---
title: Choosing a Fractional CFO Firm | Capstone CFO
description: "How to choose a fractional CFO firm: what to look for, the questions to ask before you sign, and what the first 30, 60 and 90 days should deliver."
image: https://capstonecfo.com/hubfs/capstone-2026/insights-covers/choosing-a-fractional-cfo-firm-first-90-days.png
---

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- What We Do
  
  ###### How We Engage
  
    - [Strategic CFO Services](https://capstonecfo.com/cfo-plans)
    - [Accounting Services](https://capstonecfo.com/cfo-and-accounting-plans)
    - [Special Projects](https://capstonecfo.com/special-projects)

  ###### Problems We Solve
  
    - [Cash Flow Problems](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/cash-flow-problems)
    - [Late or Inaccurate Financials](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/late-or-inaccurate-financials)
    - [Forecasting & Planning](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/financial-forecasting-and-planning)
    - [KPIs & Board Reporting](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/kpis-and-board-reporting)
    - [Fundraising Readiness](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/fundraising-readiness)
    - [Exit & M&A Readiness](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/exit-and-m-and-a-readiness)
- Who We Serve
  
  ###### Ownership
  
  [**PE & VC-Backed Companies**Board and investor reporting, 13-week cash flow and exit readiness](https://capstonecfo.com/#who-we-serve) [**Independent & Founder-Led Companies**Owner-level visibility, cash control and growth planning](https://capstonecfo.com/#who-we-serve)

  ###### Technology & Digital
  
    - [SaaS & Software](https://capstonecfo.com/saas-and-software-companies)
    - [E-Commerce & Digital Retail](https://capstonecfo.com/e-commerce-and-digital-retail)

  ###### Services
  
    - [Professional Services](https://capstonecfo.com/professional-services)
    - [Advertising & Marketing Agencies](https://capstonecfo.com/advertising-agencies)
    - [Healthcare Practices](https://capstonecfo.com/healthcare-services)
    - [Home & Field Services](https://capstonecfo.com/home-services-and-field-services)

  ###### Operations & Real Assets
  
    - [Manufacturing & Distribution](https://capstonecfo.com/manufacturing-and-distribution)
    - [Franchise Operations](https://capstonecfo.com/franchise-operations)
    - [Real Estate](https://capstonecfo.com/real-estate)
- Insights
  
    - [Articles](https://capstonecfo.com/blog)
    - [Case Studies](https://capstonecfo.com/case-studies)
- [About](https://capstonecfo.com/#team)

[Book a Call](https://capstonecfo.com/meeting)

Insights

# Choosing a Fractional CFO Firm: Questions to Ask and What Your First 90 Days Should Look Like

Capstone CFO

**TL;DR:** Once you've decided to hire a fractional CFO, the harder question is which firm. Look for real operating experience as a CFO, depth in your industry and stage, a team behind the individual, a modern finance stack and a clear plan for the first 90 days. A good engagement shows results quickly: a cash forecast and KPI dashboard within the first month, a faster and more reliable close, and a 90-day plan tied to your goals. If a firm can't tell you what the first 30 days look like, keep looking.

## Why the choice of firm matters

A fractional CFO will see your numbers, sit in your leadership meetings and influence decisions about cash, pricing, hiring, financing and, often, an eventual sale. The difference between a strong and a weak fit is not a slightly better spreadsheet. It's whether you make better decisions, faster, for years.

Most firms describe their services in similar terms. The differences show up in who does the work, how they work and what you get in the first few months.

## What to look for

| Criteria | What good looks like | Red flag |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Experience | Former full-time CFOs who have run finance through growth, financing and exits | Accounting or advisory experience only, with no time in the CFO seat |
| Industry and stage | Experience with businesses like yours, at your size and ownership type | A generic approach applied to every client |
| Team | A CFO backed by controller and accounting support | One person doing everything, with no backup |
| Technology | A modern, automated finance stack and fast close | Manual spreadsheets and month-old reports |
| Onboarding | A specific plan for the first 30, 60 and 90 days | "We'll learn the business first and see" |
| Communication | A set weekly or monthly rhythm with leadership | Reactive, only when you call |
| References | Clients who will speak to results | No references, or only testimonials |

## Questions to ask before you sign

1. **Who will actually do the work?** Meet the CFO who will lead your account and the people who will support them.
2. **Have you been a full-time CFO?** Ask about specific situations: a capital raise, a lender negotiation, a cash crunch, a sale.
3. **What have you done for companies like ours?** Industry, revenue size and ownership (founder-led vs. PE or VC-backed) all matter.
4. **What will we have in 30 days?** Expect concrete deliverables, not a discovery phase with no end date.
5. **How fast will our books close, and when will we see reports?**
6. **Who handles the accounting?** If you need bookkeeping and close support too, find out whether the firm provides it or whether you'll be coordinating two providers.
7. **How do you work with our CPA, bank and investors?**
8. **How do you measure whether this is working?**
9. **What happens if we need more, or less, support?** Engagements should flex as the business changes.
10. **Can we speak with two or three current clients?**

## What the first 90 days should look like

A well-run engagement moves from understanding to action quickly. Every firm sequences the work a little differently, but the outcomes in each phase should look like this:

### Days 1 to 30: visibility

- **Kickoff and access.** Systems, bank feeds, payroll and key reports connected; leadership goals and pain points documented.
- **A 13-week cash flow forecast.** Built or strengthened early, so leadership knows where cash is heading week by week.
- **A first KPI dashboard and financial report.** The handful of numbers that matter most for your business, reported consistently.
- **A review of the books.** Accuracy, timeliness and anything that needs cleanup.
- **A 30-60-90 day plan.** Priorities agreed with leadership, with owners and dates.

