Key advantages of hiring a fractional CFO
- Cost
Unlike traditional businesses, startups need to remain conscious about paying only for what they absolutely cannot live without. Everything else is either in-house or done without.
Fractional CFOs are the next step in this evolution of the scrappy, bare-knuckle startup. Think of a fractional CFO as a CFO on-demand. Your startup benefits from all the expertise of an experienced CFO when it is needed the most, without the additional cost of having an extra C-suite colleague on your payroll.
- Experience
A fractional CFO, by definition, isn’t just a freelancing finance or accounting professional. They are a seasoned boardroom veteran who’s spent years leading organizations through a multitude of business challenges. This means you get someone who has the vision and foresight to help you navigate not just that which lies immediately ahead, but also that which will eventually be inevitable.
Moreover, since a fractional CFO usually handles multiple companies, they provide a diversity of experience borne out of tackling a wide variety of challenges across different domains.
In other words, part-time CFOs offer professional experience that is valuable not only on account of its depth but also for its breadth.
- Flexibility
A major bottleneck that stifles many startups is being stuck with people, especially those in leadership positions, whose vision, ethics, or business philosophy founders have major differences. Constant friction at the top can not just sap a startup’s energy, but also disrupt its focus.
Parting of ways, as and when it comes, can often be bitter and financially ruinous. With a qualified fractional CFO, founders can move on easily if the relationship isn’t a fit.
- Focus
A fractional CFO, like an external consultant, comes in to tide your startup over its immediate needs. This means that you can focus better on the task at hand – whether it be an audit, a merger or an acquisition, or a round of raising capital.