Building the finance backbone
of a scale-up.
A five-year partnership with Holibob — from early-stage startup through Series A and institutional investment — delivering the systems, models, reporting and in-house capability needed to run finance with confidence.
ENGAGEMENT REFLECTION
"Paul was a fantastic addition at the very earliest stage of the business. He helped build the foundations of the finance function - allowing me to spend more time generating revenue - and continued to support the business growth to over 50 staff members. He's seen the rough and the smooth of building a business at all stages and provides invaluable insight along the way. "
Angus - CFO and Co-Founder Holibob
ABOUT THE CLIENT
Holibob is a B2B travel technology business connecting global travel brands — including Amadeus, Kayak and Secret Escapes — with curated, instantly bookable tours and experiences. Founded in 2019, it has scaled rapidly through successive funding rounds and was named in the inaugural Sifted 100 fastest-growing UK & Ireland startups.
The brief
When Holibob first engaged FD Business Solutions, the company was at the point that catches most ambitious early-stage businesses off guard: revenue was growing faster than the finance function supporting it. The founders needed more than bookkeeping. They needed a finance operating model that could keep pace with the business — one robust enough to satisfy investors, granular enough to inform decisions, and efficient enough that it didn't pull the leadership team away from selling and building.
The brief, set out at the start and refined over the years that followed, was straightforward in principle and considerable in practice: build the financial infrastructure of a scaling business, and develop the people to run it.
The approach
Rather than dropping in a generic template, the work was shaped around how Holibob actually operates — a B2B marketplace with multi-currency revenue streams, a complex partner network, and the cashflow rhythms unique to travel. The engagement covered four interconnected workstreams, each delivered alongside the founder team and refined as the business evolved.
Management accounts pack
A board-ready monthly reporting pack designed from first principles — clear enough for investors, granular enough for operators. The pack became the single source of truth for performance conversations, and has scaled with the business through every stage of its growth.
Cashflow modelling
Driver-based cashflow models built to flex with the business — supporting scenario planning, runway analysis and the kinds of “what if” conversations that matter most in the months before a funding round closes.
Process automation
Systematic removal of manual finance work. The brief was simple: every hour the finance function spent re-keying or reconciling was an hour it wasn't spending on insight. Workflows were rebuilt to minimise effort and maximise reliability.
Fundraising support
Investor-ready financial materials for several rounds of funding, including the Series A led by Ryan Howsam (founder of Staysure) and subsequent institutional investment from Guinness Ventures. Models, decks and supporting analysis built to withstand the scrutiny of sophisticated investors.
Developing the team
Perhaps the most rewarding strand of the engagement has been the least visible one. From early in the relationship, it was clear that the long-term ambition wasn't to remain Holibob's finance function indefinitely — it was to build one in-house that could.
That meant working closely alongside one of the founders, training across management reporting, cashflow, board materials and investor communications. Over five years that individual has grown into the role of Chief Financial Officer — running the function day-to-day with the confidence and competence the business now demands.
The outcome
Five years on, the engagement is best measured by what it has made possible. Holibob has progressed from early-stage startup to a recognised name in travel technology — listed in the Sifted 100, partnered with some of the largest names in global travel distribution, and backed by both private and institutional investors.
1. A management reporting pack trusted by board and investors.
2. Over £11m raised across successive funding rounds
2. Cashflow models that have supported successive funding rounds.
3. A finance function that runs leaner through targeted automation.
4. An in-house CFO mentored from the ground up.
The relationship continues today — no longer as outsourced finance leadership, but as a strategic sounding board for a CFO and leadership team running the function with full ownership and confidence. Which is, in the end, the right outcome for any engagement of this kind.
WORK WITH US
Build the finance function your next stage demands.