Zenbooks Case Study: Menos E-Commerce: < 0.2M to +$12M – How Strategic Accounting Fueled Menos' Explosive Growth
Scaling smarter — how Menos built a $12M+ cross-border business with clarity and confidence.
The Client and Context
Menos is a cross-border e-commerce/Shopify app developer and agency. When we started working with them in February 2018, their annual revenue was just $156K. By 2025, they’re generating over $12M annually, with operations expanded into the U.S. and a growing team.
They came to us with delayed tax filings, uncertain financial processes, and a desire to grow quickly, but sustainably.
The Challenge
Pain Points:
- Inaccurate or incomplete financial reporting: They had outstanding year-end filings
- Business Structure and Tax Optimization: No integrated cross-border structure
- Strategic guidance and forecasting: No reliable monthly bookkeeping and certainly no guidance was available
- Old processes and need modernization: Disconnected tech stack and scattered bank accounts
Impact: Menos was on the verge of scaling, but their finances weren’t ready for it. Without accurate reporting, proactive planning, or proper structures in place, they risked serious tax exposure and inefficiencies in both Canada and the U.S.
The Desired Outcome
Goal:
- Clean and compliant financials
- Seamless U.S. expansion
- Robust cross-border tax strategy
- Predictable and accurate monthly close
- Quality advice to help scale quickly
- Scalable accounting system to match their growth
They also wanted a trusted, Canadian-based team who could support them through complexity and growth. Not just handle data entry.
The Solution
Onboarding: We jumped in by addressing their most urgent needs:
- Caught up on two years of overdue filings
- Organized their multi-account structure in Xero
- Implemented Dext, A2X and Avalara to automate workflows
- Initiated the CRA authorization process for seamless coordination
- We recommended and started using Wise for money transfers/transactions. This helped keep things efficient because of the deep integration with Xero and inexpensive foreign exchange fees.
- We did the planning and setup a HoldCo to allow the business to utilize the lifetime capital gain exemption, save retained earnings and reinvest into new opportunities/investments as a wealth building tool.
Ongoing Support:
- Established a U.S. corporation for their expansion, with full cross-border tax planning and compliance
- Created a transfer pricing agreement to manage intercompany revenue properly
- Monthly check-ins and reviews with their leadership team. Weekly check-ins with a Virtual CFO.
- Real-time reconciliation of bank, credit card, and e-commerce transactions
- Integrated their tech stack to sync sales data from Shopify, Amazon, and PayPal to their accounting software for valuable reporting.
From setting up their ZenPortal access to handling CRA calls, we were there every step of the way.
The Alternative
Menos was poised for rapid growth. But without a scalable, compliant financial infrastructure, they were one misstep away from regulatory issues or cashflow surprises. Inaccurate filings and reactive bookkeeping could’ve cost them years of progress, or worse, led to penalties and rework that stifled their expansion. The US is a minefield of penalties and complexity with Economic Nexus and Transfer Pricing considerations. They would not have stood a chance without proper US and Canadian professional guidance.
The Client Feedback
"I've been working with Zenbooks since 2018, and I'd be nowhere without them…..Overall, they provide irreplaceable accounting support for me.“ — Sebastian Capatina, CEO & Founder, Menos (Trust Pilot)
The Next Step
👉 Want this kind of clarity and momentum for your business? Book a free strategy session with Zenbooks now.
The Approval and Verification
Data and case study reviewed and approved by client.
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