Learn how this high-growth note-taking startup unlocked effortless financial visibility with Puzzle’s modern, AI-native accounting platform.
Before Zack Hargett co-founded the AI note-taker Coconote, he was a Designer and Product Lead at Loom. Needless to say, he knows what great UI and UX look like. That’s why, as he monitored Coconote's finances, he quickly realized he didn’t want to rely on outdated, legacy tools like QuickBooks anymore.
Not only was navigating the platform's UI a tedious process, but Zack also found himself bogged down with manual tasks, such as re-categorizing the same transaction multiple times. Plus, with no visibility into crucial metrics like MRR, ARR, and runway, making data-backed growth decisions was an exercise in futility.
Despite being an early-stage company, Coconote also has a deceptively complicated accounting workflow. Because the company relies on iOS subscriptions to drive revenue, accrual basis accounting is a must-have to ensure financial accuracy. As this would be a challenging process in QuickBooks, Zack knew he needed software that was both intuitive and equipped to handle Coconote's exacting accounting requirements.
Fortunately, Zack discovered Puzzle from watching S3's episode covering the platform. After reaching out to our CEO, Sasha Orloff, he knew Puzzle was the key to modernizing Coconote's accounting workflows and dramatically upgrading their financial stack.
“Our books are deceptively complicated, and that’s something that’ll bite you when it comes to financial due diligence. We needed accounting software that could handle these intricacies without friction.”
With Puzzle, Zack gained access to an AI-powered accounting solution that streamlined manual workflows while delivering crucial financial insights on demand. While Zack was more than equipped to use Puzzle to handle Coconote's finances himself, he worked with our team to identify a bookkeeper who would help him outsource this function. The discovery process was extremely fast, and his new bookkeeper adapted to Puzzle's seamless UI and UX within hours.
Because Puzzle facilitates simultaneous cash and accrual basis accounting, Coconote's bookkeeper can effortlessly meet the company's exacting requirements without worrying about duplicative work or sifting through spreadsheets. And with Puzzle's automated categorization, the tedious manual tasks that previously slowed Zack down have become nonexistent.
The benefits don't stop with Coconote's bookkeeper. Whenever Zack wants to analyze the company's runway or recurring revenue, he simply accesses the Puzzle Dashboard and receives that info immediately.
Even better, he can also monitor bookkeeper activity within Puzzle, ensuring no crucial details surrounding Coconote's finances are being overlooked. With this level of financial visibility, Zack can confidently make the strategic decisions that will support Coconote's continued growth.
“The Puzzle Dashboard is an absolute breath of fresh air. You immediately understand what you’re looking at, which enables us to make data-informed decisions that grow our business.”
Choosing Puzzle as Coconote's accounting software was vital in helping Zack unlock a level of financial visibility that legacy solutions couldn't match.
The best part? With Coconote's accounting workflows on autopilot, Zack has reclaimed bandwidth for other value-creating tasks, such as fundraising and headcount planning. And as any startup founder will attest to, those time savings are invaluable.
“Most founders will not go deep into the weeds of accounting and bookkeeping, but it's very clearly needed. We're at a clear inflection point where solutions like Puzzle can help us a ton.”
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