About CoverPanda

Built by franchise operators, for franchise operators.

We've scaled multi-unit portfolios, sat across the table from lenders, and lived the financial chaos that comes with rapid growth. CoverPanda exists because we built what we needed and couldn't find.

Why we built CoverPanda

Scaling a franchise portfolio exposes a problem that most operators don't see coming: the financial infrastructure breaks before the operations do. The books get messy. Payroll gets complicated. And when a lender or investor asks for financials, the data isn't ready.

We know because we've lived it. Our team has built and operated franchise portfolios, raised capital, structured deals, and navigated the financial complexity that comes with multi-unit growth. We built CoverPanda to solve the exact problem we kept running into.

Today, our team of 10+ professionals based in Orem, Utah (313 1200 S, Orem, Utah 84058) provides the complete financial infrastructure franchise operators need: bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation and filing, fractional CFO services, AI implementation, and financial tech stack advisory. Our accountants run on our own software platform, CoverPanda Financial OS, which automates royalty workflows, reconciliation, and reporting. We help operators scale with confidence, raise capital when they need it, and be ready when it's time to exit.

Our Team

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Jared Nielsen, CPA
Managing Partner

Jared leads CoverPanda's financial operations and brings deep expertise in franchise accounting, compliance, and financial reporting. His background spans public accounting at PwC, corporate finance at Woodside Homes, and franchise-specific financial leadership.

  • CPA with Big Four public accounting experience (PwC)
  • Master's in Accountancy from Brigham Young University
  • Financial leadership across corporate and franchise environments
  • Deep expertise in audit, tax strategy, and internal controls
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Shideler Bennett, MBA
Partner

Shideler brings the operator's perspective to CoverPanda. He built a multi-unit franchise portfolio generating north of $12M in annual revenue, giving him firsthand experience with the financial challenges that come with rapid scaling.

  • Built a multi-unit franchise portfolio with $12M+ in revenue
  • MBA from Western Governors University
  • Experience raising capital and structuring franchise deals
  • Board Member, Pacific Horizon Credit Union
LinkedIn
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Taylor Byington
Co-Founder

Taylor is an entrepreneur and multi-unit franchise operator who co-founded CoverPanda to solve the financial infrastructure gap he experienced firsthand while scaling his own portfolio. He brings deep knowledge of franchise economics, insurance, and growth strategy.

  • Multi-unit Crumbl Cookies franchise owner
  • Bachelor's in Economics from Brigham Young University
  • Background in insurance and insurtech (Blue Mountain Insurance, tekkii.co)
  • Serial entrepreneur with experience across franchise, insurance, and tech
LinkedIn
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Kayden Thomson
CTO / Co-Founder

Kayden leads CoverPanda's technology strategy and product development, including the AI-powered data room platform. With over 7 years of software engineering experience, he builds the tools that help franchise operators streamline operations and make smarter decisions with their data.

  • Computer Science degree from the University of Utah
  • 5+ years as Senior Software Engineer at Pluralsight (Apple platforms lead)
  • Expertise in AI implementation, full-stack development, and financial tech systems
  • Building CoverPanda's AI-powered data rooms and automation tools
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What makes us different

01

Franchise-native

Purpose-built for multi-unit complexity. We understand franchisor reporting, unit economics, tax obligations across jurisdictions, and the systems that hold it all together.

02

Operator perspective

We know what banks and investors look at when evaluating a franchise portfolio because we've been on both sides of that conversation.

03

AI-powered infrastructure

We don't just do the books. Our team runs on our own software, CoverPanda Financial OS, and we combine financial expertise with AI implementation and tech stack advisory to install systems that scale with your business. A CTO on the masthead of an accounting firm is not an accident.

04

Full-service financial ops

From bookkeeping and payroll to tax preparation, filing, and fractional CFO services, we cover every layer of your financial stack so nothing falls through the cracks.

Let's talk about your franchise portfolio.

Schedule a call and we'll walk through how CoverPanda can work for your business.

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