Early-stage teams move fast—but finance can’t be an afterthought. For Prowler, a rapidly growing open-source cloud security company, that reality became clear early on. Financial operations were sitting on the shoulders of a single person—too many responsibilities, not enough depth, and no strategic finance partner to lean on. As the company scaled, that gap became a growing risk.
Prowler needed more than bookkeeping support. They needed clarity, confidence, and a financial co-founder they could trust.
The Challenge: One Person, Too Many Responsibilities
Prowler’s Director of Business Operations, Rich Bard, knew the limitations of running finance alone. Managing accounting, compliance, financial reporting, and investor expectations without professional support left the business exposed.
Hiring in-house wasn’t feasible. But choosing the wrong partner would be just as costly. Rich embarked on a rigorous search—asking peers, collecting recommendations, and interviewing 6–7 different accounting and finance firms.
Only one rose to the top.
Why Prowler Chose OpStart
Rich ultimately selected OpStart based on a trusted recommendation, but it was the diligence process that sealed it. Other firms simply couldn’t match the combination of services, strategic talent, and cost-effectiveness.
“There wasn’t another company that was close on the services offered and the price.”
— Rich Bard, Director of Business Operations
OpStart offered exactly what Prowler needed:
Clean, compliant, investor-ready books
Modern financial operations built to scale
A seasoned Fractional CFO for strategic guidance
Deep expertise in R&D tax credits to unlock meaningful savings
The Solution: Financial Clarity + Real Financial Impact
We began with the essentials—getting the books in order, improving reporting accuracy, and eliminating operational risk. But the biggest impact came from maximizing Prowler’s R&D tax credit.
That credit alone created significant, measurable ROI. Instead of finance being just a cost center, OpStart became a profit driver.
For every $1 Prowler spent with OpStart, they realized $1.80 in value—an 80% return—from R&D credits alone.
With the foundation in place, Prowler also gained consistent CFO-level guidance, giving leadership real clarity on planning, cash, and next steps.
“I have no complaints. Excellent service.”
— Rich Bard
Founder Advice
When we asked Rich what he’d pass along to other founders, he kept it simple:
“In a world that’s changing faster than ever, it’s vital to seek out peers who can give you the real deal and walk alongside you.”
For Prowler, OpStart became that trusted partner—managing the day-to-day, reducing risk, delivering meaningful savings, and helping the company move confidently into its next chapter.
Download the full case study here.
