ONE FOUNDATION. STACK WHAT YOU NEED. SCALE AS YOU GROW.

You bring the vision.
We build the ground game.

Groundwork CFO delivers the financial clarity, strategic guidance, and hands-on support ambitious founders need to scale confidently

Book Financial Foundation & Strategy Consultation

We focus on the few things that matter most: seeing clearly where you are, being ready for capital, and ensuring finance supports growth.

Why Founders Work With Groundwork

Runway & Clarity

You shouldn't have to guess where you stand.

We turn your financials into a clear, founder-friendly picture of the business—revenue, margins, burn, and runway.

• Clean, understandable monthly financials
• Runway & performance in one slide
• "If we do X vs Y" scenarios

Fundraise Ready

Your story and your numbers need to match.

We help you build an investor-grade model, define the right metrics, and prepare the financial narrative so you're ready for diligence.

• Investor-grade models tied to reality
• Metrics investors actually care about
• Materials that hold up in diligence

Ops That Support Growth

Finance doesn't live in a spreadsheet.

It lives in how your team runs day to day. We tighten the link between finance and operations so your processes support growth instead of fighting it.

• Better use of cash, people, and time
• Simple processes for money flow
• KPIs your team can actually act on

THE CORE SERVICE

The Groundwork Operating System

One foundation, customized to your scale. Every engagement starts with the same goal—giving you a clear financial picture and a steady decision rhythm.

What the foundation is

Your CFO 'ground game' includes:

Clear, reliable financials

I work with your existing bookkeeper or firm to make sure the numbers are accurate and usable—no finance degree required to read them.

A clear picture of where you stand

Revenue, margins, burn, and runway turned into a simple view you can explain to your team and investors.

A regular decision cadence

Recurring time on the calendar to walk through results, talk through trade-offs, and decide what happens next—so you're not reacting in Slack at midnight.

How it's customized

How we right-size it to you:

Stage & complexity

Earlier-stage and simpler businesses get a lighter version; multi-product, multi-team companies get deeper analysis and more touchpoints.

Your business model

SaaS, marketplace, e-com, services—what we track and discuss is built around how you actually make and keep money.

Your leadership style & bandwidth

Some founders want more async Looms and written summaries; others want live working sessions. We set the format to match how you think and run the company.

Short, actionable follow-up

A concise recap: what changed, what it means, and a few concrete actions with owners and timing.

From one foundation to a plan that fits right now

Once the ground game is in place, we shape the rest of the engagement in two ways: Optional add-ons for ongoing focus areas like metrics, pricing, or staying fundraise-ready. Core projects for bigger lifts like building an investor-grade model, a dashboard, or a full fundraise readiness sprint.

Schedule Your Financial Foundation & Strategy Consultation

Optional Add-Ons

The OS keeps the lights on and the road clear. But when you need to surge, we add firepower

Metrics / Dashboard

Keep your most important numbers clean, current, and easy to read—without rebuilding the whole reporting stack every month.

• Maintain and refine your KPI / metrics dashboard
• Fix issues as the business and data evolve
• Send a short "here's what stands out this month" summary

Fundraise Standby

Stay investor-ready between raises without living in constant fundraising mode

• Keep your investor-grade model in sync with reality
• Refresh key scenarios founders and investors care about
• Keep core investor metrics and materials up to date

Pricing & Unit Economics Pulse

Ongoing eyes on CAC, LTV, margins, and payback so your growth strategy isn't quietly eroding your economics.

• Regular check-ins on unit economics and key ratios
• Red-flag and opportunity spotting across products / segments
• Suggestions for simple pricing or packaging experiments

Strategic & Ops Advisory

A finance + ops brain you can tap for the cross-functional questions that don't fit neatly into a spreadsheet.

• Monthly or periodic sessions focused on GTM, ops, and trade-offs
• Quick reviews of plans, vendor proposals, or process changes
• Written recommendations you can share with your team

DEEP DIVE PROJECTS

Solutions for specific bottlenecks

90-Day Diagnostic

The perfect entry point. A complete financial health assessment, 13-week cash forecast build, and a prioritized roadmap

Fundraising Readiness

Everything needed to launch. Investor model, data room setup, and financial slides for your pitch deck.

Financial Model Build

Comprehensive 3-statement model with driver-based revenue projections and scenario planning for the next 3 years.

Dashboard & KPI Build

Identify top 15-25 metrics, automate connections, and build a live dashboard for executive visibility.

Schedule a Consultation with Us

Simple process. Honest scoping

We don't believe in bloated retainers. We identify exactly what your business needs right now, and that is all we build

The Fit check

We book a discovery call to look at your current reality. This isn't a sales pitch—it's a conversation to see if my approach matches your stage.

The Blueprint

I review your situation and propose a scope that fits. If you don't need an add-on, I won't recommend it. Honest recommendations only.

The Groundwork

We kick off. We clean up the data, set the rhythm, and start building the financial clarity you need to scale. We get to work immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a fractional CFO do for startups?

A fractional CFO provides part-time strategic financial leadership for startups. This includes financial modeling, runway analysis, cash flow management, fundraise preparation, and helping founders make better decisions with data. Unlike a bookkeeper who records transactions, a CFO interprets the numbers and helps you plan ahead.

When should a startup hire a fractional CFO?

Most startups benefit from a fractional CFO when they've raised seed funding, have meaningful revenue, or are preparing for a fundraise. Key signals include: spending more than $50K/month, preparing for Series A, needing investor-ready financials, or making decisions without clear financial data.

How much does a fractional CFO cost?

Fractional CFO services typically range from $3,000 to $10,000+ per month depending on scope and complexity. This is a fraction of the $200-400K+ total cost of a full-time CFO. We customize engagements to your actual needs—you only pay for what you need.

What's the difference between a fractional CFO and a bookkeeper?

A bookkeeper records transactions and keeps your books in order. A fractional CFO is a strategic partner who helps you understand what those numbers mean, plan for the future, and make better financial decisions. Most startups need both, working together.

See more FAQs on How We Work →

How Much Could You Save with a Fractional CFO?

Compare the real cost of fractional vs. full-time CFO for your stage. Takes 60 seconds.

Try the Free CFO Cost Calculator →

No email required to see your results

Ready for Clarity?

You focus on the product. We build the ground game

Book a Consultation

From the Blog

Practical insights on startup finance, burn rate, and when to get help.

You bring the vision.We build the ground game.