Legacy ERPs have held finance teams hostage for decades: clunky systems, 15-day closes, and the endless need to throw more bodies at problems. In this episode, Wiss CEO Paul Peterson sits down with Stephen Hedlund, Head of Finance at Rillet, to discuss why that era is finally over and how AI-native ERPs are delivering results legacy systems never could.
In This Episode:
Why companies are ditching legacy ERPs like NetSuite and Sage faster than anyone expected and what’s driving the acceleration:
- How one company went from a 15-day close to 3 days in their first month on an AI-native platform
- The real barriers to transformation: time, resources, and lack of knowledge about what tools to use
- Why finding the right partner matters more than the technology itself
- How finance teams are scaling from $10M to $100M with just two people
- The “CFO in a box” approach: combining expert accountants with AI automation
- Why now is actually the best time to be in accounting and finance
- What it takes to elevate the accounting profession from back office to boardroom
- How to keep the mission alive while scaling fast
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 – Introduction
4:00 – From Stealth Mode to Market Disruption
6:00 – The AI Acceleration Nobody Expected
8:00 – Why Rillet Spent 2+ Years Building Before Launching
12:00 – What’s Broken in the Current ERP Market
15:00 – The 2-Person Finance Team Scaling to $100M
19:00 – How Legacy Companies Can Make the Leap
20:00 – Case Study: 15-Day to 3-Day Close
23:00 – Why Now Is the Best Time to Be in Finance
28:00 – Keeping the Mission Alive While Scaling
30:00 – Elevating the Accounting Profession
💬 Is your finance team still closing in 15 days? What’s holding you back from making the leap to AI-native systems?
About the Guest:
Stephen Hedlund is Head of Finance at Rillet, an AI-native ERP disrupting legacy accounting systems. Stephen’s career spans from SAP at Walmart to Silicon Valley startups, where he experienced firsthand the limitations of traditional ERPs and became passionate about building the future of accounting infrastructure.
About the Host:
Paul Peterson is the CEO of Wiss, an accounting, tax, and business advisory firm at the intersection of accounting, finance, and AI. Through strategic partnerships with companies like Basis AI and Rillet, Wiss is pioneering AI-optimized accounting solutions that deliver real-time financials and strategic insights.
About the Series:
The Accounting Disruptors Podcast features conversations with founders and finance leaders who are rebuilding the accounting profession through AI, automation, and technology. Powered by Wiss Labs.
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