A CFO who owns your monthly finance rhythm.
An experienced CFO embedded on a monthly retainer, reading your numbers and owning the finance rhythm, without the cost or hiring risk of a full-time CFO.
Start where you are; move up as you grow.
Is this the right fit?
A good fit if
- You are the MD or promoter and you make finance decisions alone.
- You have an accountant or accounts team, but no one leading finance.
- You don't know with confidence which products, SKUs or customers are profitable.
- Compliance is handled deadline to deadline, and you carry the risk if something slips.
Not the right fit if
- You mainly need reports explained, and your team already runs finance well. Look at Starter .
- You need budgeting, forecasting or a lead on your banking relationship. That is Growth .
- You have a one-off problem, such as a cash crunch or an ERP change. That is project work .
What's included
Everything in Starter, plus a CFO who takes responsibility for the finance rhythm and works with your team to improve it.
Monthly MIS with commentary
A management pack on a fixed date each month, with a written view of what changed, why, and what needs a decision.
Product, SKU and client margins
Margin analysis at the level your decisions are made: by product line, SKU or customer. We set up the cost allocation logic with your team and keep it current.
Cash oversight
A running view of cash position, debtor and creditor movements and upcoming commitments, with collections priorities agreed each month.
Compliance oversight
A compliance calendar covering GST, TDS and ROC obligations, review of the related reconciliations, and early flags on exposures. Returns are filed by [your team or existing consultant / to confirm] .
Guidance for your accounts team
Clear standards for month-end close, reconciliations and reporting, so quality improves month on month.
Monthly review meeting
A structured session with the promoter to go through the pack, agree decisions and track actions to closure.
How an engagement runs
After set-up, every month follows the same cycle.
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Set-up through the Diagnostic
We establish the baseline, data format, margin logic and compliance calendar.
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Monthly close support
We work with your team on close discipline and reconciliations.
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MIS and commentary
The management pack with commentary is delivered by day [X] .
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Review and actions
The monthly review agrees decisions and owners; open actions are tracked month to month.
What we need from you
- Timely access to your accounting data and bank statements
- A nominated finance contact on your side
- A standing monthly slot with the promoter or MD for the review
- Engagement is [remote-first with on-site visits as scoped / to confirm]
Common questions
Do you replace my accountant?
No. Your accountant keeps doing the books. Core adds the finance leadership above that work: setting standards, reviewing output and turning it into decisions.
Do we have to start with the Diagnostic?
[Confirm policy] We usually recommend it, because it sets the baseline and data format the retainer is built on.
How is this different from hiring a full-time CFO?
You get senior finance leadership on a defined monthly cycle, without the fixed cost, hiring time and risk of a full-time senior hire. If you later need a full-time CFO, the systems and reporting we build carry over.
Can margins be analysed if our costing is weak?
Yes, but the first months are spent building the allocation logic with your team. Early figures are presented with their limitations stated.