The board never has to ask twice.
Month-end, board pack, cash forecast, internal controls — run by a chartered accountant, on cadence. The middle tier between bookkeeping and a CFO; for many businesses, the only finance leadership they need.
What buyers usually say in the first call.
“My books are clean — I just don’t know what they’re telling me.”
“The board is asking questions I can’t answer in real time.”
“I’m running cash off a spreadsheet I update on weekends.”
“I need a real number, not a vibe, on covenant headroom.”
A controller function on retainer.
Same systems as bookkeeping; deeper use of them.
QBO and Xero remain the GL. NetSuite and Dynamics for larger clients. We layer in FP&A, cash forecasting, and reporting tools where they earn their place.
A 30-day stand-up, then a steady weekly rhythm.
Two-week look
Last three closes, last three board packs, the cash spreadsheet. We tell you what’s missing.
30-day onboarding
We rebuild the close, draft a board pack template, and stand up the cash forecast. Live by day 30.
Weekly + monthly
Weekly cash check-in. Monthly close, board pack, commentary. Quarterly written review.
Quarterly written review
What changed, what’s working, what to watch. Delivered as a one-page memo.
A flat monthly fee. Bookkeeping folds in.
- BookkeepingFolded in
- Board packMonthly
- Cash forecastWeekly
- Standing callWeekly · 30 min
- Audit liaisonIncluded
The published anchor covers a single-entity business with a clean GL. We scope multi-entity groups, charities with fund accounting, and businesses in covenant separately.
Pricing is written and flat — never hourly. You should know what your finance function costs each month, the same way you know your rent.
Special projects (an audit, a financing, a new ERP) are scoped on top, with a written estimate before we start.
Short answers to the questions that come up most.
What’s the difference between a controller and a fractional CFO?
A controller makes sure the numbers are right and the board never has to ask twice. A CFO uses the numbers — for capital, deals, and capital allocation. Many businesses need a controller long before they need a CFO; some never need both at the same time.
Will you replace my in-house finance lead?
Sometimes. More often we work alongside — running the close while the in-house lead focuses on operations, FP&A, or growth.
Do you sit on the board?
Not as a director. We attend board meetings as the controller, present the financials, and answer questions in real time. We’ve found that’s more useful than a seat.
How quickly can you stand up a board pack?
Within 30 days for most clients. The first pack is a draft we iterate on for a quarter — we want to know what your specific board reads and what they skip.
Worth a 30-minute call,
even if you’re not sure you need a controller.
The discovery call is free, confidential, and ends with a written one-pager — whether or not we end up working together.
Book a discovery call