How Patreon is pioneering a new frontier of procurement with Zip

The challenge

Patreon faced unique procurement challenges as it scaled up to shape the creator economy.

The company’s rapid growth and on-the-fly buying decisions rendered traditional procurement processes inadequate, leading to poor visibility and limited control over spending.

With an eye-to-the-future and a single-minded commitment to serving creators’ interests, Patreon has never been content to do things the same way they’ve always been done. They knew they needed a procurement platform that thought the same way. Enter Zip.

The solution

Zip stepped in to transform Patreon’s procurement landscape with a seamless intake management solution. Effortlessly integrating into Patreon's diverse systems—from ERP to chat tools—Zip offered a flexible framework that conformed to the fast-moving needs of Patreon's business model.

“We’re never going to be the team that stops the business,” says Crystal Ryu, Senior Director of Finance Operations at Patreon. “Zip doesn’t give you the limitations that force you to operate in a way that isn’t the best for your business.”

The result

Implementing Zip marked a shift in Patreon’s operational efficiency. Zip's automated processes for vendor onboarding and contract management streamlined operations, enabling fast and accurate transactions. “You can’t even do V1 of a contract without going through Zip now,” says Ryu. “But that doesn’t slow anyone down—everything is automatic for the end user.”

Zip's adaptability was key to meeting Patreon's evolving needs. The platform supports a simple intake-to-pay process for immediate tasks while also being flexible enough to accommodate future complexities.Every aspect of Zip is designed to be straight-forward and intuitive. “There’s virtually no training needed,” Ryu said. “There’s no friction for new employees or old. It’s so simple, I don’t even need a sysadmin. We maintain it ourselves.”

Zip enabled Patreon to not only streamline its procurement processes, but also embed a system that grows alongside the creators they empower every day.

“There’s virtually no training needed. There’s no friction for new employees or old.”