TydeCo Brings Global HR-Finance Event Back Home To Maryland

A company that began twenty years ago as a bookkeeping side project in the attic of a rented Maryland house is bringing a signature international event back to its home state. TydeCo, formerly known as Lescault & Walderman, will host “HR & Finance Walk Into a Bar” on September 24 in Gaithersburg, marking the concept’s first appearance in the United States after successful runs in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

The company was founded in 2006 by two college students, including current CEO Matt Lescault, who started with $1,500 and no clients, relying on a Craigslist ad to find early business. What began as a small accounting practice moved to a fully virtual operating model in 2010 and has since grown into a global business transformation firm operating across four countries and ten time zones. Along the way, the company rebranded as TydeCo, a name meant to evoke the tides connecting its operations across continents.

The upcoming event, held in partnership with accounting software provider Sage, will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Charley’s Chesapeake Chophouse in Gaithersburg’s Rio Lakefront district. Designed for finance, HR and payroll leaders, business owners and senior decision makers, the afternoon will blend a four-course meal, paired drinks and live magic performances with structured conversations among speakers from finance, HR and payroll backgrounds. Attendance is free but limited, with registration available through TydeCo’s website. A follow-up edition is planned for Boston in October.

According to Becky Clawson, TydeCo’s director of marketing, the format grew out of informal meetings she and Lescault would hold at the same Gaithersburg restaurant when discussions required more space than a scheduled video call could offer. The company says stepping outside a conventional office setting tends to loosen rigid thinking and produce more creative problem-solving, a premise that shaped the event’s blend of entertainment and business dialogue. The name plays on a familiar joke format, with HR and finance functions placed at the center because the two departments often make overlapping decisions using separate systems and data sets.

TydeCo first tested the concept in South Africa following its 2022 acquisition of a majority stake in AWCape, a South African Sage partner, and a minority stake in Applico, a Sage training firm. Those international units eventually merged with the original Maryland-based practice to form TydeCo. Company leaders describe the South African events as proof that cross-functional, experience-driven gatherings could resonate with business audiences, paving the way for the U.S. debut.

The event arrives amid a broader industry shift toward integrated financial and human capital management systems, as mid-sized companies increasingly seek platforms that connect payroll, accounting and workforce data in real time. Software vendors such as Sage have positioned themselves as partners in that transition, offering cloud-based tools intended to reduce the reporting gaps that often arise when finance and HR departments operate independently.

Industry observers note that informal, experience-based networking formats have gained traction in recent years as companies look for alternatives to traditional conferences and trade-show settings. Combining hospitality, entertainment and peer discussion is seen by some business-services firms as a way to build trust with clients before formal sales conversations begin, particularly in sectors like accounting technology where implementation decisions can carry long-term operational consequences.

TydeCo says the ultimate goal of the Maryland gathering is not networking for its own sake, but tangible follow-through, pointing to past instances where conversations sparked at similar events led directly to new technology implementations between HR and finance teams. Additional details and registration information for the September 24 event are available through TydeCo’s website.

This report is based on information provided by a press release distributed via PR Newswire.