Money, taxes and insurance · 10 guides
Fractional CFO: problems and fixes, explained by Daniel
Daniel Galimberti is the only fractional cfo member of BNI Preston Center. These guides are written for a Dallas–Fort Worth reader who has the problem right now: what is happening, what to check, when to call, and what it costs.
- You closed the acquisition: the finance mistakes that quietly erase the deal's value Most of the value in an acquisition is won or lost in the first months after closing. These are the finance integration mistakes I see most often, and what a buyer can do to avoid them. The deal closed, and the hard part startedMistake one: no plan for the first dayMistake two: two sets of books that never mergeMistake three: losing the people who knew the numbers
- What drives the cost of a fractional CFO, and how to scope one you can afford A fractional CFO is priced on time and scope, not as a package. Here are the five things that move the fee, how to keep it under control, and how to judge whether it is worth it. The short answer: you pay for time, scope and the condition of the booksHow fractional CFO engagements are usually structuredThe five things that move the feeWhy the first months usually cost more than the rest
- The early warning signs of a cash crisis, months before payroll is at risk Cash crises rarely arrive without warning. These are the signals I look for in a company's numbers and habits months before payroll is at risk, and the steps that buy time while there is still room to act. The signals show up long before the bank balance doesSignals hiding in your balance sheetSignals in how the company behavesWhy growing companies are especially exposed
- Texas franchise tax, sales tax and payroll deposits: a finance calendar for Dallas firms Texas has no personal income tax, but a growing company still carries a steady rhythm of state and federal obligations. Here is how I build franchise tax, sales tax and payroll deposits into the finance calendar and the cash forecast. No state income tax does not mean no Texas tax calendarThe Texas franchise tax in plain termsWhy growth changes the franchise tax pictureSales and use tax: cash that is never yours
- Outgrowing QuickBooks: when an ERP makes sense and when to get help with the switch Spreadsheets bolted onto basic accounting software are a common sign of growth, not failure. Here is how to tell whether you need an ERP, what your own team can do, and where an outside lead earns the fee. Most companies outgrow the process before they outgrow the softwareSigns the current setup is holding the company backUpgrade, extend or replace: the three real optionsWhat your own team can realistically handle
- Internal controls for a growing company: the few that keep the numbers clean and cash safe Internal controls are not paperwork for big companies. A handful of routines protect cash, catch errors early and keep the numbers trustworthy as the business grows. Here are the ones I put in place first. Controls are habits that protect cash and make the numbers believableWhy controls slip as a company growsSigns your controls have fallen behind the businessApproval limits that fit how you actually operate
- Getting the financials ready for due diligence: what it takes and how long it runs How long diligence preparation takes depends on how clean the books already are. Here are the phases I work through with owners before a sale, a raise or a major loan, and what decides whether it takes weeks or many months. Readiness depends on where your books startWhat the other side will actually examinePhase one: clean up and reconcile the historyPhase two: monthly reporting that holds up
- Fractional, interim or full-time CFO: matching the role to what your company is facing The three CFO models solve different problems. A fractional CFO adds steady part-time leadership, an interim CFO takes the wheel during a transition, and a full-time CFO is a permanent hire. Here is how to tell which you need. Three models, three different problemsWhat a fractional CFO is built forWhat an interim CFO is built forWhen a full-time CFO is the right hire
- Before you hire a fractional CFO: the questions that separate leaders from report writers A fractional CFO will see more of your business than almost anyone. These are the questions that show whether a candidate has actually led a finance function, and the answers that should worry you. What you are really trying to find outQuestions about what they have actually ledQuestions about fit with your business and your peopleQuestions about the first thirty days and beyond
- Profitable on paper, short in the bank: what a fractional CFO does that bookkeepers cannot Your accountant says you made money last year and your bank balance disagrees. Here is why fast-growing companies run short while profitable, how to find where the cash goes, and what a part-time CFO actually does in the first months. The month the numbers stopped making senseWhy profit and cash are two different thingsDiagnose it yourself with three reports and an afternoonWhen tighter habits are enough, and when you need financial leadership