About Jake Newman
As Controller at Big Sea, I help manage accounting / finances of the Agency. From reconciling invoices to ensuring we receive our monies from our clients to reporting our financial results on a regular basis to processing our payroll, I am your go-to for everything accounting / finance!
My love for accounting first started in high school with two accounting courses. Since then, I went on to earn my BS and MS in Accounting at the University of Colorado at Boulder (Go Buffs!). Shortly thereafter, I earned my CPA after moving to NYC in 2008 where I started with PricewaterhouseCoopers in their audit practice. After realizing that I was not on the partner track and the fact that I knew I wanted to work in a more creative environment, I became Finance Manager in NYC at a mobile marketing agency called The Hyperfactory in 2011. It was there that I was able to gain experience in accounting within the advertising industry specifically whereby I assisted in the monthly close as well as provide finance support internally as well as well with client finance matters like assisting with development of fee proposals, SOW, MSA’s, employee utilization.
In 2013, I moved on to become Finance Director at a creatively led full-service advertising agency in NYC, Barton F. Graf 9000, where I provided guidance and direction regarding finance matters to the Agency as the finance lead, reporting to the CEO. In addition to being responsible for all internal accounting / finance matters, I also helped manage our timesheet / utilization reporting as well as client finance matters; in addition to my role in HR where I assisted with benefits administration and payroll among other things.
Since the closing of Barton F. Graf 9000 at the end of 2019 and before I started with Big Sea, I was providing virtual CFO services for various advertising agency clients both in NYC and Colorado, which is where I relocated back to as of 2021.
What do you love about your role?
Being Controller here at Big Sea really does fulfill me as this role allows for me to lean into my more analytical nature in a way that helps me look back and understand why things are happening, resulting in opportunities to grow and make things better.
What do you do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy practicing yoga, working out at the gym, and gardening. On the weekend, I would most likely be found tending to my garden, watching college football / basketball or watching a cooking competition show or Real Housewives.
