World

Reasons to Pursue a Career as a Financial Controller

Published

5 years ago

January 23, 2021

Do you love working with finances, numbers, and business? Do you enjoy the prospect of strategizing for a company to create a successful financial future? If so, you may want to consider a career as a financial controller.

Financial controllers are more involved than accountants

There’s nothing wrong with being an accountant. It’s a great career, and many people find it’s perfect for them. However, if you’re forward-thinking, you’ll probably be happier with a career as a financial controller.

Financial controllers perform some of the same duties as accountants, but while accountants only focus on current and past finances, financial controllers create financial strategies to support an organization’s future. Future planning is vital for making sound financial decisions.

Requirements to become a financial controller

To become a financial controller, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in finance. You’ll also need to pass the CMA certification exam.

While the certification exam is difficult to pass by studying on your own, passing becomes monumentally easier by taking a CMA prep course. Specifically, a prep course will help you retain the information and prepare you with practice exams that mimic what you’ll encounter on the real exam.

Once you have your degree and certification, you can start applying for jobs that will support your career as a financial controller. You may need to start with entry-level positions in finance to gain enough experience to become a financial controller. It’s worth the wait and the effort.

More education, degrees, and experience often means a higher salary

You’ll find that organizations often have different requirements for financial controller positions. Some will require a basic finance degree and CMA certification, while others will require multiple degrees along with professional certification.

To increase your salary potential, continue to pursue your education to meet additional requirements. Companies requiring further education and work experience usually pay higher salaries to their financial controllers.

You can work in a variety of industries

What industry do you find appealing? Industrial machinery? Clothing? Cosmetics? Packaged food? Restaurants? In whatever industry you like, there’s a financial controller.

Some people think financial controllers are only for banks and other financial institutions. However, all companies need financial oversight. Without the expertise provided by a financial controller, a company won’t get far. Any large and successful organization — regardless of industry — will have a financial controller.

You’ll be part of the foundation that creates success

As a financial controller, you’ll be part of your organization’s foundation of success. Organizations need financial controllers to:

Strategize finances for the future
Oversee internal financial records and bookkeeping processes
Execute financial strategies for finance teams
Create custom strategies to help an organization achieve set financial objectives
Oversee internal audits to identify errors and fraud
Manage payroll
Manage accounts payable and accounts receivable
Facilitate communications between company departments

All of these tasks are big responsibilities, and that’s why high levels of education and experience are required for the position.

A career with high-level responsibility is extremely rewarding

There are plenty of careers you could pursue in the financial industry. The most common career is becoming an accountant or a CPA. These are both perfectly acceptable careers for those who are satisfied with having low-level responsibility in a company. In fact, you’ll need to work in these fields to get the experience required to become a financial controller.

For example, as a controller, you’ll need a firm grasp on business and accounting, along with years of experience performing detailed accounting and auditing. Being a controller is a highly analytical position and expertise depends on extended, direct experience in accounting and auditing.

If you’re driven to take on high-level responsibility where you are directly responsible for a company’s financial success (or failure), you’ll find that as a financial controller.

How you can become a financial controller

To begin your career as a financial controller, get your educational requirements in order. If you already have your degree, pursue CMA certification. If you’re already certified, search for a position as an assistant controller. Last, if you don’t have a master’s degree, continue your education to get an MBA.

While you’re searching for an assistant controller position, take some online courses to learn financial management software in-depth. You may have gotten by with the basics until now, but as a controller, you’ll need to know your software inside and out.

You won’t become a financial controller overnight. In fact, it takes between 12 and 20 years to earn the title. However, if the position calls to you, then it’s worth every ounce of effort.

World

More Named Storms — Is Your Luxury Pergola Ready?

Published

1 week ago

December 11, 2025

Jenny Jackson

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a 60% chance that the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season would be above normal. The administration said to watch for between 13 and 19 total named storms — those with winds of 39 mph or higher.

For homeowners in hurricane-prone regions, this raises an urgent question: are your outdoor spaces ready to weather the storm?

PERGOLUX, a leader in durable outdoor structures, designs powder-coated aluminum pergolas with adjustable louvers to withstand the harshest environments.

