01 — What This Actually Looks Like
If you're just getting a spreadsheet at the end of the month, you're missing the real story of your business.
I don't just hand you a report and call it a day. I translate your numbers into a clear story — because if you can't see the story in your data, you can't steer your business.
I study your business, set the KPIs that actually matter to you, and track them month over month:
- Catching Hidden Costs — monitoring payroll trends and catching creeping operating costs before they eat your revenue.
- True Margin Clarity — categorizing your COGS correctly so you see your real pricing margins instead of guessing.
- Growth Capacity Planning — pinpointing exactly why fixed costs are outpacing your bookings, so you know when it's safe to hire, invest, or scale.
Here's the truth: if your costs aren't tracked accurately, you don't actually know if you're profitable. You're just hoping.
"I'm not just closing your books. I'm the extra set of eyes always watching and always strategizing — so you can run your business instead of chasing a spreadsheet."
The Monthly Strategy Session
I don't just show you the gap between where you are and where you want to be. I close it.
Before You Call
Questions clients ask before they hire me.
What does the first 90 days actually look like?
The first month is about getting current: access to your systems, a full review of your books, identifying the gaps that are costing you the most, and getting close and reporting on a proper schedule. Month two is about fixing the right things in the right order — not everything at once. By month three, you have clean, reliable numbers on a schedule you can plan around, and we're working on what's next for the business. Most clients say the biggest change isn't what I fixed — it's that they stopped dreading the financial conversation.
Do I need a bookkeeper, a Controller, or a CFO?
Here's the honest answer: most small businesses need a Controller before they need a CFO. A bookkeeper records what happened. A Controller makes sure those records are accurate, reconciled, and useful. A CFO uses those numbers to make strategic decisions. If you don't trust your monthly numbers, start with Controller services — that's the foundation everything else builds on. I'll tell you exactly where you are on the first call.
What if I already have a bookkeeper?
Great — keep them. I work above the bookkeeping layer: reviewing their work, closing the books properly, building out the reporting you actually need, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks at tax time. You get the combination of someone handling the day-to-day and a senior finance leader reviewing everything. That's usually the right setup for a growing business.
Do you handle taxes?
No. I don't file tax returns. I focus on keeping your books accurate and tax-ready year-round, and I coordinate directly with your CPA or tax preparer at filing time so there are no surprises. If you don't have one, I can help you find one.
What industries do you work with?
I've run finance across SaaS, e-commerce, healthcare, retail, restaurants, contractors, and manufacturing — so I'm comfortable with most small business models. What matters more than industry is business stage: I work best with companies that have outgrown basic bookkeeping but aren't ready to hire a full-time finance person. If you're not sure whether that's you, the free 20-minute call will answer it.
What does this cost, and what do I get for it?
Bookkeeping starts at $600/mo. Controller services start at $1,500/mo. Fractional CFO starts at $3,000/mo. Flat monthly retainers — no hourly surprises, no "that's out of scope" for things that are clearly in scope. You get direct access to me, not a team of people you've never met. Pricing is posted publicly on this site because I think hiding it behind a contact form wastes everyone's time.
Why not use a $200/month online bookkeeping service?
If your business is simple and you only need transactions categorized, an online service can work. I'm the better fit when you need more than that: books that are months behind cleaned up first, one senior person who actually knows your business, someone local who can sit down with you, and Controller-level review so you can trust the numbers. Also check the fine print: many online plans raise the price as your monthly expenses grow.
