Lightning AI: How a Finance Team of One Built a Modern Close

When Vasanth Thiruvadi joined Lightning AI, he stepped into a role that required immediate structure. The company was scaling across three offices. Revenue paths were evolving. But the accounting function still operated on a traditional model that delivered information weeks after decisions had already been made.

Lightning had outsourced all bookkeeping, AP and AR, sales tax, and month-end close to an external firm. The work was technically sound, but the pace was slow. Month-end closes took twenty to thirty days. The March close did not wrap until early May. With no finance leader inside the company, the day-to-day focus narrowed to paying bills and collecting cash. The financials themselves were not something the team could use confidently during the month.

“It was practical, but not strategic,” Vasanth said. “There was no finance person managing the accounting, so the focus was just whether bills were paid and whether we collected from customers.”

For a finance team of one, this was not sustainable. Vasanth needed a foundation that stayed accurate throughout the month so close would stop feeling like a reconstruction project. He also wanted direct visibility into what mattered: how money moved in and out of the business, how operational decisions affected spend, and where new activity needed attention.

Instead of hiring a senior accountant on day one, he designed a different model. It combined a strong internal ops team, his own oversight, and a partner that could keep the books current without waiting for month-end. That combination led him to Quanta.

What stood out first was Quanta’s ability to operate in real time. Lightning uses a unique mix of tools, including Ramp, Amex, and internal billing systems. Quanta connected directly into that setup and began maintaining the accounting continuously. The team handled categorization, reconciliations, allocations, and vendor-level detail as transactions came in, not weeks later.

“Quanta integrates with how we actually run,” he said. “If you are connected to everything, you should be able to keep the books current. That is exactly what they do.”

The change was immediate. Instead of waiting a month to understand what happened, Vasanth could rely on books that stayed clean throughout the period. By the time month-end arrived, almost everything was already done. His only input was a short document highlighting unusual items or one-off events, followed by a quick alignment on accounting treatment.

“I oversee what they do, but they basically run this function for me,” he said.

Accuracy also improved. Allocations and splits that once required manual work now took minutes. Rules could be set once and applied consistently. Custom reports were built quickly. When an urgent request surfaced, the response was immediate.

“There was a Friday when I needed something for an important partner. I messaged them at noon. They worked with me and delivered it by six.”

The structure Vasanth created now functions as a multiplier. His ops team supports inputs across the business. Quanta maintains the accuracy and integrity of the books day by day. He focuses on financial clarity, operational decisions, and the work that shapes the company’s direction.

“Either you hire a senior accountant,” he said, “or you have Quanta and a strong ops team. For us, the second option is far more flexible.”

Lightning now operates on a clean, continuously maintained accounting foundation. Close is straightforward and fast. Reporting is based on current information, not lagging snapshots. The accuracy that once required a larger team is now built into the system itself.

“The fundamentals matter,” Vasanth said. “With Quanta, I know the accounting is handled by sharp people, and the product keeps improving.”

For a finance team of one, that level of real-time accuracy is the difference between chasing the numbers and actually understanding the business.

If you’re building finance with a lean team, Quanta provides continuously reconciled accounting, with an SF-based accounting team working directly in the same system to categorize transactions, resolve exceptions, and keep the ledger accurate day to day. You can book a demo to learn more about working with Quanta, or, if you're an early-stage team without a history of bookkeeping or accounting, you can get started with our quick-start free trial.