We're hiring our first fractional CFO
The books exist. The decisions do not. You are still the person who knows whether you can make payroll and buy the next production run.
The lists for this job
These are the ones I'd pick first, which is why I partner with them. I may earn a referral fee.
DISCLOSURE
Listings and verdicts can't be bought. Sponsored slots and reviews are always labeled.
WHAT MATTERS
- The bookkeeper or controller can close the month.
- You will give them the real numbers, including the ugly ones.
- The retainer is sized to the decisions, not to status.
Before you sign
- Days per month, and which decisions they own.
- What the bookkeeper still does.
- A notice period measured in weeks, not a year.
NONE OF THESE
If the month does not close, hire a bookkeeper or a controller before a CFO. A strategist on top of a late close is theater.
Questions
Is a fractional CFO a tool?
No. The tools below them make the close and the model faster. The hire is a person.
Can my accountant do this?
Sometimes. Ask if they will forecast cash and argue with you. If they only file, that is a different job.
What do I hand them in week one?
The last close, the inventory, the debt, and the decisions you are stuck on.