Free Quiz · 8 Questions · About 2 Minutes
Is a fractional CFO worth it for you?
Eight questions about your size, your books, and the decisions ahead. You get a straight answer: a bookkeeper, a controller, or a CFO, what it should cost at your size, and the one thing to fix first.
How it decides
The rules run top to bottom, and the first match wins.
- A CFO: $3M or more in revenue, and a lot riding on the numbers: profit lagging revenue, no view of which work pays, cash you can’t see, or big decisions coming.
- A CFO: $3M or more, books that are already right, and some of that pressure. The controller’s job is done; the next one is a CFO’s.
- A CFO: $3M or more and you’re raising money, borrowing big, or selling.
- A CFO: $1M to $3M only when a lot is riding on the numbers, several big decisions are coming, and the books are already right. Otherwise the answer at this size is not yet.
- A bookkeeper: The books are current and tie out, they’re simple, and profit is keeping up with revenue.
- A bookkeeper: Above $1M, also nothing big riding on cash or decisions this year.
- A controller: Everything else. The numbers need to be right before anyone can plan with them, and that is a controller’s job.
The eight questions
- 1. What was your revenue last year?
- 2. When do you see last month’s numbers?
- 3. Does your balance sheet tie out to your bank, card, and loan statements?
- 4. Over the last two years, has profit kept up with revenue?
- 5. Can you say which customers or jobs make you money, and which lose it?
- 6. How far ahead can you see cash?
- 7. What big money decisions are coming in the next 12 months?
- 8. Which of these best describes your books?
Frequently asked questions
When is a fractional CFO worth it?
Usually once revenue is around $1M or more and either profit isn’t keeping up with revenue or you can’t say which customers make money. At $1M to $3M it is often not yet: most owners at that size need a reliable close and numbers they can trust first, which is a controller’s job.
How does the quiz decide?
Your answers become four readings: your size, how far the books are from right, how much is riding on the numbers, and how complex the books are. The rules on this page turn those into bookkeeper, controller, or CFO. The rules are printed in full, so you can check the answer yourself.
Where does the cost come from?
From Walden’s published flat ranges: Accounting $1,000–$4,000 a month, Control $3,500–$7,500, and Advisory $7,000–$10,000. Your revenue, and a second company or location, set where in the range you likely land. It is an estimate. Above $20M the quiz prices a full-time hire instead.
Do I need to give my email?
No. Your answer shows on screen as soon as you finish. If you want it emailed, with a note from us on what to do next, you can ask for that at the end.