Financial Leadership That Drives Growth and Profitability

A fractional CFO is a senior financial executive who works with your business on a part-time, flexible basis. They offer the same strategic expertise as a full-time CFO but scaled to your needs and without the full-time cost. This model allows companies of all sizes to benefit from CFO-level insight. As your needs change, fractional CFOs adjust their involvement, offering flexibility without sacrificing continuity or insight.

• Strategic Planning and Financial Forecasting: A fractional CFO helps create forward-looking financial plans that align with your business goals. They bring clarity to growth strategy, budgeting, and long-term planning.
• Cash Flow Management and Operational Efficiency: From day-to-day cash flow oversight to identifying cost-saving opportunities, a fractional CFO ensures your business operates efficiently and stays financially healthy.
• Data-Driven Decision Support: Instead of relying on guesswork, you get accurate reporting, KPIs, and financial models to support decisions, from hiring to pricing to expansion. A fractional CFO will drive in-depth margin analysis and pricing optimization to improve profitability.
• Fundraising and Capital Strategy: For companies seeking investment or loans, fractional CFOs prepare you for success: building projections, refining pitch materials, and guiding conversations with investors or lenders.

Despite the benefits, some owners hesitate to bring in a Fractional CFO due to misconceptions. Let’s debunk these risky assumptions:

• “We’re too small for a CFO.” It’s easy to think you’re not big enough for a CFO, or that it’s simply too expensive. Forgoing strategic oversight means flying blind and potentially missing early warnings (like a looming cash crunch). Also, important decisions in the early days of a business greatly benefit from a seasoned CFO’s input. For instance, deciding on target market, revenue model, pricing of products and services, capital structure, and human and financial resource allocation.
• “Only big companies need strategy.” Every business needs a financial roadmap. Without a strategy, you may find yourself reacting to problems instead of steering toward opportunities. A fractional CFO helps you set growth targets, map out budgets, and run “what if” scenarios to create a clear plan. Skipping this step can stunt your growth.
• “My accountant handles everything.” Your accountant is essential for keeping the books and staying compliant, but their focus is on historical accounting matters. A CFO looks ahead and guides your major financial and strategic decisions. Relying solely on an accountant means no one is charting your financial course. It’s like having a record keeper but no navigator.

Understanding different financial roles helps clarify the unique value a CFO adds:

• Accountant/Bookkeeper: Maintains the day-to-day finances (bookkeeping, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, invoicing) and keeps historical records accurate. This role is crucial but essentially backward-looking.
• Controller: Oversees the accounting team and ensures that financial reports are accurate and compliant. Controllers enforce procedures and controls and analyze reports, but they don’t drive strategy. Most CFOs can do the work of a Controller, although they are a more expensive resource. However, a Controller rarely can do the work of a CFO.
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO): Leads financial strategy and planning. CFOs use the numbers to advise on growth, investments, cash flow, and funding decisions.  They also integrate financial analysis and discipline into pricing decisions; provide insight into profitability by product or service; lead risk management; interface with investors, lenders, and board members; and design and implement financial processes and internal controls. Further, a CFO instills discipline by implementing budgets, cash flow forecasts, and key performance indicators (KPIs). Through regular check-ins, they catch issues early and keep everyone accountable to financial goals and KPIs.

A full-time CFO’s cost includes more than just salary. Consider:

• Base salary typically ranges from $250K to $400K annually.
• Benefits and bonuses add another 25% to 35%.
• Equity is often part of compensation, especially in growth companies.

All in, a seasoned full-time CFO can cost between $350K to $550K per year. For many small or mid-sized businesses, this isn’t feasible, or necessary. In contrast, fractional CFOs typically cost $3K to $6K per month. You gain strategic financial expertise at a fraction of the cost, while scaling up or down as needed.

At VGP, we offer fractional CFO services on an hourly basis and on a fixed-fee basis, ensuring our clients only pay for what they need. Here’s how pricing generally works:

• Hourly rates usually range from $270 to $330 depending on expertise and scope. At VGP, our hourly structure allows full flexibility and transparency. We don’t have a minimum number of hours per month, nor a minimum term for our engagements.
• Fixed-fee plans – We offer three “off-the-shelf” fixed fee plans (see them here), for consistent support based on a defined scope of work. We also offer customized fixed fee plans, based on your specific needs.
• Project-based fees may be used for specific deliverables like financial models or fundraising prep.

Hourly pricing offers maximum flexibility, ideal for businesses whose financial leadership needs vary over time. You get high-caliber guidance, without fixed overhead.

Fractional CFO pricing can vary based on:

• Experience: Veteran CFOs command higher rates but deliver sharper insights
• Industry Specialization: CFOs familiar with your sector can add value more quickly
• Company Complexity: More entities or operations require more support
• Scope: Strategy-only roles cost less than those involving full oversight

At VGP, we tailor services to your stage, complexity, and goals. Whether you’re a startup or scaling business, you’ll receive aligned financial leadership.