Startup operations
Headroom works with early-stage companies to build the back office they need to scale. Fixed scope. Defined deliverables. No retainers.
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What we do
Most early-stage companies are running on founder-built systems, processes, and tools that made sense at 10 people but are breaking at 50. We come in, build what should exist, and leave it running.
Financial close
Clean books on time, every month. We build the close process from scratch: chart of accounts, GL hygiene, and reporting that actually reflects how the business runs.
Payroll
Domestic and global payroll, commission tracking, and contractor payments, all on the right platform. We handle multi-state and international tax registrations and make sure everyone gets paid correctly, every time.
Spend and expense
Ramp or Brex implemented properly, with a real expense policy, approval workflows, and card controls. Visibility into cash burn before it becomes a problem.
Accounting systems
The right tools, configured correctly. We set up, migrate, and optimize your accounting stack and have strong opinions about what belongs in it at your stage.
HR ops and onboarding
Offer letter templates, onboarding checklists, benefits enrollment, offsite planning, and the operational layer that makes your first 50 hires feel like a real company hired them.
Compliance
Payroll tax compliance, sales tax nexus, 1099 filing, contractor classification, and equity administration. The unglamorous stuff that creates six-figure surprises when ignored.
How it works
Your back office is not your competitive advantage. Hire for your moat. Rent everything else.
Every Headroom engagement is a defined 60 to 90 day sprint with a clear scope agreed upfront. You know what you're getting, when it ends, and what the company looks like when we're finished. No open-ended hourly work.
We work with companies where the founder or a generalist is currently holding the finance and operations function, and where that arrangement is starting to break. If that sounds familiar, get in touch.
What we don't do
Headroom is built for operational execution, not strategic advisory. If you need help with the following, we're not the right fit.
Get in touch
If you've recently raised and your back office hasn't kept up, we'd like to hear from you. Fill out the form and we'll follow up within a couple of days, or email us directly at hello@headroom.llc.