When Does Your Startup Need a Fractional CFO?

Every startup reaches a point where the financial complexity outgrows the founder's bandwidth. But how do you know when that moment has arrived?

## Signs You're Ready

### 1. You're Spending Too Much Time on Finance

If you're a founder spending more than 10-15% of your time on financial tasks—reconciling accounts, building models, preparing board decks—that's time not spent on product, customers, or team. A fractional CFO can take this off your plate while actually improving the quality of the output.

### 2. You're Preparing for a Fundraise

Investors expect financial sophistication. They want to see clean historical financials, a well-built model, and a founder who can speak fluently about unit economics. A fractional CFO can help you prepare materials, anticipate investor questions, and present your financial story compellingly.

### 3. Your Business Model is Getting Complex

Multiple revenue streams, new channels, geographic expansion—as your business grows, so does the complexity of understanding what's actually working. A fractional CFO brings the analytical frameworks to cut through this complexity.

### 4. You're Making Big Decisions

Whether it's a major hire, a new market, or a significant investment, big decisions deserve rigorous financial analysis. A fractional CFO can build the models and provide the perspective to make these decisions with confidence.

### 5. Your Board or Investors Are Asking for More

As you grow, stakeholder expectations grow too. Monthly board decks, detailed forecasts, KPI tracking—these take time and expertise to do well.

## The Fractional Advantage

Unlike a full-time CFO hire (which can cost $300-500K+ annually at the senior level), a fractional CFO gives you access to experienced financial leadership at a fraction of the cost. You get strategic thinking, operational support, and investor credibility without the full-time commitment.

Most importantly, a good fractional CFO isn't just a numbers person—they're a thought partner who understands the founder journey and can help you navigate your next inflection point.

## Ready to Talk?

If any of these signs resonate, it might be time for a conversation. Our free financial audit is a great way to get an outside perspective on your financial health and discuss whether fractional CFO support makes sense for your business.