Case Study: Lodestone People Consulting
Client Overview
Lodestone People Consulting, founded by an organizational psychologist and former private equity executive, is a growing professional services firm whose hallmark is pragmatically linking human capital science to business outcomes for large and small private equity firms and their portfolio companies.
Challenge
As Lodestone scaled, the Founder and Managing Partner made a deliberate decision to shift bookkeeping from a founder-managed task to a dedicated, expert-led function. While the financials were accurate, the existing setup was optimized for transaction recording, not for strategic decision-making at scale. The next phase of growth required clearer visibility into project economics, cost structure, and profitability by initiative, without pulling leadership attention away from clients and growth priorities.
Solution
We began by reviewing Lodestone’s chart of accounts through a strategic lens, asking: Does this structure surface the information leadership actually needs to run and grow the business?
Working collaboratively, we reorganized the chart of accounts to align with how Lodestone operates and makes decisions.
We implemented project tracking, class structures, and a cost-of-services account to enable clearer insight into:
- project-level profitability,
- marketing effectiveness, and
- how employee time and resources were being deployed.
This approach ensured the financials functioned as a management tool, not just a compliance exercise.
Results
With these systems in place, the client now has reliable, actionable financial data. The result has been operational confidence and focus: the Founder spends time where she adds the most value, knowing the financial foundation is accurate, organized, and proactively managed.
The impact of this transformation has been remarkable. With a stronger financial foundation, Lodestone People Consulting has continued to grow strategically and sustainably, culminating in its recognition on the Inc. 5000 list at #872, a testament to its success and continued momentum.
Key Takeaways
What began as a relationship focused on fixing financial organization has evolved into a partnership that helps the client feel in control, confident, and focused on growth, and now, her firm has been nationally recognized for it.
With collaboration, accountability, and conscious leadership, she turned stress into strategy and regained confidence in her business.
Client Testimonial
“HireEffect is not a vendor; they are a true strategic partner to our firm. Our bookkeeper serves as a seamless extension of our internal team, and I have complete trust in the accuracy, structure, and usefulness of our financials. I don’t spend time worrying about the books. I know they’re handled at a high standard, which frees me to focus on growth.” Sandy Fiaschetti, Founder and Managing Partner