Goldman Sachs | Stories of Progress

Finance, Disrupted

The digital revolution has transformed industries as diverse as agriculture and transportation, banking and the media. But accounting – one of the world’s oldest professions – had remained rigidly analogue.

Then, along came Therese Tucker.

Tucker is founder and CEO of BlackLine, a pioneer in what she calls “continuous accounting.” Tucker believed that modern companies needed a real-time understanding of their finances, which would allow quicker response to opportunities – and challenges. By creating an all-in-one accounting and finance platform in the cloud, BlackLine has elevated the accounting function from the back office to the front lines of the modern organization.

Today, more than 2,600 large and medium-sized companies from around the world have streamlined their accounting activities, reduced their costs and broadened their horizons because of BlackLine’s innovations.

The Opportunity

Pioneers of Real-Time Accounting

One of the most challenging parts of any accountant’s job is the period-end close. That’s when sometimes thousands of pages of documents have to be read – and re-read – to ensure the final numbers reported to executives and investors provide an accurate snapshot of a company’s financial well-being.

But that picture starts becoming outdated as soon as it is published. BlackLine recognized there was a huge advantage for an organization to get a continuously updated picture of its accounts – a financial livestream.

Today, BlackLine’s dashboards and real-time information allow companies to automate the most complex and interconnected accounting functions, enabling them to quickly and easily identify any issues and seize opportunity wherever it presents itself.

Think. Create. Serve.

Visitors to BlackLine’s Los Angeles headquarters are met with three simple words lit up in neon: Think. Create. Serve.

BlackLine’s unique corporate culture and relentless focus on customers has helped create hundreds of jobs for their Los Angeles community. And Tucker’s success as a founder and CEO has also served as an inspiration to women and men throughout the tech industry and beyond.

Going Public

In 2016, needing funding to grow to the next level, BlackLine filed for an initial public offering, turning to Goldman Sachs to help them through the process. The BlackLine and Goldman Sachs teams worked closely for a year preparing for the IPO. The IPO raised $146 million and on October 28, 2016, BlackLine began trading on the Nasdaq under the BL ticker symbol. In 2017, BlackLine turned to Goldman Sachs again for strategic advice and funding of an additional $114 million. Today, Goldman Sachs continues to advise BlackLine on strategic initiatives and is proud to help BlackLine make progress.

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Finance, Disrupted

Los Angeles, CA

2001

11 Worldwide

Pioneers of Real-Time Accounting

Think. Create. Serve.

Going Public

Stories of Progress

The Conservation Fund

MuleSoft

Newark

BlackLine

MuleSoft

The Conservation Fund

Progress Campaign

Levi's Stadium · 03:13

Brooklyn Navy Yard · 03:02

Finance, Disrupted

Los Angeles, CA

2001

11 Worldwide

Pioneers of Real-Time Accounting

Think. Create. Serve.

Going Public

Stories of Progress

The Conservation Fund

MuleSoft

Newark

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