Internal Controls for Small and Mid-Size Businesses (Business Owner/Leader version)

Control Strong
Written By Shana Cooper

Transform your approach to business risk management from a reactive necessity to a proactive competitive advantage. This webinar gives business owners, leaders, and finance professionals a foundational framework for understanding internal controls — what they are, why they matter, and how to begin strengthening them in practical, right-sized ways. Learn to evaluate your current control environment and identify the gaps most likely to create risk, regardless of your team size or technology stack.

Shana Cooper, CPA and founder of The AccountAbility Team, LLC, draws on decades of accounting leadership experience to lead this session. Through practical examples and real-world scenarios, she breaks down internal controls in a way that is accessible and immediately applicable for smaller organizations. Cooper emphasizes building controls that fit the realities of lean teams — practical, scalable, and embedded into everyday operations rather than layered on top of them. She helps shift the perception of internal controls from bureaucratic obligation to strategic investment — empowering attendees to lead their organizations with greater confidence, transparency, and accountability.

Key topics covered include:

  • What internal controls are and why they matter for small and mid-size businesses

  • The most common control gaps and how they create risk

  • Core control types: prevention, detection, and correction

  • Practical approaches to segregation of duties with small teams

  • Simple steps to evaluate and strengthen your current control environment

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand the foundational components of an effective internal control environment

  2. Learn to identify your most significant control gaps and prioritize next steps

  3. Explore practical, scalable strategies for implementing controls that fit your organization

Business Benefits:

  • Reduced exposure to fraud, errors, and costly compliance failures

  • Greater confidence in the accuracy and reliability of your financial reporting

  • Improved operational consistency through clearly defined processes and accountability structures

  • Stronger stakeholder trust with investors, lenders, and leadership teams

  • A more resilient organization prepared to navigate growth, transition, and increased scrutiny

This webinar is an accessible and practical introduction to internal controls for business owners, leaders, and finance professionals who want to better protect their organizations and build a stronger financial foundation. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of where their risks lie and concrete first steps toward a control environment that supports long-term stability and growth.

Presenter

Shana Cooper, CPA
Founding Director
The AccountAbility Team, LLC
shana.cooper@theaccountabilityteam.com
719.660.6445
www.theaccountabilityteam.com

 
Back To Courses & Certifications
Back To Courses & Certifications
Shana Cooper
Next

Internal Controls for Small and Mid-Size Businesses (Accountant version)