, guest host Stefan van Duyvendijk, Accounting Operations Evangelist at FloQast, sits down with Chris Hennesey, AWS Enterprise Strategist at Amazon Web Services and former Technology CFO at Capital One, along with FloQast CFO Razzak Jallow. They explore the findings of FloQast’s latest survey, Embracing Financial Transformation: What It Is, Why Organizations Should Want It, and How to Achieve It. The discussion highlights the critical role of a...
Aug 26, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 3Ep. 16
In the latest episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, Mike sits down with Josh Glover, President and Chief Revenue Officer at FloQast. Josh, a decorated veteran, shares his riveting journey from serving four combat tours as a Marine and, later, special operations team commander with MARSOC’s 2d Marine Raider Battalion, to becoming a key leader in the tech industry, first with nCino, and now, with FloQast. Josh discusses his transition into the corporate world, starting at nCino as an indiv...
Jul 22, 2024•45 min•Season 3Ep. 15
In this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, FloQast co-founder and CEO Mike Whitmire delves into Adam Yarnell's remarkable transition from audit to sales at FloQast, highlighting his pivotal role in growing FloQast's Sales function, helping drive the success of the newly-founded Sales Engineering team, and, now, launching FloQast's presence in Australia. Learn how Adam leaned on his accounting experiences to thrive in Sales, help manage up-and-coming salespeople, and what drew him back...
Jun 17, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 14
In this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, hosts Mike Whitmire and Stefan van Duyvendijk, alongside guest Craig Clay, President at Donnelley Financial Systems (DFIN), delve into the intricate world of IPOs. With the market landscape poised for change in 2024, the discussion centers on understanding market dynamics to capitalize on potential public offerings, including insights on the evolving SPAC market. Tune in as Craig offers invaluable insights into the current market trends shapi...
May 06, 2024•46 min•Season 3Ep. 13
On the latest episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, FloQast CEO Mike Whitmire is joined by CFO Razzak Jallow to discuss the ins and outs of FloQast’s Series E round of funding. Take an inside look at all the work that goes on behind the scenes, from investor relations to negotiating term sheets, Mike and Razzak candidly discuss the fundraising process, providing valuable insights for accountants and entrepreneurs alike. Key Takeaways: Behind-the-Scenes Insights: Razzak provides a first-h...
Apr 15, 2024•56 min•Season 3Ep. 12
On the latest episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, host Mike Whitmire, CPA, co-founder, and CEO of FloQast, sits down with Ashley Griesshammer, VP Controller at Lovevery, a rapidly growing Boise-based e-commerce company. Join us as Ashley shares her journey of automating and simplifying Lovevery's audit process, ensuring a smooth and pain-free busy season. As a seasoned finance professional — and the 2023 FloQast Controller of the Year — Ashley delves into the intricacies of overseeing ...
Feb 26, 2024•41 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Join host Mike Whitmire and guest Stefan van Duyvendijk in the concluding episode on the Controller's Guidebook research series. Part Two delves into critical aspects shaping the accounting landscape, including burnout, talent shortage, salary challenges, and the transformative role of technology. Explore why accountants should embrace a more strategic role, unlocking valuable insights for business success and creating more fulfillment in their careers. Get real-world insights on leadership empo...
Jan 22, 2024•35 min•Season 3Ep. 10
In this episode of 'Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets,' host Mike Whitmire and FloQast's Accounting Operations Evangelist Stefan van Duyvendijk take a deep dive into the findings of FloQast's research series into the state of the accounting industry, Controller's Guidebook. Part One unveils critical insights into the current state of the accounting profession, exploring topics such as talent retention, technology trends, burnout, and more. Gain practical perspectives on industry dynamics, settin...
Jan 08, 2024•37 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In the concluding episode of 'Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets,' host Mike Whimtire and special guest Stefan van Duyvendijk, FloQast's Accounting Operations evangelist, provide thoughtful insights into anticipated shifts in the accounting landscape for 2024. In this second part, the discussion focuses on the significant impacts of ESG on accounting practices, the role of generative AI in financial operations, and the critical importance of security measures. Join Mike and Stefan as they navigat...
Dec 18, 2023•37 min•Season 3Ep. 8
In the latest episode of "Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets," host Mike Whimtire is joined by special guest Stefan van Duyvendijk, the Accounting Operations evangelist from FloQast, for an insightful discussion on the upcoming trends and predictions shaping the accounting landscape in 2024. In this first part of a two-part series, Mike and Stefan delve into crucial topics such as employee retention strategies, the evolving dynamics of accountant compensation, the impact of automation on traditio...
Dec 04, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this second part of our series taking a look back at 10 years of FloQast, co-founders Mike Whitmire and Chris Sluty continue their discussion, sharing the invaluable lessons they've gathered from a decade of leading the company. Gain unfiltered insights into accounting, entrepreneurship, and leadership as they openly reflect on their experiences. From navigating financial intricacies to the ups and downs of tech company management, this episode offers practical wisdom and insights into what i...
