Navigating Operational Hurdles: A Testimonial from Clean

Oliver, co-founder and CEO of Clean, a company building self-funded health insurance plans for small businesses, speaks to the immense value their company has derived from outsourcing back-office tasks. His testimonial reflects the benefits in time savings, focusing on core business areas, and reducing operational headaches.

Outsourcing as a Strategic Choice

For Oliver, outsourcing is more than just a tactical decision; it's a strategic move that allows him to focus on solving the problems he set out to tackle with Clean. Instead of immersing himself in compliance and payroll matters – areas he admits to knowing little about – he can dedicate his energy to customer engagement and product development.

A Comprehensive Support System

From equity management, cap table management, to HR compliance, Oliver acknowledges the plethora of tasks that a company needs to execute. He shares that taking on these responsibilities individually would be highly time-consuming. The relief that Levy, their outsourcing partner, brings is in handling these operational aspects efficiently.

A Massive Time Saver

Reflecting on the hours spent learning and setting up operations during the company's early stages, Oliver estimates an investment of about 40 hours a week for the first month. Even as time passed and fewer 'new' things needed to be done, there were still ongoing operational tasks requiring about 20 hours a week. This significant time investment was rechanneled into sales and product development after they began working with Levy.

Frugality and Efficiency

As a self-proclaimed frugal person, Oliver initially spent a week attempting to handle all operational aspects on his own. However, he soon recognized that even products simplifying back-office operations required a substantial learning curve. With Levy, he found an 'obvious choice', enabling him to delegate areas he didn't wish to handle to a team of experts.

The Value of Proactivity

Oliver notes that there are always new things that crop up in business operations, whether it's compliance for hiring out-of-state or foreign qualifications. Having Levy in place has proved invaluable for Clean, proactively handling issues that a founder might not anticipate until they become a problem.

Trust and Team Integration

The trust that Clean has placed in Levy is apparent as Oliver refers to Megan from Levy as an integral part of their team. Megan handles the tasks that the company needs to do, essentially becoming a third team member in getting the business off the ground.

The Importance of Focusing on Core Business

Oliver's final words underscore the primary responsibility of a founder: to focus on the product, the business, and the customers. Outsourcing back-office operations to Levy has allowed Clean to live up to this, reinforcing the wisdom in their decision.

Conclusion

Oliver's testimonial highlights the significant benefits of outsourcing back-office operations for startups. It sheds light on the valuable time and energy saved, which can then be reinvested in core business aspects, product development, and customer engagement. The trust and integration into the team that an outsourcing partner like Levy offers also emerge as crucial benefits in accelerating business growth.