OUTMIN X STAQ
How Effortless Accounting Took a Tech Recruitment Agency From Time-Starved to Growth-Driven
Staq, a recruitment agency for scaling tech startups, was bogged down by bookkeeping, invoicing, and payroll – time that should've been spent on growth. Enter Outmin: we swooped in to handle their financial admin, freeing Staq to focus on their core mission. With less stress and more time on their hands, Staq is scaling faster than ever.
Staq: More Than Just Matchmaking
Staq is a recruitment agency that’s making waves in the tech scene across Ireland and Europe. Founded three and a half years ago by Caren Schwannauer, Mark Kelly and Ivana Leto, Staq specialises in helping tech startups and scale-ups grow through smart, strategic recruitment.
Staq works mainly with post-investment tech companies, stepping in when ramp-ups and rapid expansion are critical.
But the team isn’t just your average recruiters – they're tech-savvy, using cutting-edge tools to attract top candidates and make the hiring process smoother for everyone.
"We use a lot of technology to attract candidates and streamline the recruitment process for a better candidate experience and a better client experience," Caren explains.
But like any fast-moving business, juggling the day-to-day financial admin – payroll, invoicing, bookkeeping – was quickly becoming a time-sink for Caren and her co-founders. Let's face it, no one starts a recruitment agency dreaming about balance sheets.
“As founders, we don’t have a strong finance or accounting background,” Caren admits. With multiple other priorities, finance management was something they knew they needed help with. And they needed it ASAP.
Challenge
When Finances Dictate Your Day
For Staq, the challenge wasn’t that they couldn’t handle their financials – it’s that doing so was stealing time from building the business. As Caren said, “Accounting wasn’t impossible, it just took longer.”
For her and her co-founders, the learning curve for managing taxes, payroll, and the intricacies of finance was too steep to justify the time spent.
“A lot of our time that we should actually use to grow the company and get new business (…) was being taken up by finance and accounting topics."
“We were spending a lot of time going through our accounts, double and triple-checking if things were put down correctly..." says Caren. "And spending a lot of time researching how to do everything correctly.”
Running payroll for a small but growing team and sending invoices for clients – especially since most were one-off – became particularly time-consuming. “Every time you need to send an invoice, you have to do it yourself,” Caren continues. “It just takes a lot of time for us to put these things together."
On top of that, they also managed the general books and balances. All these different tasks, from invoicing to bookkeeping, began to pile up.
"We were just hoping that we could basically give it to someone more experienced in dealing with it. They could probably do it way more efficiently than we could," Caren admits.
Staq needed a solution to allow them to hand off the bookkeeping, reduce errors, and free up time to focus on growing the business. Something had to give.
Solution
Outmin’s All-in-One Accounting Relief
Realising they needed expert help, Staq chose Outmin to offload all those time-consuming financial tasks.
“We were hoping to just have someone that can really do it for us, so we didn’t have to worry about it,” Caren says. What started as a tool they were already familiar with – Outmin’s accounting platform – quickly turned into something more when they spoke with a member of Outmin’s sales team.
“They basically just explained…you’re using the platform right now, but you could also work with our team to help you on a weekly basis with everything,” Caren recalls.
That’s when it all clicked – they didn’t need to source an in-house bookkeeper or wrestle with complicated accounting processes. They just needed Outmin to take the accounting headaches off their hands. Problem solved.
Here’s how Outmin made life easier for Staq:
AI-Powered Bookkeeping: Staq needed reliable bookkeeping that didn’t eat up their time. Outmin’s AI-driven bookkeeping stepped in, effortlessly categorising transactions, reconciling accounts, and keeping the books fresh – all without Caren or her team having to lift a finger.
Stress-free Tax & Compliance: When it came to Irish tax compliance, Staq wasn’t leaving anything to chance. Outmin’s team made sure all the tax boxes were ticked, from VAT returns to end-of-year filings. Everything is managed accurately and on time, meaning no last-minute scrambles and no tax-season panic attacks. Total peace of mind.
Invoicing Made Simple: As a recruitment agency dealing mainly with one-off invoices, invoicing was once a hassle for Staq. Now, with Outmin, they can create branded invoices in just a few clicks, effortlessly track payments, and automatically send reminders to clients. Everything is managed from a single dashboard, making billing a total breeze.
Fully Managed Payroll: With a handful of employees to pay, juggling monthly payments was a chore. Now, Outmin handles everything, making sure everyone gets paid accurately and on time. Staq can finally focus on the people part – not the pay cheque part!
Clear Reporting & Insights: Outmin serves up timely financial reports, from cash flow to performance metrics, giving Staq the scoop they need to make quick, informed decisions. With easy-to-read visuals, they can now spot trends and fine-tune their strategies without the guesswork.
Dedicated Support: Beyond the tech and automation, Staq found immense value in the human support they received from Outmin. With Outmin always ready to help, the Staq team knew they were in good hands.
With this level of support, Staq could focus on growing their business without worrying about the numbers.
The best part? Staq finally felt the relief and peace of mind they’d been searching for. “We just wanted someone we could trust,” Caren says, “that they know what they’re doing, and we don’t have to sit down and be like, ‘What does this mean? What do we have to do here?’”
And that’s what Staq found in Outmin. A partner they can fully trust.
Result
Effortless Admin And a Clear Path for Growth
Since partnering with Outmin, Staq has seen a noticeable shift in how they approach their business.
“With Outmin, we have more time on our hands now to focus on actual business growth.”
That’s what Staq was really after: more time to build client relationships, bring in new business, and scale their services – without worrying about the numbers.
Some key benefits Staq has seen:
Time Freed Up for Growth: One of the biggest wins is time saved on admin tasks. By delegating financial tasks to Outmin, the Staq team has more capacity to drive the company forward.
Expert Support on Tap: Knowing they have access to real, qualified financial experts has also been a game-changer for Staq. “We know we can speak to someone who is qualified to answer these questions,” Caren explains. Whether it’s a complex payroll question or something about tax compliance, Outmin’s team is there to provide guidance.
Confidence in Compliance: For Caren and her team, having the peace of mind that their finances are in good hands has been invaluable. No more second-guessing or spending time researching how to do things correctly – Outmin ensures that everything is done right.
Less Stress, More Peace of Mind: Outmin’s hands-on support and expert management of Staq’s financials have lifted a huge weight off their shoulders.
Enhanced Financial Visibility: With Outmin’s tools, Staq has clear insights into their financial health. They can easily track expenses, revenue, and cash flow, allowing them to make informed decisions with confidence.
Caren’s Advice to Other Founders
For Caren and the team at Staq, Outmin has been the ideal financial partner. They now have the freedom to focus on what they do best – helping their clients grow – while knowing their finances are being expertly managed in the background.
“As a founder, you have so much to do as it is,” Caren says. “Giving that [admin, finance, and accounting] to Outmin just frees up so much of your time.”
And it’s not just about saving time – partnering with Outmin has given Caren and her co-founders the confidence that everything is being handled correctly and efficiently.
When asked what she would say to other founders, Caren didn’t hesitate: “If you’re not an accounting expert, give it to Outmin because it’s not worth the headaches and the time.”
If you’re also interested in exploring effortless accounting, get in touch with us today for a free demo.
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What our
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If you’re not an accounting expert, give it to Outmin because it’s not worth the headaches and the time.
Caren Schwannauer
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