From Creative Chaos to Scalable Finance: How CFOs Build the Systems Behind Modern Media Companies

Learn how top finance leaders transition from manual heroics to mature infrastructure without killing the creative spark

Media, content, and publishing businesses sit at a fast-moving intersection of complex revenue streams, from subscriptions and licensing to advertising and syndication. Because traditional models don’t apply, many finance teams find themselves scaling on pure heroics, running volatile forecasts on spreadsheets, and struggling to explain complex data to creative stakeholders.

This live panel session brings together seasoned media financial executives to discuss what happens when old tools stop working and how to build mature infrastructure. Hear real, battle-tested strategies from CFOs who have successfully guided media companies through critical scaling milestones, system overhauls, and public-market scrutiny.

Learn how to:

• Navigate messy revenue models: Forecast and track volatile, hits-driven revenue without pretending to be falsely precise.
• Identify system breaking points: Spot early warning signs that your team has outgrown its tech stack across reporting, approvals, and revenue recognition.
• Balance discipline with creativity: Build trust so finance is seen as a strategic growth partner, not the department of no.
• Implement maturity early: Adopt public-company governance and audit habits long before you think you need them.
• Automate the boring stuff: Standardize routine finance processes so your team can focus on high-value strategic analysis.
• Leverage AI tech in a creative industry: Deploy AI thoughtfully without losing the creative soul that makes your stories worth telling.

Featured Speakers

Lauren Pearl
Host
The Growth-Minded CFO Podcast

Diya Sagar
CFO
AWA Studios

Monica D’Imperio
CFO
Caliber

Erik Nakamura
CFO
Daily Journal Corporation and Journal Technologies, Inc.