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Real stories. Actual control.
Startup Tea is now all about founders who know their numbers and own their outcomes. We’re spotlighting the ones who aren’t guessing their runway, dodging taxes, or letting QuickBooks run the show.
Tactical wins. Real dashboards. No fluff.
QuickBooks isn’t your CFO. We are.
Founder Win of the Week
Henry, who runs a startup in Utah, found out his accountant thought he was eating $4,000 worth of burgers.
Why?
Because “Apollo” - his sales software - is also the name of a local burger joint. So for two years, those charges were tagged as “Meals & Entertainment.” Not Software.
So get this: ‘Apollo’ is also the name of a burger place here in Utah. My accountant (who has never heard of Apollo.io) was categorizing it as food / happy hour expenses. Messed with my numbers for 2 years.
Henry’s margins are healthier now. His arteries? TBD.
One Insight That Changed Everything
Most founders treat COGS and OPEX like interchangeable parts. They're not.
COGS = what it takes to deliver your product.
OPEX = what it takes to run your business.
Mislabel COGS as OPEX, and your gross margin looks great — until investors ask questions. Mislabel OPEX as COGS, and you undercut how efficient your ops really are.
Accounting isn’t just tax prep. It’s story prep.
Take a look at this blog post from us where we explain this in detail:
Help Us Help More Founders
We dropped a new meme on the numbers every founder should track (but most don’t have a great grip on).
It’s not the funniest thing you’ll read this week that involves the relationship between founders and investors:
TL;DR
Henry’s sales tool was mistaken for a cheeseburger joint.
It threw off his COGS for 2 years.
Your software might be doing the same, or your accountant might be.Check your categorizations. And show up to your margins.
QuickBooks isn’t your CFO. We are.