Founder/CFO

At the risk of pissing off all other startup CFOs, I still need to say it:

FOUNDERS need to be the first CFO. ​
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Here’s why:

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You’ve likely heard that founders need to be the first salesperson

And this is true.

Primary because they need to connect with customers and build a fundamental understanding of their needs

Such that the product direction and all company decisions happen with that core understanding in mind.

Here’s the thing:

The founder needs this same core understanding of how the company makes money.

And the only way they get it

Is by building that first simple financial model

Aka. The financial blueprint for the business.
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Founders who do this consistently:

• Have a better understanding of how their business works

• Can better connect the numbers they see on the page to the actions they take every day

• And are more in control of their financial destinies as startup CEOs.

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It may not be what other Fractional CFOs want you to hear,

(Since many of us get paid the big bucks to create financial models for founders,)

But it’s the honest truth:

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In the early stages, FOUNDERS should create the model.

They can hire talented help to update it later on,

But that first pass

Is too valuable

To give up.
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