Oct 16, 2023•40 min•Season 3Ep. 6
In the first episode of our two-part series, FloQast co-founders Mike Whitmire and Chris Sluty discuss the origins of FloQast, from meeting as undergrads to teaming up with CTO Cullen Zandstra, and more. Listen in as Mike and Chris share the story of how they first crossed paths while majoring in accounting, their separate paths after graduation, and the fateful reunion that took place in Los Angeles. They'll take you through the early days of FloQast's inception, discussing the challenges and t...
Oct 02, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 5
In this episode of "Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets," host FloQast Co-founder and CEO Mike Whitmire chats with FloQast's first business development representative and current Managing Director, EMEA, Adam Zoucha, Managing Director about his incredible journey from audit at Deloitte to becoming a successful account executive, sales manager, and now, a key figure in FloQast's European expansion. Listen in as Mike and Adam reminisce about FloQast's early days, operating out of the cramped FloQast...
Aug 21, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 4
On this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, host Mike Whitmire, Co-founder and CEO of FloQast, chats with FloQast super user Jonathan Hardy, Director of Accounting Initiatives at LeadVenture, about his career and how embracing technology got him to where he is today. Listen in as Jonathan shares his career journey, highlighting his transition from a focus on day-to-day accounting to the strategic realm of operations. Gain valuable insights as Jonathan reflects on the challenges he enco...
Jul 17, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, we delve into the journeys of George Azih, founder and CEO of LeaseQuery, and Mike Whitmire: Two tech leaders who started up directly after leaving life as staff accountants. Join us as we uncover the individual pivotal moments that led them to venture into the world of technology and how their firsthand experience in the accounting field shaped their innovative solutions. Discover the valuable lessons they've learned along the way and how th...
Jun 12, 2023•52 min•Season 3Ep. 2
With 30+ years of experience in senior accounting and finance roles, OnSolve CFO Bruce Duner has seen a lot of change in his time. But despite a wealth of experience, he's not one to revert to an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," mindset. With an industry-wide talent criss and mounting pressure on the office of the CFO to provide more value than ever before, Bruce is constantly thinking of ways to support his teams, while keeping an eye on how his team can do more. On this episode of Blood, Swe...
May 01, 2023•45 min•Season 3Ep. 1
On the latest episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, guest host Stefan van Duyvendijk chats with Rohit Lalwani, CPA, Controller at marketing tech company Bluecore about his journey to controllership, stepping out of his comfort zone when transitioning from audit to industry, his outlook on the accounting profession in 2023 (and beyond), and his approach to empowering his team ensure they're fully engaged and not at risk of burnout.
Mar 27, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 29
In this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, Mike chats with FloQast’s reigning Controller of the Year , Ashley Griesshammer of e-commerce brand Lovevery about her path from Finance to Accounting, Lovevery’s path to automating as much as possible (and how important automation is for accounting teams in 2023 and beyond), and whether the title “Controller” adequately reflects all the work Controllers really have on their plates....
Feb 06, 2023•41 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Shivang Patel was on track to make audit partner when a client poached him to join his team at a rapidly-growing, soon-to-IPO tech company. After learning the books, Shivang was thriving in his role as Accounting Manager, fully overseeing the Month-End Close, when a chance meeting to discuss a software solution designed to streamline the Close change his professional trajectory forever. Nearing his seventh-anniversary at FloQast, learn how Shivang transitioned from audit to accounting, and from ...
Jan 02, 2023•50 min•Season 2Ep. 27
In times of economic uncertainty, accounting teams need to be nimble enough to pivot should the time com, while consistently delivering accurate financial figures to impact the direction of the business — both in the short and long term. On this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, guest host Stefan van Duyvendijk, a former controller, and FloQast CFO Razzak Jallow discuss what accounting teams should be doing during times of economic uncertainty and recession, based on first-hand exper...
Nov 02, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 26
When meetings and billable hours start eating into your sleep schedule and overall wellness on, say, the week of your wedding, something's got to give. And, with fewer students taking an interest in accounting, the time for change was yesterday. Join FloQast CEO Mike Whitmire and Katie Thomas, CPA, founder and owner of Leaders Online LLC – both Ernst & Young veterans – as they sketch out a better, kinder future for the field (universities, take note), and share bright and dark spots from the...
Sep 07, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 25
On this episode of Blood, Sweat & Balance Sheets, Mike is joined by Zane Navratil, world #1 Pickleball player and former Deloitte auditor. Zane talks about picking up pickleball while working in audit, helping grow the sport, and balancing his career as an athlete with his business and acting as an ambassador for the world's fastest growing sport.
Aug 10, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 24
