What a fractional CFO actually is — and when you need one
A fractional CFO is a senior financial executive who works with your business part-time, on retainer — bringing the strategy, forecasting and reporting of a full-time hire at a fraction of the cost.
A full-time CFO costs $250k+. You don't need one full-time.
Most $1M–$10M businesses need genuine CFO thinking — but for a few hours a week, not forty. You're paying for judgment and strategy, not desk time.
Full-time CFO
Before bonus, benefits and equity
- ✕Salary, bonus and benefits
- ✕Payroll taxes and 401k match
- ✕Recruiting and search fees
- ✕Long ramp-up before impact
- ✕40 hrs/week of coverage you don't need
- ✕Hard to unwind if it's the wrong fit
Owner doing it themselves
On paper, anyway
- ✕15–20 hours a month you don't have
- ✕Decisions made without real data
- ✕Late to tax planning, every year
- ✕Margin problems found months later
- ✕Growth limited by your bandwidth
- ✕Time taken from actually running the business
Fractional CFO
Quoted per business — typically a small share of an executive salary
- Executive-level judgment on retainer
- No payroll tax, benefits or equity
- Productive within the first week
- Exactly the hours your stage requires
- Scale up or down as you grow
- Cancel anytime — no long-term lock-in
Full-time CFO compensation reflects typical market ranges for SMB finance leadership. Your actual fractional investment depends on scope and complexity.
Bookkeeper, CPA, CFO — they're not the same job
Most owners have two of the three already. The gap is almost always the third.
Bookkeeper
Looks backwardRecords what already happened
- Categorizes transactions
- Reconciles bank accounts
- Produces monthly statements
“What did we spend?”
You likely already have this
CPA / Tax Preparer
Looks at the yearFiles and complies
- Prepares and files returns
- Ensures regulatory compliance
- Signs off on the numbers
“What do we owe?”
You likely already have this
Fractional CFO
Looks forwardDecides what happens next
- Forecasts cash and models scenarios
- Finds and fixes margin leakage
- Plans tax strategy during the year
- Advises on hiring, pricing and capital
“What should we do next, and can we afford it?”
This is usually the missing piece
Good news: a fractional CFO works alongside your existing bookkeeper and CPA rather than replacing either. We make their jobs easier and your decisions better.
Is it time to bring in a CFO?
Tap any that sound familiar. There's no wrong answer — this is the same screen most owners see right before they call us.
A fractional CFO usually costs less per year than a single bad hire — or one mispriced contract.
Check what rings true
0 of 6No obligation · We'll tell you if you don't need us yet
A typical month with your CFO
Predictable, low-effort for you, and built around the decisions actually in front of you.
Books close & reporting ships
Your monthly close lands by day ten with a plain-English summary of what changed and why.
Cash forecast refresh
The 13-week model updates. We flag tight weeks early, while there's room to react.
Strategy session
A working session on pricing, hiring, capital or margin — with the numbers already prepared.
You call before deciding
Big purchase, new contract, bank conversation — run it past us first, not after.
Find out what a CFO would see in your numbers
Thirty minutes on a call is usually enough to spot where margin and cash are leaking — and to know whether fractional support is worth it for you yet.
Free · 30 minutes · No obligation and no pitch deck