CFO

CFO Opportunities, Venture-Backed Roles & Strategic Career Moves

You sit at the intersection of numbers, strategy, and trust. You are the person investors call when they need the real story, and the person the CEO leans on when it is time to make uncomfortable but critical decisions. This page is for CFOs and future CFOs who want their next move to be intentional—whether that is a PE-backed platform, a VC‑funded startup, or a more meaningful seat in an established business.

Why CFOs Talk To Me

Most of the CFOs I speak with are not “on the market.” They are busy running cash, covenants, boards, and teams. But they are also quietly asking:

  • Is my next chapter in another mature business—or in a scaling startup?
  • How do I move from Controller/VP Finance into a true CFO seat?
  • When is the right time to go fractional or portfolio instead of full‑time?

My work is to translate your background into specific options: VC‑backed, PE‑backed, founder‑owned, or fractional, and to open doors that make sense for your risk profile, compensation expectations, and personal life.

Established CFOs Considering Startups

If you have spent years in a mature environment—public company, large private, or global group—you may be wondering whether a startup or emerging‑growth role makes sense.

What a startup actually needs from you

In a VC‑backed or high‑growth startup, the CFO role is broader and messier than in a large corporation.

Typical expectations:

  • You are as much operator as finance leader: working across sales ops, RevOps, HR, legal, and systems.
  • You build the reporting and KPIs from scratch, not just optimize existing packs.
  • You manage burn, runway, and funding strategy in real time, not just annual planning.
  • You are front‑and‑center in investor conversations, due diligence, and board decks.

For an established CFO, this can be energizing: you see the direct impact of your work and have a hand in designing the finance organization from day one.

Example: Corporate CFO into Series B SaaS

Imagine a CFO who has spent 10+ years in a multi‑entity, international manufacturing group. They have led complex audits, banking relationships, and multiple system implementations. On paper, they look “too corporate” for a Series B SaaS company. In reality, they may be exactly what the startup needs:

  • They bring discipline around forecasting and cash that the founders have never seen before.
  • They know what “good” looks like at scale and can design the finance stack to anticipate a Series C or exit.
  • They can speak the language of institutional investors and prepare the company for a professional process later.

Part of my role with candidates like this is to position that corporate track record in a way that resonates with founders and VCs who think they only want “startup‑only” profiles.

Startup and Fractional CFO Paths

Not every CFO wants to bet everything on a single startup. Some prefer a fractional or portfolio model across several early‑stage companies.

Fractional CFO for VC‑backed startups

Fractional and interim CFOs can:

  • Build the first real P&L, forecast, and KPI dashboard for founders who have been running on gut feel.
  • Prepare fundraising models, data rooms, and investor decks that stand up to diligence.
  • Help founders understand term sheets, cap table dynamics, and the long‑term impact of different deal structures.
  • Put in place basic controls, policies, and cash routines without killing speed.

This path works especially well for CFOs who enjoy variety and advisory work, or who want a bridge between corporate life and owning their own portfolio of clients.

When startups should bring you in

  • Pre‑seed / Seed: Light structure, first financial model, basic reporting.
  • Series A / B: Full budgeting, board‑ready reporting, burn/runway management, and more structured investor updates.
  • Pre‑exit / Pre‑IPO: Audit readiness, due diligence support, and building a finance team that can survive the next chapter.

I work with both full‑time and fractional CFOs and can steer you toward mandates that match where you are in your own risk and lifestyle cycle.

Controllers & VP Finance Moving Into Their First CFO Seat

A lot of my conversations are not with sitting CFOs, but with Controllers and VP Finance leaders who are ready for the jump.

Common backgrounds that translate well:

  • Big 4 or large firm + several years as Controller/VP Finance in a growth business.
  • Strong FP&A / commercial finance foundation with exposure to boards, lenders, or investors.
  • Hands‑on experience leading system implementations, integrating acquisitions, or building a team from 1–2 people to a real department.

In that first CFO role, especially in a startup or lower‑middle‑market company, you are often:

  • The primary owner of cash, runway, and lender relationships.
  • The architect of the entire finance function—processes, systems, org chart.
  • The voice that translates business reality into investor‑ready numbers.

My job is to help you identify the right size and stage of company where your first CFO chapter is a stretch but not a setup to fail.

What I Look At With You

When we talk, we are not just walking through your resume line‑by‑line. We are mapping you against specific environments:

  • VC‑backed vs PE‑backed vs founder‑owned.
  • Hyper‑growth SaaS vs capital‑intensive businesses vs services.
  • Full‑time vs fractional/portfolio vs interim.

We will typically focus on:

  • Your real comfort with risk and volatility.
  • The kind of CEO/founder dynamic you thrive in.
  • Your experience with investors, debt, and complex stakeholders.
  • What you want your life to look like for the next 3–5 years, not just your comp this year.

From there, I can be honest about which opportunities fit—and which ones don’t.

How We Can Work Together

If this resonates, here is how to start:

  • Share your resume, LinkedIn, and a short note on the types of companies and roles you are open to.
  • If there is a live CFO or fractional mandate that fits, we will dig into it straight away.
  • If not, I will keep you in mind for confidential searches that match your profile and reach out when there is a real reason to talk.

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