Case Study: CCN Supports Rapid Growth and Acquisitions at Cart.com

Background: CCN provides critical support during an acquisition

Rami Legha first partnered with CCN when she worked as a controller for an Austin-based vacation property management firm, which was preparing to be acquired by a larger national firm. The accounting department was experiencing some employee turnover, and CCN’s finance and accounting consulting service was a value-add solution to bridge the gap and assist with the complex demands of an acquisition.

As with any business transaction, the acquiring firm had numerous policy alignment adjustments that Rami’s team needed to implement… “identifying differences, making sure we all know what’s going on, replicating their process.”

CCN consultants continued to play an impactful role in the acquired company’s accounting operations until it was fully integrated post-acquisition.

“Whether it’s day-to-day support or special projects, CCN has been able to come in and help. They can do both.”

Facilitating rapid growth at Cart.com

In 2021, Rami became the VP of accounting at Cart.com, where she continued to leverage specialized consulting talent from CCN.

“It was a true startup,” Rami shared. “A limited accounting team of three or four when I joined.”

In less than three years, the company has grown to over $180M in annual GAAP revenue, driven by acquisitions and organic expansion. Rami knew she needed the right people in place to keep up with such rapid growth.

“I firmly believe that the accounting processes in place when you’re a 30-million-dollar company are not always effective when you’ve hit 100 million. It’s a different growth mindset and operating cadence,” Rami explained. “So, I reached out to CCN and said I need help getting to the next level.”

Over the next two years, she brought on several more consultants at Cart. — some of whom have converted to full-time employees. These consultants have provided tremendous value in managing all the tight deadlines and complexities of multiple acquisitions.

“I’ve had a really great experience with CCN. They have high-quality consultants who genuinely adopted our culture and are willing to do the extra work and go the extra mile.”

The CCN difference

Throughout her history with CCN, Rami explains she’s experienced a few key differences:

1. Speed: “The process is very quick. To get a consultant in just a week and a half is easy; I just text my CCN partner to kick off the process. It’s really easy and personal.”
2. Quality: “The quality of consultants is superior to other consulting firms I have worked with. The consultants’ backgrounds are directly aligned with the experience I need for a role. I have had great success with CCN on several projects at different levels.”
3. Communication: “The relationship management is very clear. We first started working together during COVID, so I didn’t get a lot of face time, but I always felt very supported.”
4. Shared Ownership: “We hired one consultant who wasn’t quite the right fit — it happens from time to time. I just told CCN, and they were able to make a substitution quickly. They were very responsive and supportive.”

Rami also explained that while many employers plan to engage a consultant for 6-9 months, she’s wanted to extend almost everyone she’s had from CCN. She appreciated that CCN touched base regularly and ensured they didn’t commit the consultants elsewhere before she was ready to end an engagement. She feels her requests are prioritized fairly.

Above all, Rami has also noticed a clear difference in the engagement level from CCN consultants. Because they are valued and compensated appropriately, she sees a greater sense of ownership and a willingness to do what they need to do as a team.

“I know CCN’s pay structure is different, and consultants are being valued appropriately for their time. That shows up in their work. They share a greater sense of urgency.”