🧠 Everything a CFO Needs to Know for a Smooth Post-IPO

You’ve made the decision to go public. You’ve done years of prep work. Finally—the finish line! Or so it seems…

Once you’ve gone public, the work is far from over. In fact, much of it is just beginning. 

Sukaran Mehta, Chief Financial Officer at Docebo joined us to break down exactly what you need to know after going public.

In a galaxy far, far beyond the numbers… 

Once you’ve made the jump into public ownership, the story matters even more—both internally and externally.

It’s not enough to know the numbers. As CFO, you have to know the why behind the data and have the ability to convey the story of your business with confidence, humility and honesty.

In a sense, you become the BDR.

Why it matters: Internal teams

Private to public isn’t just a shift for investors—it demands a culture evolution. What you can share, how and when you can share it becomes critical. Even when communicating with your team.

Why it matters: External

Companies that don’t provide clear, attainable and realistic guidance suffer—the evidence is in the data. Take a look at companies that drop 20-30% overnight. The common thread?

Their guidance is just not realistic. Investors and analysts lose confidence in companies that plot unachievable trajectories.

How to become a master storyteller:

From an employee perspective, going public marks a lot of change. As a financial leader, you need to deeply understand and be able to explain and defend the why. 

Make sure you can answer these questions for yourself and your teams:

• Why have you chosen to go public?

• What changes will need to be made internally? What are the reasons for these changes?

• How will communication differ? 

• Will roles change? If so, how and why?

• What does going public really mean for your organization?

Externally, you’ll be working with a lot of new faces—from analysts to investors, regulators and stakeholders. Make sure you master:

• Your data—how has your company succeeded? What are the driving forces behind that success?

• Your performance expectations—what promises can you reasonably make? We all want explosive growth, but CFOs need to have a grasp on what a reasonable performance expectation is. Never over-promise.

• Your (and your company’s) perspective—analysts play a huge role in company performance, especially when you’re trying to attract investors. Spend time developing your perspective, and invest in getting to know analysts better. 

There’s a lot to adapt when you go public—from culture to automation and systems, buyer and seller-side analyst relationships to tech implementation. 

In case you missed it…

The coming year is bound to throw some major shifts and surprises—you can’t afford to miss a beat. We break down the top 5 FP&A trends to watch out for in 2024 and tons of best practices to keep you on track, no matter the economic turbulence

What’s next…

Gen Z is expected to make up 30% of the workforce by 2030. The kicker? What worked for attracting and retaining previous generations simply doesn’t work for Gen Z. Next, we’ll dig into the unique strengths of Gen Z and what specifically they’re looking for from employers.

We’re here to break it all down. Ready to make your transition from private to public seamless (and maybe catalyze your career while you’re at it?) We have what you need. Tune into The CFO Show today.