Best of Q3 ’25 Earnings: How IROs Are Amplifying Their Story Beyond the Call
Earlier this year, we looked at how IROs were taking their earnings story beyond the traditional channels of the earnings call and press release.
This quarter, we revisited those examples, and added new ones to see what’s evolved. Some leaders are building on what worked. Others are trying something new. From short video recaps to retail investor Q&As, here’s what caught our eye this quarter.
1. Extending the Story Beyond the Call With Candid Videos and Podcasts
Some of the CEOs and CFOs we wrote about earlier are continuing to refine their approach. They’re using short videos and podcasts to bring in tone and context that the earnings call alone can’t capture.
Harley Finkelstein (Shopify), Vlad Tenev (Robinhood), and Alex Chriss (PayPal) are sharing short, direct-to-camera updates that make complex results easier to follow. Finkelstein opens with “I’m back with the headlines of this quarter,” signaling continuity and accessibility. Tenev posts brief rundowns before earnings to set expectations. Chriss breaks down results in plain language, turning numbers into momentum.
These updates feel conversational and genuine, helping investors and employees connect with the leadership voice behind the numbers.
Execs are also going deeper through podcasts. Meta CFO Susan Li recently joined A Cheeky Pint with Stripe cofounder John Collison to discuss Meta’s capital allocation and investor relations philosophy. She shared candid insights on managing investor expectations and building trust at scale. Context you rarely get on a 60-min earnings call.
For IROs: Videos are great if your leaders are comfortable on camera. But if they are not, a podcast can work for almost anyone. It is a conversation, not a performance. Young or seasoned, introverted or outgoing, most leaders can shine in a format that lets them slow down, think out loud, and share the story behind the numbers.
2. Giving Retail Investors a Real Voice in Earnings Q&A
Last time, we looked at companies opening their earnings calls to retail investors. This quarter, more management teams are doing it and giving retail shareholders a real voice in the Q&A.
Coinbase hosted an AMA on X, answering questions from retail investors and analysts in real time. Reddit uses its own subreddit to engage its investor community after earnings. The format is becoming standard practice.
Platforms like Say Technologies make this easier by letting verified shareholders submit and vote on questions before or after earnings. Companies like Tesla, Robinhood, Palantir, and Affirm address these questions directly through their CFOs or IR teams.
It is a straightforward way to hear what retail investors care about and to show that you are listening, even when the questions fall outside the typical analyst script.
For IROs: If growing your retail shareholder base is part of your strategy, it’s a good idea to experiment as to how to engage with them. Reddit or platforms like Say (and social media – more on that below) are worth a shot to help you connect with a younger investor base that’s more active and engaged than ever.
3. Turning Financial Highlights Into Social-Friendly, Visual Content
This isn’t new…but, we’re seeing more IR teams turning their earnings updates into short, visual, easy-to-share content across social platforms.
AMD summarizes its results in a LinkedIn carousel with key metrics and quotes. Honeywell posts a simple infographic highlighting growth and guidance. Etsy repackages its full earnings call into a short video featuring CEO commentary and slides. Even a PowerPoint-based graphic can do the job. A quarterly post we helped create (in PPT) for Armstrong World Industries continues to work well each quarter and drives strong engagement from employees and company followers.
For IROs: Repackage your results into formats that fit each platform. On LinkedIn, a carousel or static post may work best. On Instagram or X, a short video can go further. The idea is simple: show up where your investors and employees already spend time.
Bottom Line
Here is how we see it. These formats reach more than investors. Your employees see them. Retail investors see them. And those audiences will only grow in importance. You do not need to overhaul anything. Just experiment. Learn what resonates. Meet people where they already are. Over time, that builds a broader, more informed audience around your story.
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