When Aaron Kraft and Tim McElravy started Valley CFO in 2021, payroll wasn’t their first priority. Like most small accounting firms just getting off the ground, they were focused on the essentials: helping clients with taxes, bookkeeping, and the kind of personalized service that builds trust.
But as their firm grew, they kept coming back to one question: how do we offer the full-service experience our clients really need?
Adding payroll was the obvious answer—it completed the package.
But “obvious” didn’t mean easy.
They knew they wanted payroll in their lineup, but the more they looked into building it in-house, the more complicated it seemed. Hiring staff, learning new software, and handling the endless compliance headaches? It was a lot to take on.
“We Always Talked About Adding Payroll – Then We Hit a Wall.”
From the start, Aaron and Tim knew payroll was important. It was something clients needed, and without it, Valley CFO couldn’t be a true one-stop shop for accounting services.
At first, they tried managing payroll through QuickBooks Online (QBO). It was supposed to be simple, but it quickly turned into a lot more work than they expected.
“QuickBooks online advertises it to be very easy and hands-off,” Tim said. “And it was not. There were no safeguards, and everything had to be monitored manually.”
By Q1, payroll was creating more problems than it solved. Tax filings weren’t processed correctly, deadlines were missed, and both Aaron and Tim felt like they were constantly putting out fires.
“It caused us a lot of pain and pressure points,” Tim admitted. “We realized this wasn’t sustainable.”
At this point, they started thinking seriously about bringing payroll in-house. But the numbers didn’t add up.
Between the software costs, the cash requirements, and the steep learning curve, it was clear that building their own payroll department was going to be an expensive, time-consuming uphill battle.
What We Thought About Payroll – and What We Learned Instead
The idea of starting from scratch seemed overwhelming. That’s when Tim reached out to Matt Patrick, a fellow PASBA member, just hoping for some advice on best practices – but Matt had another idea: Whirks’ Partner Program.
"All we hoped for from Matt was just guidance on how to start that process," Aaron admitted. "But in our first conversation, he presented the opportunity to partner with Whirks, and it was a no-brainer."
Instead of building a payroll department from scratch, Matt introduced them to Whirks partner program, which offered a turnkey payroll solution that Valley CFO could integrate into their services. This route lets them bypass trial and error and gives them access to a high-quality payroll service without the heavy lifting.
“Whirks Took the Stress Out of Payroll – and Put Us Back in Control.”
Partnering with Whirks was a complete shift for Valley CFO. Instead of wrestling with payroll software or trying to figure it out on their own, they had a team of experts ready to help.
Whirks handled the entire conversion process, trained Valley CFO’s team on the isolved payroll platform, and stayed available for any questions or issues that came up.
Whether it was onboarding new clients or troubleshooting complex situations, Whirks is there every step of the way.
A Win-Win Partnership That Drives Client Growth
With Whirks managing payroll, Valley CFO found they could focus on what they did best: tax and monthly accounting. Payroll – once a constant source of stress – became practically invisible.
“It runs itself,” Aaron said. "We do some basic maintenance and have an administrator just to keep an eye on things, but it’s minimal. I don’t see a better way to do it."
The new payroll offering added another level to Valley CFO’s sales pitch. They could now promise a “full-service” experience to prospective clients, bringing in new business without extra operational strain. This was huge for a growing firm like Valley CFO, where every service added was another opportunity to scale.
“When we’re landing more sales, it’s not just because of the payroll option itself,” Aaron said. “It’s the whole package – it makes our other services stronger, too. Clients see we’re reliable across the board.”
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
At first, Aaron and Tim thought Whirks would be a short-term solution. They figured they’d use the partner program for a few years until they were ready to build their own payroll department. But as time went on, they started to see things differently.
Bringing payroll in-house would mean hiring more staff, buying software, and spending months ironing out processes. With Whirks, they had everything they needed without the overhead or risk.
“I thought we’d use this for a couple of years and then bring it in-house,” Aaron said. “Now? I don’t see why we’d ever change it. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
The Unexpected Benefits of Learning from the Best
Whirks eliminated the learning curve, saving Valley CFO from costly errors and steep up-front investments. They showed them a payroll process that was streamlined and scalable, without the risk or complexity of managing it independently.
“It would take us years to get to the level of service Whirks is at,” Tim admitted. “There’s really no reason not to partner with them – even if we wanted to bring payroll in-house someday, this partnership is the best foundation for making that transition.”
Why the Partnership Works – and Why It Lasts
For Tim and Aaron, partnering with Whirks wasn’t just a convenience; it was the “right way” to run payroll for their clients. They had full transparency with Whirks, knowing their clients would get top-tier service without Valley CFO having to micromanage every step.
It’s allowed them to offer a high-quality payroll service without the cost or complexity of building one from scratch. More importantly, it’s given them the confidence to grow their business knowing they have a trusted partner by their side.
Want to Offer Payroll? Start with a Partner.
For any accounting firm debating whether to bring payroll in-house, Tim and Aaron have simple advice: “Try it with Whirks first.” The partnership offers a stable foundation, an invaluable learning experience, and the freedom to expand service offerings without the operational strain.
For accounting firms thinking about adding payroll, Valley CFO’s experience offers a clear takeaway: You don’t have to do it alone. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, Whirks provides the support, expertise, and reliability to make payroll a seamless part of your business.
For Valley CFO, it was the perfect solution – one that makes growth smoother and keeps their clients happy.
Interested in how Whirks’ network partnership could work for your firm? Learn more about pricing and details here.
Topics:
