HOW WE WORK TOGETHER
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I offer three distinct engagement models based on where you are and what you need:
Whether you need a partner to your existing CFO or full fractional CFO services, I bring the commercial operations expertise and financial discipline that transforms scaling brands into acquisition-ready Businesses.
WHO I SERVE
Consumer brands ($15M-$250M+) where financial maturity no longer matches the scale and complexity of the business.
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Focus Sectors: Food & Beverage | Health & Wellness | E-Commerce & DTC Brands
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE:
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PE/VC-backed companies needing to professionalize finance to protect and accelerate value creation
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Scaling brands with controller-led finance functions or missing institutional FP&A capabilities
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Need commercial infrastructure + financial discipline
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Established businesses facing stalled growth, margin erosion, or seeking operational clarity
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Want to become acquisition-ready
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YOU'RE A FIT IF:
✓ Accounting infrastructure is solid, but strategic finance and FP&A are missing or immature
✓ Your CFO or controller came up through accounting and lacks operational finance expertise
✓ You're preparing for fundraising, exit, or need to professionalize for the next growth phase
✓ Board meetings expose gaps in forecasting, unit economics, or financial storytelling
✓ You recognize that financial infrastructure is now a bottleneck to growth or value creation
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ENGAGEMENT MODELS
Three ways to Work Together
STRATEGIC OPERATING PARTNER
Best For:
Consumer brands ($15M-$250M+ revenue) with existing CFO who need commercial operations leadership and institutional FP&A infrastructure
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Two-phase approach:
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PHASE 1: OPERATIONAL AUDIT & EBITDA DIAGNOSTIC (4-6 weeks)
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Deep dive into SKU-level economics, margin structure, and operational complexity to identify immediate EBITDA opportunities and infrastructure gaps.
Deliverables:
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SKU profitability analysis (true economics after trade spend, complexity costs)
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Margin leak assessment & quantified recovery opportunities
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Current-state infrastructure evaluation
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Future-state roadmap with prioritized recommendations
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Scoped proposal for Phase 2 implementation
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Why start here: This diagnostic builds the business case for transformation. Most clients uncover $500K-$2M+ in margin opportunities, which funds the infrastructure investment and demonstrates clear ROI for Phase 2.
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PHASE 2: STRATEGIC OPERATING PARTNER ENGAGEMENT (12-24 months)
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Based on Phase 1 findings, I embed as your commercial finance operator to build the institutional-grade systems identified in the roadmap.
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Time Commitment: 8-12 days/month
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How I Show Up:
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Weekly CEO syncs (strategic priorities, key decisions, focus areas)
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Cross-functional team alignment (brand, marketing, ops, sales, finance)
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Monthly business reviews or quarterly board prep
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Available for strategic questions between scheduled work
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What I Own:
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Commercial finance leadership and P&L optimization
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FP&A infrastructure build (budgeting, forecasting, planning calendars)
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Forecasting excellence (consumption-based models, ±4% accuracy)
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Long-range planning systems and strategic frameworks
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Common scenario:
Your CFO is a strategic partner handling finance operations, but lacks the operational finance depth or bandwidth to build best-in-class forecasting, planning infrastructure, and commercial finance systems. Phase 1 quantifies the gaps and ROI. Phase 2 builds the solutions while enabling your CFO to focus on strategic finance leadership.
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FRACTIONAL CFO
Best for: Consumer brands ($15M-$250M+ revenue) who don't have a full-time CFO and need strategic finance leadership without the commitment of a full-time hire
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Your CFO handles strategic finance, systems, compliance, treasury, and investor relations. I lead commercial strategy, brand-level P&L, forecasting, and operational finance—enabling your CFO to focus on their core strengths while you get enterprise-level commercial finance leadership.
