CFO advisory services for growing Portland businesses

What a part time CFO actually does

Bookkeeping tells you what happened. Tax preparation reports it to the government. A CFO looks forward and asks what the numbers mean for next quarter, next year and the decision in front of you right now.

For a small or midsize company, that usually means a CPA who works with you a few hours a month instead of a full time executive on payroll. They review your financial statements, build a cash flow forecast, track a short list of measures that matter for your business, and sit in on the conversations about hiring, pricing, borrowing and growth.

Owners who come to us for CFO help are often running a company that has outgrown the spreadsheet they started with. Tell us what you need and a licensed CPA who works with people like you gets in touch with a clear, fixed quote.

CFO advisory services built around cash flow

Profitable businesses still run out of cash. A Portland general contractor can show a strong year on paper while it waits on progress payments. A restaurant group can be busy every night and still be squeezed between rent, payroll and food costs. A rolling 13 week cash forecast shows those gaps early, while there is still time to act.

Your CFO will also help you understand the difference between profit and cash in your own books: why receivables, inventory, loan payments and owner draws move your bank balance even though they do not show up the same way on the profit and loss statement.

Once the forecast exists, decisions get easier. You can see what a new hire really costs over the next six months, how much room you have before you need a line of credit, and when it makes sense to buy equipment.

Budgets, KPIs and monthly reviews

A budget is only useful if someone compares it with what actually happened. In a typical engagement, your CFO closes out each month with your bookkeeper, compares results to budget, and walks you through what changed and why.

The measures that matter depend on the business. A dental practice might watch collections per provider and hygiene production. A software startup in the Pearl District might focus on monthly recurring revenue, churn and runway. A contractor will care about job costing and gross margin by project. A good CFO keeps the list short so it actually gets read.

These reviews are also where small problems get caught, such as a vendor price increase that quietly eats margin or a customer who has started paying later every month.

Planning for the taxes that come with growth

Growth in Oregon brings tax lines that a CFO should see coming. The Oregon Corporate Activity Tax requires registration within 30 days of reaching $750,000 in Oregon commercial activity for the year, and a return once commercial activity passes $1 million. Estimated CAT payments are required when you expect to owe $5,000 or more.

Locally, the City of Portland Business License Tax and the Multnomah County Business Income Tax are filed on one combined return, and quarterly estimates apply once your liability reaches the Revenue Division thresholds. Companies with more than $5 million in gross receipts can also owe the Metro Supportive Housing Services business income tax.

Building these into the forecast avoids the surprise of a large state or local bill landing in a tight month. Your CFO will coordinate with whoever prepares your returns, or the same CPA can handle both.

Support for big decisions

Much of the value of a CFO shows up in a handful of moments each year. Raising money or applying for a bank loan means clean financial statements and a believable forecast. Opening a second location means modeling the cost before signing a lease. Buying out a partner or selling the company means understanding what the business is worth and what the tax result will be.

Your CFO can prepare lender packages, review loan terms, model scenarios side by side, and help you think through entity structure as the company changes. For legal questions, they will work alongside your attorney rather than replace one.

How engagements usually work

Most CFO advisory work runs on a monthly retainer with a set scope, such as a monthly close review, an updated forecast and one meeting. Some owners start with a one time project, such as building a budget or preparing for a loan, and decide later whether to continue.

The CPA you are matched with will ask about your revenue, team size, current bookkeeping and what is keeping you up at night. From there they will propose a scope and a fixed monthly fee so you know what you are paying for before work begins.

If your needs change, the scope can change with them. Some owners lean on their CFO heavily during a loan application or an expansion and then step back to a lighter quarterly review once things settle.

Common questions