From Freelance Tax Tool to Trusted Financial Companion
Project Info
What we did
The Moment
There are some 30 million independent workers in Europe today: freelancers, self-employed, and those navigating the gig economy. For many, striking out alone is the ultimate expression of autonomy. But it's also a lonely path, especially when it comes to accounting and financial understanding.
This inspired Nicholas Quarre and his team to build Accountable: simple software that helps independent workers manage invoicing, receipts, and taxes, with AI features that answer the specific financial questions usually reserved for the specialists. The product worked, and customers loved it. But to truly excel, Accountable needed to go beyond the transactional, to tap into the emotional reality of their customers' lonely journey.
This is exactly the moment Excavate & Express is designed for. The love customers already felt for the product was proof something distinctive was there. It just hadn't been named, or built into the brand.
The Work
The Excavate phase produced the central insight: independence is empowering, but isolating too. What solo workers really need isn't another tool, it's a companion. Something steady and loyal, on their side through the uncertainty of going it alone.
With that foundation locked, the Express phase gave that companionship a face: Aldo, a canine brand mascot. A universal symbol of loyalty and company on the journey. Always there, never judging, genuinely on your side. We introduced a warmer, more encouraging tone of voice, and an illustration style that made a famously dry category feel like it had your back.
The Outcome
The brand gave Accountable a distinct, ownable presence in a crowded fintech category, built on trust and companionship rather than features and forms. It supported continued product expansion and underpinned the company's growth as a trusted partner to Europe's independent workforce.
In April 2025, Accountable was acquired by Visma, the Norwegian software group known for acquiring and scaling the best software for SMEs and freelancers.