### Days 31 to 60: control

- A faster, more reliable monthly close and reporting package
- A budget or operating plan, or a reforecast of the current one
- Margin analysis by customer, product, service line or location
- A regular leadership review of results, cash and KPIs

### Days 61 to 90: direction

- A driver-based financial model for decisions like hiring, pricing and expansion
- Action on the first profit and cash opportunities identified
- Lender, board or investor reporting, if relevant
- A longer-term roadmap: financing, systems, team and, if it's on the horizon, exit readiness

## How to know it's working

- Leadership makes decisions using forecasts, not the bank balance
- Financials arrive within days of month-end, and you trust them
- You know which customers, products or services make money
- Cash surprises become rare
- Conversations with lenders and investors go faster and better
- The founder spends less time on finance and more on the business

## How Capstone CFO helps

Capstone CFO is a boutique fractional CFO and accounting firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona, serving companies nationwide. Founded in 2022, we have grown entirely through client referrals. Our leaders have served as full-time CFOs and led finance through capital raises, acquisitions and company sales. What you can expect:

- A senior CFO leading your engagement, backed by a controller and accounting team
- Your 13-week cash flow first, usually within the first week or two
- Your first cash forecast and KPI dashboard within 30 days, and a 30-60-90 day plan
- Books closed in 1 to 3 business days, with a reporting package within 3 to 5 business days
- A modern, automated finance stack
- Experience across SaaS, e-commerce, professional services, agencies, healthcare practices, home and field services, manufacturing and distribution, franchise operations and real estate

## Frequently asked questions

### Should we hire an individual fractional CFO or a firm?

An individual can be a good fit for narrow needs. A firm adds depth: backup coverage, specialists for transactions or systems, and accounting support under the same roof. For most growing companies, that continuity matters more over time.

### How quickly should we see results?

Within the first month, you should have better visibility into cash and a clear plan. Profit and process improvements typically follow over the next one to two quarters.

### Do we need clean books before we start?

No. Many engagements begin with a review of the books and cleanup work where needed. The CFO work starts in parallel, so you don't have to wait to get visibility.

## Related reading

- [When Does It Make Sense to Hire a Fractional CFO?](https://capstonecfo.com/blog/when-does-it-make-sense-to-hire-a-fractional-cfo-the-ultimate-guide-to-strategic-financial-leadership-for-your-business)
- [Fractional CFO vs. Full-Time CFO: Which Does Your Company Need?](https://capstonecfo.com/blog/fractional-cfo-vs-full-time-cfo)
- [Fractional CFO vs. Controller vs. Bookkeeper: Who Does What?](https://capstonecfo.com/blog/fractional-cfo-vs-controller-vs-bookkeeper)
- [CFO-Level Judgment Without a Full-Time CFO: A Founder's Guide](https://capstonecfo.com/blog/cfo-judgment-without-full-time-cfo-founders-guide)

*Comparing fractional CFO firms? Let's meet so you can see how we work. Explore our [Strategic CFO Services](https://capstonecfo.com/cfo-plans) or [book a 30-minute call](https://capstonecfo.com/meeting).*

### Ready when you are.

Talk with our CFO team about your goals.

[Let's Chat](https://capstonecfo.com/meeting)

[![Capstone CFO](https://capstonecfo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/capstone-2026/capstone-logo-light.png?width=93&height=54&name=capstone-logo-light.png)](https://capstonecfo.com/)

Fractional CFO, accounting and transaction services for companies ready to scale. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, serving the Phoenix area and clients nationwide.

![Platinum Tier Badge](https://capstonecfo.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Platinum%20Tier%20Badge.png?width=57&height=64&name=Platinum%20Tier%20Badge.png) <https://www.linkedin.com/company/capstone-cfo/>

#### What We Do

- [Fractional CFO](https://capstonecfo.com/cfo-plans)
- [CFO & Accounting](https://capstonecfo.com/cfo-and-accounting-plans)
- [Special Projects & Transactions](https://capstonecfo.com/special-projects)

#### Problems We Solve

- [Cash Flow Problems](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/cash-flow-problems)
- [Late or Inaccurate Financials](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/late-or-inaccurate-financials)
- [Forecasting & Planning](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/financial-forecasting-and-planning)
- [KPIs & Board Reporting](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/kpis-and-board-reporting)
- [Fundraising Readiness](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/fundraising-readiness)
- [Exit & M&A Readiness](https://capstonecfo.com/solutions/exit-and-m-and-a-readiness)

#### Who We Serve

- [SaaS & Software](https://capstonecfo.com/saas-and-software-companies)
- [E-Commerce & Digital Retail](https://capstonecfo.com/e-commerce-and-digital-retail)
- [Professional Services](https://capstonecfo.com/professional-services)
- [Advertising & Marketing Agencies](https://capstonecfo.com/advertising-agencies)
- [Healthcare Practices](https://capstonecfo.com/healthcare-services)
- [Home & Field Services](https://capstonecfo.com/home-services-and-field-services)
- [Manufacturing & Distribution](https://capstonecfo.com/manufacturing-and-distribution)
- [Franchise Operations](https://capstonecfo.com/franchise-operations)
- [Real Estate](https://capstonecfo.com/real-estate)

#### Company

- [About](https://capstonecfo.com/#team)
- [Insights](https://capstonecfo.com/blog)
- [Book a Call](https://capstonecfo.com/meeting)
- [Contact Us](https://capstonecfo.com/#contact)

Copyright © 2026 Capstone CFO, LLC [Legal Disclaimer](https://capstonecfo.com/disclaimer)

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