How To Survive A Startup Stress Test
A Bench Press Small Business Success Story
Running a small business means wearing a lot of hats—but not all of them are worth keeping. Just ask Dean Benjamin, co-founder and CEO at LoadForge, a growing startup that helps businesses ensure their websites and apps stay up and running when traffic surges.
They specialize in load and stress testing software—the kind of behind-the-scenes magic that keeps websites from crashing on Black Friday or during viral moments. As their reputation (and client list) grew, so did the demands of running the business itself.
The Problem: Limited Bandwidth, Increasing Complexity
Like many startups, Loadforge knew early on that they needed to spend more time on the frontlines, engaging with customers and driving growth through building community, than dedicating their limited bandwidth and resources to highly manual, highly repetitive back office functions like bookkeeping and accounting.
Given the company's relentless focus on product innovation and customer success, the company needed to find a partner who could meet, and exceed, their own high expectations for helping their startup succeed at scale.
And when they went to find help, they found Bench.
"We're product obsessed, and that informs how we spend our time. When you deliver value to customers, they'll not only stay, but they'll tell others about you, too. The better the product, the easier it is to convert new customers and actually build a scalable business."
— Dean Benjamin, Co-Founder and CEO, LoadForge
The Solution: Why Loadforge Partnered with Bench Accounting
LoadForge turned to Bench, an all-in-one bookkeeping and accounting solution that pairs easy-to-use software with a real human bookkeeper.
With Bench, they didn’t just get clean books—they got peace of mind. Bench’s platform made it simple to track cash flow, see where money was going, and stay organized. Meanwhile, their dedicated bookkeeper took care of the day-to-day, delivering monthly reports and answering questions along the way.
"We've used Bench since the start, really. To our good fortune, we chose them early on, but at each stage of growth we caught ourselves thinking, 'oh boy, I bet the accounting is going to get worse now,' and it didn't. Why? Because of Bench."
— Dean Benjamin, Co-Founder and CEO, LoadForge
The Result: Partnering With Bench Accounting Key to Succeeding at Scale
Outsourcing their back office to Bench meant the LoadForge team could stop worrying about accounting—and start focusing on what they do best. Whether it was building new features, helping customers, or planning their next big move, they had the time (and headspace) to do it.
"At every stage in our growth, Bench has delivered. It was a lucky find in our early days, but has become a trusted partner and is part of a startup playbook we'd recommend to any founders - and it's been an integral part of our success since Day One."
— Dean Benjamin
Why It Matters for Small Business Owners
If you’re a founder, freelancer, or growing small business, you’ve probably felt the same pressure. You want to grow—but the business of running the business keeps getting in the way of business. That’s where Bench comes in.
By combining intuitive tools with real people who understand small business accounting, Bench helps companies like LoadForge spend less time managing finances—and more time building what matters.
Lessons from Loadforge
On Business Structure:
“Most small businesses are set up to fail. We focused on operational flexibility - the ability to do the right thing at the right time. Sometimes that means slowing down so you can speed up later.”
On Scalability:
"A lot of our success comes from the humility and honesty to recognize when that is true and iterate. The more iterating to the truth, the better. Our job is to listen to the market, not tell them what they need."
On MVP Thinking:
“We apply minimum viable thinking across everything—not just product. From marketing to content to go-to-market strategies, we test, learn, and iterate fast.”
On Financial Strategy:
“We designed Loadforge for infinite runway—sustainable growth driven by revenue, not fundraising. Our product funds our business, and our growth reflects that.”
On Bad Advice:
“You don’t have to be unique, or even scalable, to succeed. You just need to deliver value and know your customer better than anyone else.”
On Viability:
“Ask: Does this deliver real value? Would someone pay for it today? That’s your benchmark—not perfection. Good enough is an inmportant concept. Start there, and then see what the real world feedback is before committing too many resources.”
On Analytics:
“Data is good when seeing how people use a product, but actually speaking to customers is even better. Those stories aren’t great data points in a table, but they help guide gut instinct and provide deeper insights into what's working and what's missing."
Bench: Bookkeeping for Small Businesses That Are Going Places.
Learn more at bench.com