“Today’s outdoor living spaces face the wrath of nature’s extremes,” says Tim Heneveld, Country Director of PERGOLUX North America. “Hurricanes, tropical storms, and flash floods bring powerful winds exceeding 100 mph. Their relentless rain and rising floodwaters can quickly devastate unprepared structures. If you want to protect your investments, resilient design is essential.”

Is your aluminum pergola and louvered roof ready to take on intense storms?

The open-air elegance of patio pergolas with slat roofs is perfect for a gentle breeze, but can make them vulnerable to the violent forces of hurricane winds. These storm winds pack powerful uplift and lateral forces.

Wind uplift occurs when gusts of wind flow beneath the roof, generating upward pressure that can lift the entire structure off its base. Lateral forces push a pergola horizontally, causing it to lean or even collapse.

The key defense against these powerful forces? A reinforced frame.

“Strong, well-engineered frames act as the backbone of your pergola,” notes Heneveld. “Aluminum is the ideal material for a pergola’s frame. It combines the strength needed to resist bending or breaking with a lighter weight that reduces strain on the foundation.”

PERGOLUX’s pergolas feature reinforced frames engineered to withstand intense storms with confidence. In fact, their latest model, the Skydance Series 3 Pergola, is specially crafted to endure winds up to 165 mph, which means that even when fierce hurricanes like Milton sweep through, these pergolas remain intact.

Reinforced aluminum frames designed with thickened beams and precision connections stand up to wind uplift and lateral pressure. Hurricane-rated bolts, brackets, and screws hold everything tightly together to prevent ‌weak points that storms so often exploit. When each joint is reinforced and well-anchored, your pergola can remain a steadfast retreat despite the wildest weather. Thicker beams and columns combined with robust engineering techniques give these pergolas superior strength. Extra support brackets, hidden fasteners, and precise assembly methods ensure the frame endures.

Elevated bases can protect your luxury pergola from floods

Along with high winds, storms bring torrential rain. Rising water can undermine structural footings and rot wooden materials, which can destabilize the entire installation.

An elevated base is a strategic line of defense. “By constructing your pergola on raised concrete footings or piers, you create a gap between the ground and the structure,” notes Heneveld. “During a flood, it keeps the water at bay. The elevation also prevents erosion caused by pooling rainwater.”

The best-quality outdoor pergolas offer high-grade materials and cutting-edge engineering

The key element of any storm-ready outdoor structure is its materials. PERGOLUX chooses 6063-T5 aluminum, a marine-grade alloy renowned for its incredible strength and exceptional resistance to corrosion, even when exposed to salty sea air and humid conditions.

“A wooden or vinyl pergola may look great at first,” says Heneveld, “but they often require costly upkeep or replacement after just a few seasons of storm damage. Our reinforced aluminum pergolas will give you years of worry-free durability. It will remain strong and look fantastic, no matter the weather.”

PERGOLUX’s advanced engineering solutions also protect what is inside the structure. Their patented RainLUX™ integrated gutter system channels rainwater away, preventing leaks that can damage furniture and floors.

“We offer a 10-year warranty to back up all of our claims,” Heneveld says. “It’s our commitment that these structures will protect your home’s exterior environment for years to come. We want you to focus on enjoying the moments that matter in your pergola, not on the coming storms.”

Practical outdoor living tips to prepare your louvered pergola kit before storm season

Even the strongest pergola will fare better when prepped for a coming storm. “Make sure to secure your loose items,” Heneveld warns. “Before a storm, remove furniture, planters, and décor. All of these can become hazardous projectiles.”

When homeowners hear that a storm is on the way, they will want to fully secure any screens or panels. Removing detachable panels before severe weather will help protect the pergola by reducing wind resistance.

Homeowners will want to take the time to routinely inspect and maintain their pergolas. A quick check for loose fasteners or other small signs of wear goes a long way in preserving the pergola’s strength.

“Combine simple preparation with a reinforced, elevated, and expertly engineered structure, and you’ll have an outdoor space built to last,” Heneveld concludes. “Investing in a storm-ready pergola is about so much more than just avoiding damage. You’re preserving a lifestyle. A long-lasting pergola will bring you years of shaded summer barbecues and fresh-air morning coffees.”