Our Story
Growth outpaces infrastructure. It always does.
512Financial started with a simple observation. Growth-stage companies succeed or stall based on whether operational infrastructure can keep pace with what's working. We exist to close that gap.
Two operators,
one persistent problem
Co-Founders, Bart Davis and Joel Trammell have spent their careers on the inside, working within the venture-backed companies trying to scale. Across dozens of companies, they watched the same pattern unfold: talented founders raised capital, built great products, then hit a wall when their financial and people infrastructure couldn't keep up.
The options available weren't good ones. Hire a full-time CFO before economics make sense. Outsource to a firm that treats every engagement as a transaction. Or improvise until something breaks, usually during a fundraise or an audit.
In 2022, they founded 512Financial to offer a better path: senior operators embedded inside growth-stage companies at fractional cost, with the institutional knowledge to scale alongside them. The name is a nod to Austin's area code, where the company was founded and where the team still operates.
What began as fractional finance has since grown into an integrated, fractional leadership firm, spanning six service lines across financial and people leadership, built through two strategic acquisitions and a founding team with Big 4 credentials, serial entrepreneur exits, and decades of experience inside the companies they now serve.
Where We Stand Today
150+
Companies supported since 2022
$325M
In client capital raised and liquidity events
6
Integrated service lines across finance, people ops, and talent
2
Strategic acquisitions in 2025, expanding from finance into full-platform capability
Growth Timeline
From fractional finance to integrated platform
Four years of deliberate growth, each step adding new capabilities our clients need to grow their business.
2022
Founded
in Austin
Bart Davis and Joel Trammell launch 512Financial. Fractional finance and accounting for venture-backed startups. Six founding team members, two initial clients.
2023
Expansion and Recognition
Team grows to 27, and revenue nearly triples in year one.
2024
Austin's Best Places to Work
Austin Business Journal names 512Financial a Best to Place to Work for the second year running, and we top 50 clients.
2025
Aquire APW & HireBetter
Acquire Forbes-Recognized HireBetter, and Austin People Works doubling client base, and extending firms service offering beyond finance into organizational leadership.
2026
Fastest Growing Company
Recognized by Austin Business Journal as one of Austin's Fastest Growing Companies.
What We Believe
Readiness isn't a milestone.
It's an operating discipline.
Most fractional firms position on what they do: CFO services, HR support, recruiting execution.
They're hired when you need something done. We position on what we build: perpetual operational readiness. Financial infrastructure that grows with funding stages. People operations that scale as you hire. Reporting that matures with governance requirements. We maintain the operating foundation that keeps pace with your growth, so you're never scrambling to get ready for what comes next.
"
"We know we've done our job when a founder doesn't need us anymore. We help them get there, and when they're ready, we help place the right full-time leader for what comes next."
Bart Davis, CEO & Co-Founder
Leadership
The team behind the work
Bart Davis
Founded 512Financial after 15+ years leading finance inside growth-stage companies, including CFO roles across multiple startups. Has since grown firm revenue 6x since 2022, including two acquisitions in 2025. Earlier in his career, he trained at PwC.
Joel Trammell
Serial entrepreneur with 30+ years building, scaling, and exiting private and public companies. Founded NetQoS ($200M exit to CA Technologies). Author of The Chief Executive Operating System and owner of Texas CEO Magazine.
Velveth Schmitz
Former CEO of HireBetter with 20+ years helping growth-oriented companies scale through revenue leadership, executive partnerships, and intentional talent strategy. Leads revenue growth, market expansion, and Strategic Talent Planning at 512Financial. Helps leaders align hiring and organizational decisions with long-term business objectives.
Kristen Tarlecki
Marketing leader with 15 years across high-growth startups, global agencies, and enterprise organizations. Previously built the marketing function at a Series A, AI security company. Drives brand, go-to-market, and demand generation for the firm.
Amy Ancira
25+ years across executive search, advisory services, and organizational development. Former Partner and Chief Experience Officer at HireBetter. Leads client experience, engagement strategy, and delivery operations, ensuring service quality and consistency across every engagement.
Sarah Russell
Leads the People Strategy practice with 10+ years in people operations, culture development, and organizational design. 2024 Notley Fellow. Helps growth-stage companies build the hiring, culture, and operational infrastructure that scale requires.
Chris Ciani
Former Deloitte Consulting. 16+ years across finance, accounting, and operational reporting, including CFO and VP Finance roles. Oversees the firm’s financial operations alongside client-facing work as a fractional CFO and advisor.
Derek Felderhoff
Leads internal people operations and business processes at 512Financial. 13+ years building HR systems, talent programs, and operational infrastructure at high-growth companies, with a track record supporting 10X growth without losing the people or the margins. SHRM-SCP and CPSP certified.
Recognition
Best Places to Work
Austin Business Journal · 2023, 2024, 2025
Fastest Growing Companies
Austin Business Journal
Best Executive Recruiting Firm
Forbes · HireBetter recognition
Best CEO Awards
Austin Business Journal · Bart Davis
Best Executive Recruiting Firm
Forbes · HireBetter recognition
Company News
Most conversations start with one question and get more interesting from there.
Whether you have an immediate need or you're thinking about what comes next, the best place to start is a direct conversation.
Let’s Talk