Most mid-market businesses cannot justify a full-time CFO and do not need one. They need senior financial leadership on the days and decisions that matter.
No cost. 15 minutes. No obligation.
A full-time CFO runs $350K or more, which the earnings of a founder-led business in this range do not justify. But operating without financial leadership keeps most owners reacting instead of leading. Compensation gets set by feel, capital gets deployed by instinct, and the business grows without the financial architecture that would make it worth more.
We operate as part of your leadership team, not external consultants you will never hear from.KEYSTONE CONSULTING TEAM
Monthly financial leadership covering cash, margin, compensation, capital allocation, and the decisions that compound into enterprise value.
Quarterly working sessions on the strategic decisions facing the business, from growth to exit, with a written agenda and outcomes.
A direct line to a CFO who is part of your leadership team, coordinating your CPA, bookkeeper, and other advisors under one plan.
Run the diagnostic, build the plan, and define what the next 90 days should accomplish.
Monthly CFO advisory on cash, margin, compensation, capital, and the decisions that move value.
Quarterly strategy sessions on growth, capital, and exit decisions, with written outcomes.
Bring your CPA, bookkeeper, and planners onto one plan so the gaps close and decisions are aligned.
The measurable shift each engagement is built to produce.
A fractional CFO is the bridge between a business that has outgrown reactive finance and one that does not yet justify a full-time hire. The value is not in hours logged but in the decisions that get made better, earlier, and with a forward view.
Fractional CFO leadership is the engagement model that delivers every other service, from cash management to tax strategy to exit readiness. It is how the work of the KVCA gets executed month over month, and it informs every index through ongoing financial leadership.
This work directly informs the KRI Keystone Replicability Index™, KEV Keystone Enterprise Value Index™, KCE Keystone Cash Efficiency Index™, KODI Keystone Owner Dependence Index™, KEX Keystone Exit Readiness Index™.
Practices that need CFO-level decisions on payer mix, provider compensation, and growth.
See the angleFirms that need financial leadership on job costing, capital, and acquisitions.
See the angleScaling businesses that need CFO leadership without the full-time cost.
See the angleA fractional engagement is scoped to your needs and runs at a fraction of the $350K+ cost of a full-time CFO. The exact retainer depends on scope, which we define after the diagnostic. We will not quote a number before understanding the work.
A bookkeeper records transactions and a CPA files returns. A fractional CFO provides leadership on the decisions that move value: cash, compensation, capital, and exit. We coordinate your bookkeeper and CPA rather than replacing them.
When the business's size and complexity justify the cost, and when the volume of financial leadership work exceeds what a fractional engagement covers. We will tell you when that point comes rather than holding on to the work.
Rolling forecasts, working capital optimization, and visibility into where every dollar lands before it moves.
Explore serviceEntity structure, owner compensation, retirement vehicles, and Section 199A. Strategy only. We do not prepare
Explore serviceBuilt on private equity experience scaling portfolio companies from approximately $50M to $500M and beyond. Th
Explore serviceThe Keystone Value Creation Assessment™ audits your last 12 to 36 months and gives you a written summary whether you engage us or not. If there is not a clear opportunity to create value, we will tell you directly.