STAGE 1 OF 4
Company Profile
Baseline metrics. The CFO model that fits depends primarily on revenue scale, growth rate, and ownership type.
$
%
%
Founder-owned
Independent; reporting to founder/CEO
PE-backed
Private-equity portfolio company
VC-backed
Venture-funded growth-stage
Family business
Multi-generational; complex governance
STAGE 2 OF 4
Complexity Drivers
Toggle the operational complexity factors. Each one increases the case for senior finance leadership.
Multiple legal entities
3+ legal entities, intercompany transfers, consolidation needs
International operations
Multi-currency, transfer pricing, FX hedging, foreign tax
Significant debt / lender reporting
Bank covenants, monthly compliance certificates, lender meetings
Annual audit requirement
GAAP financial statements, audit-committee oversight
Active M&A pipeline
Considering acquisition, divestiture, or strategic capital raise within 18 months
Complex revenue recognition
SaaS multi-year contracts, percentage-of-completion, software licensing
Equity compensation program
Stock options, RSUs, §409A valuations, equity-based comp accounting
STAGE 3 OF 4
Strategic Needs in Next 18 Months
What outcomes do you need the finance function to enable? These shape the type of CFO required.
Capital raise (debt or equity)
Investor model, due-diligence package, banker-ready data room
Exit / sale within 18-36 months
QofE prep, financial cleanup, transaction-ready accounting
ERP / systems implementation
NetSuite, Sage Intacct, or QuickBooks → mid-market migration
Building finance team
Hiring controller, FP&A analyst, AP/AR clerks; org design
Board-ready reporting
Monthly board pack; KPI dashboard; budget vs. actual
Strategic-finance partnership with CEO
Capital allocation, pricing, M&A pipeline, business-model evolution
STAGE 4 OF 4
Your Recommended Engagement Model
Based on your specific profile. Updates if you change inputs.
RECOMMENDED MODEL
Fractional CFO
5-10 hours/week, $8-15K/month all-in
All three models — annualized cost comparison
| Model | Annual cost | Capacity | Best for your situation |
|---|
What your selected model delivers
Hiring sequence (next 12 months)
Considering an exit within 24 months?
The Liquidity Event Playbook covers QofE prep, working-capital optimization, and the headline-to-net waterfall. Try the LEP simulator →
YOUR PERSONALIZED ENGAGEMENT REPORT
Get the full hiring playbook by email
5-page personalized report including: target candidate profile, comp-band benchmarks for your market, sample job spec, recommended search firms, and the 90-day onboarding plan.
Disclaimer. Order-of-magnitude estimates for educational purposes. Compensation bands vary by geographic market, sector, and specific company circumstances.
Engage qualified search professionals and compensation consultants for the actual hiring process.