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Feb. 5, 2024

E36: The IPO Playbook: Expert Advice from Lee Kirkpatrick, Twilio’s Former CFO

E36: The IPO Playbook: Expert Advice from Lee Kirkpatrick, Twilio’s Former CFO

In this episode, CJ is joined by Lee Kirkpatrick, the former CFO of Twilio who led them through their 2016 IPO. This is inside baseball to taking your company public - a must listen.

In this episode, CJ is joined by Lee Kirkpatrick, the former CFO of the cloud communications platform, Twilio. Lee shares his journey of leading Twilio through its 2016 IPO, shedding light on the preparations, roadshows, and decisions (bankers, soundtrack, tv appearances) made at different stages of the process. This is inside baseball to taking your company public - a must listen.  If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/metrics

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LINKS:

RingCentral's CFO on Public Earnings Calls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUxRD89qTJc

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro + Sponsors: NetSuite | Thoropass

(05:20) Lee's Preparation for Going Public

(07:05) Twilio had No Comps

(12:39) Twilio's IPO Day Experience

(18:29) Sponsors: Maxio | Tropic

(20:46) IPO Pricing Strategy

(24:44) Choosing the Right Bankers for an IPO

(27:00) Selecting Investors for a Successful IPO

(28:34) The Reality of Investor Promises

(29:53) The Grueling Roadshow Experience

(34:56) Preparing for the First Earnings Call as a Public CFO

(39:38) The Art of Disclosing and Guiding Metrics

(41:10) The Qualities of a Great CFO

(42:29) Learning from Mistakes and Ego in Leadership

(45:58) The Craziest Expense Report Story