The Pomp Podcast
#1360 Cyrus Shirazi | Early Bitcoin Investor Building MASSIVE Company
- Haven is a full-stack accounting firm targeting startup founders and small business owners, founded by Cyrus Shirazi in August 2023 and already serving 117 clients without raising capital until recently.
- The firm differentiates itself through obsessive customer service (15-minute response targets), dedicated Slack channels per client, and proactive tax optimization including R&D credits worth up to $500,000 annually.
- Haven's long-term vision includes global accounting services (handling subsidiaries in Australia, UK, etc.), consolidation of international financials, and eventual roll-ups of traditional CPA firms to modernize an aging industry.
- Cyrus emphasizes hiring for **hunger and trust** above all else, looking for people who will "put all their chips on the table" and demonstrating through anecdotes and cold calls whether candidates have genuine obsession.
- The company is profitable from day one, hit over $1M in revenue before any fundraise, and raised a pre-seed of ~$800K from strategic angels (including the host, Charlie Fang, Eric Baum, and A16Z connections) rather than traditional VC.
- Beyond accounting, Haven offers vendor optimization, idle cash deployment into T-bills, payroll tax registration guidance, and employee tax services—positioning itself as a trusted business partner rather than transactional service provider.