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FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT TIERS BASED ON INTENSITY:
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TIER 1: ACTIVE INTENSITY (Growth, Fundraising, Crisis)
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Time Commitment: 8-12 days/month
Duration: Typically 6-12 months, then transition to Tier 2
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When you need this:
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Active fundraising (Series A/B prep, roadshow, due diligence)
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Rapid growth phase (scaling 50%+ YoY)
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Financial crisis or turnaround situation
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Major strategic initiative (M&A, new market entry)
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How I Show Up:
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Weekly CEO syncs (strategic priorities, financial health, key decisions)
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Weekly finance team check-ins (support controller/bookkeeper, build capabilities)
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Monthly close review and business performance analysis
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Quarterly board prep and investor storytelling
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Intensive fundraising support (deck reviews, investor meetings, diligence management)
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TIER 2: STEADY STATE OVERSIGHT
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Time Commitment: 4-6 days/month
Duration: 6-18 months (or until full-time CFO hire)
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When you need this:
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Stable operations with established systems
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Controller handles day-to-day accounting competently
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Monthly/quarterly strategic finance needs
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Board oversight and investor updates
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Planning to hire full-time CFO in 12-18 months
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How I Show Up:
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Bi-weekly CEO syncs (strategic priorities, 30-60 minutes)
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Monthly close review and commentary
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Quarterly board presentations and investor updates
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Strategic finance projects (LRP, fundraising prep, exit readiness)
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Available for urgent strategic questions between scheduled work
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What I Own (Both Tiers):
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Strategic finance and financial storytelling
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Investor relations and board reporting
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Fundraising preparation and capital strategy
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Financial systems design and process improvement
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Finance team development and capability building
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Common scenario:
Your business has outgrown founder-led finance, but you're not ready for (or can't attract) a $200K+ full-time CFO. You have a talented bookkeeper or controller handling day-to-day accounting but lack executive-level strategic finance leadership. I serve as your interim CFO, building financial infrastructure and providing strategic leadership. Most engagements start at Tier 1 intensity during heavy-lift periods (fundraising, rapid growth), then transition to Tier 2 once systems are stable. The engagement concludes when you hire full-time or when the contract naturally ends.
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PROJECT-BASED ENGAGEMENTS
Best for: Brands ($15M-$250M+) preparing for fundraising, strategic growth initiatives, or exit—or companies needing specific operational finance capabilities built without ongoing retainer commitment
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Targeted, fixed-scope work designed to deliver specific outcomes in 6-12 weeks.
AVAILABLE PROJECTS
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INVESTOR READINESS PACKAGE
Build investor-grade financial infrastructure to position your business for fundraising or strategic partnerships.
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Duration: 8-10 weeks
Deliverables:
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3-year financial model with unit economics
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Cash runway dashboard & 13-week cash flow forecast
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Capital efficiency metrics
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Investor-grade financial narrative
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When you need this:
6-12 months before fundraise, entering partnership discussions, or board demanding better financial projections
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LONG-RANGE PLANNING & CASH MANAGEMENT PACKAGE
Build strategic planning infrastructure with multi-year growth scenarios and cash visibility for leadership and boards.
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Deliverables:
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3- or 5-year long-range plan with growth scenarios
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Cash burn analysis & runway projections
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13-week rolling cash flow forecast model
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Cash management playbook & board presentation package
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When you need this:
Planning major growth phase or exit (18-36 months out), board requesting strategic plan, or limited cash visibility creating risk
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ADDITIONAL STRATEGIC SPRINTS
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SKU Rationalization & Profitability Analysis
Identify margin leaks, complexity costs, and portfolio optimization opportunities
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Forecasting System Overhaul
Build consumption-based forecasting with institutional-grade accuracy (±4-6%)
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Zero-Based Budget Reset
Tear-down and rebuild budget to identify efficiency opportunities and reallocate resources
Exit Readiness Financial Package
Buyer-ready financials, quality of earnings prep, and data room organization for M&A
Common scenario:
You need specific expertise—investor readiness, strategic planning, forecasting overhaul, or exit prep—without ongoing retainer support. These engagements deliver high-impact outcomes in 6-12 weeks with knowledge transfer to your team.
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WHY THIS MAKES SENSE vs. Full-Time CFO:
Full-time CFO:
$200K–$300K salary + benefits + equity = $250K–$350K annual cost
Fractional Engagements:
50-60% cost savings while getting CFO-level expertise without full-time commitment.
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Get enterprise-grade financial leadership and operational finance infrastructure without the overhead of a full-time hire.
vs. Doing Nothing:
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Cost of poor forecasting: 10–20% excess inventory = $100K–$500K tied up in cash
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Cost of missed opportunities: Suboptimal SKU mix = 100–250bps margin loss
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Cost of weak investor relations: Lower valuation or failed fundraise = millions in lost opportunity.
TYPICAL ROI:
My clients typically see 3–10x return on investment through:
→ Working capital optimization (cash freed up)
→ Margin improvement (cost savings, better pricing)
→ Avoided mistakes (poor inventory decisions, bad SKU investments) → Successful fundraising (better terms, higher valuation)
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Most engagements pay for themselves within 6-12 months through identified margin opportunities and operational improvements.
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*Final pricing determined during consultation based on your specific situation, complexity, and scope.*