What's the first financial system to delegate?

The monthly close and a rolling 13-week cash forecast. They're the two things owners check most and trust least when handed off, so getting them documented and reliable frees up the most attention.

Does building these systems raise or lower my business value?

It raises it. Buyers discount businesses whose finances depend on the owner, because they price in the risk of the owner leaving. Clean books, an independent forecast, and a documented close remove that risk.

Can a fractional CFO build this without a full-time hire?

Yes, that's the scope. A fractional CFO installs the infrastructure, the close process, the decision rules, and the reporting cadence, then provides the oversight so the function runs without you or a $250K-plus salaried hire.

How long does it take to build a back office that runs without me?

Typically a sequenced 6-to-12-month build: infrastructure first, then a documented close, then decision rights and reporting cadence. AI is layered in where it removes real work. Timelines vary by the state of your current systems.

Where does AI actually help in the back office?

In the repetitive, low-judgment work: transaction categorization, receipt and invoice capture, reconciliation flagging, and anomaly detection. It clears the busywork so a person's judgment has room. The judgment itself stays human.

Do I have to switch accountants to do this?

No. You keep your CPA. Walden doesn't do tax, attest, or compliance work and refers all of it back to your accountant. What we build is the financial infrastructure, process, and reporting around it.

Operations

How to Build a Back Office That Runs Without the Owner

Most "runs without you" advice skips the money. Until your cash flow, close, and reporting run without you, stepping back isn't safe. Here's how to build the financial back office that does.

Read on Walden →