Interim CFO Services

By the end of our time together, we’ll have the entire finance department running beautifully, so your new CFO can walk into an organized, highly-functional department and hit the ground running.  Ready to see if we are a fit?

Here’s how it works:

Our work together is informed by a six-phase structure that I customize to suit your needs.

Engagement

We start out with a call to make sure we’re both a fit for each other. If that’s the case, we then work together to decide on the shape and scope of our engagement. I’ll learn about your goals for this transition, and for the organization as a whole, and we’ll create a plan to get there.

Assessment

This isn’t a witch hunt or about assigning blame.  It’s about creating a common factual foundation so the organization can create priorities based on a shared reality.

The first thing I’ll do when I come into your organization is ask a whole bunch of questions. As the outsider/new person, I don’t have to worry about looking dumb, or questioning doctrine. I want to know why everything is the way it is. Maybe 8 times out of 10, there will be a good reason for things being the way they are. But those 2 times that don’t make sense? Those I’ll note, and then work to create a new process that makes more sense and makes life easier.

During this phase I’ll also be observing the finance team. Are there people who are disengaged? Are there people who might want to be developed, but have never been offered the opportunity? Do we need to hire someone? Does someone need to go? I’ll make notes and discuss my recommendations with you.

All my work in this phase comes from a place of compassionate curiosity, combined with an outsider’s objectivity. I’m not afraid to call it like I see it, and, I genuinely only want what’s best for the organization.

Planning

Once I’ve got the lay of the land, I’ll create a plan to get us from A to Z. This will be highly customized to your specific goals and challenges, but we’ll have clear milestones and end goals laid out for us, so you know exactly what to expect throughout our time together. I’ll also bring the team in on the planning, so I can get them all pulling together to make this happen. At this stage I’ll happily take their feedback and manage any pushback or emotions that come up, but I’ll also make it clear to the team that this is where we’re going.

Alignment

As we begin working through the plan we’ve created, things will need to be adjusted as the plan encounters reality. I’ll make those changes while ensuring we still meet our milestones, and be responsive to anything that comes up in the meantime. During this phase, the department will also start to align with the new processes and ways of working we’re implementing, which is where things start to get really cool!

Transformation

As we get further into the plan, the finance department you had when I came onboard starts to become the finance department you’ve wished for for years. Processes flow seamlessly. Decision-making is clear and robust. Old conflicts are brought to a head and resolved. The entire team is on board, prepared, and excited for the entry of the new full-time CFO – and, as the finance department picks up its game, the entire organization feels the positive impacts.

Transition

Like Nanny McPhee, when you need me but do not want me, I must stay. But when you want me but no longer need me, it’s time for me to move on. As I transition out of your organization, I’ll work with leadership, the finance department, and the new CFO to create a smooth transition for everyone involved. This includes a detailed, highly personal handover process with your new CFO, so they have a clear idea as to why we’ve set things up this way, the strengths and weaknesses of the team, and the plan for moving forward.

If this sounds like the kind of partner you need, let’s talk.

Plus, the whole time we’re working through this process, I’ll be managing the day-to-day operations of your finance department. That includes:

• Reconciling the books
• Approving payments, invoices, and expenses
• Cashflow management
• Budgeting
• Presenting to the finance committee
• Regular reporting

Nothing stops with your regular flow of business, even as we upgrade the department and prepare for the new CFO. 

Details and Logistics:

Interim CFO engagements generally run from 9 – 12 months.

Each engagement starts with a no strings call, where we’ll discuss what you need, and see if we’re a fit for each other.

If we both feel good after the call, we’ll schedule another meeting to review the potential scope of work.  Then we’ll set a date for onboarding!  If you want to see if we’re a good fit, I’d love to talk.

Consulting

I have a limited number of consulting hours available. Clients get first dibs, and I’m almost always waitlisted for these slots.

Consulting starts at $250 per hour.

Click here to join the waitlist.

Business Case

Need to get approval to hire me? Click here for a letter explaining the business case for hiring me to your CEO or Board.