The Client:
Boldworld is a people-first B2B design agency that focuses on web design, branding, product design and campaign creative strategy for small businesses and industry giants alike. They aim to breathe life into their clients’ ideas, leading with heart and going above and beyond at every turn. They specialize in:
- Audience and market research
- Customer segmentation and journeys
- Branding and identity
- Content strategy and production
- Website, app and product design
- Digital ecosystems architecture
- Front- and back-end development
- Photography, video, animation and motion design
The Challenge:
What started as a need for simple tax preparation and bookkeeping quickly grew to a trusted partnership between Boldworld and RKL Virtual Management Solutions.
Boldworld was a small start-up serving big clients and didn’t know what they didn’t know about managing their finances. They needed the time and space to do what they do best—create for their clients. Boldworld had a goal of growing their services and building an agency. To do that, they needed someone to take the reins when it came to their financials.
Founder and Principal Derek Hollister had a relationship with Kauffman CPA tax advisors, which merged with RKL in 2024. Boldworld remained a client through the merger and developed a trusted relationship with RKL’s Virtual team.
As Boldworld grew, so did their financial management needs. With a new partnership in place and a growing agency, Boldworld expanded the services they relied on RKL to provide to include CFO advisory services, specifically forecasting and cash flow management, in addition to monthly financial reporting.
The RKL Approach:
RKL’s Virtual team works closely with Mr. Hollister and other Boldworld team members to discuss projections while focusing on forecasting financial outcomes based on the information Boldworld has available on their anticipated projects and cash flow expectations.
Boldworld and RKL meet on a regular cadence, and Boldworld leans on RKL for any financial management needs that pop up. “RKL’s approach has always been right-sized,” said Mr. Hollister. “They’ve never tried to oversell and have always provided just what we needed.”
The RKL Virtual team prioritized building trust with Boldworld, so they were comfortable leaving their financial management in RKL’s hands. They knew that RKL was the expert and would ensure Boldworld reached and even exceeded their growth and compliance goals.
The Results:
For Boldworld, taking the burden of managing their financials off their plate freed up their time to “create experiences that move people and shape futures.” RKL Virtual is able to provide Boldworld with:
- Secure Financials: The RKL Virtual team handles Boldworld’s general bookkeeping, reconciliation, expenses, subscription management and audit, cash flow oversight, support and projections and budget setting for internal needs, giving them confidence that their financials are secure.
- Cost-Effective Leadership: RKL Virtual acts as a fractional CFO for Boldworld, providing strategic guidance and support so they can optimize their operations and resources effectively.
- Future-Planning: Boldworld relies on RKL for their quarterly tax planning needs and meeting industry benchmarks for things like people cost, overhead expenses and billable expenses.
- Confidence to Grow: RKL Virtual tracked and analyzed Boldworld’s data, which helped them make informed decisions about hiring and scaling the business.
- Integration with In-House Billing: Boldworld does their billing in-house, and it is fully integrated so the RKL team can support them and answer any questions that arise.
“RKL’s willingness to help in any way and be a true partner has been game-changing,” said Mr. Hollister. “Their work has been invaluable through the years, whether during periods of growth, rightsizing or stabilizing.”
To learn more about how RKL Virtual can drive real results for your organization, send us a message or contact one of our local offices.
