Most growing companies reach a point where the founder can no longer run the finance function alone, but a full-time CFO feels like too big a step. That is the gap a fractional CFO fills.
What a fractional CFO does
A fractional CFO is a senior finance leader who works with you for a set number of days each month. The work typically covers:
- building and owning the financial model and forecast,
- monthly reporting and KPIs the board actually uses,
- cash flow management and bank relationships,
- fundraising: the model, data room, investor deck and due diligence,
- pricing, margin and cost decisions,
- and building the systems and team a future full-time CFO will inherit.
Signs you need one now
- You are planning a funding round in the next 6 to 12 months.
- Investors or the board are asking for better numbers.
- You cannot say with confidence how many months of cash you have.
- You are entering a new market or launching a new product line.
- Your accountant is excellent at recording the past, but nobody is planning the future.
When a full-time CFO makes more sense
When finance needs daily leadership: a large team, a listed or soon-to-list company, complex treasury, or frequent transactions. Even then, a fractional CFO is often the bridge that gets the function ready for that hire.
What to look for
Choose someone who has sat on both sides of the table, building models and defending them to investors and auditors. Ask how they will hand over: good fractional CFOs leave processes behind, not dependency.
Learn more about our fractional CFO services or book a free consultation.