Engagement Models

How We Engage.

From a 30-day foundational project to embedded fractional leadership — engagement scope and pricing scale with the work in front of you.

Methodology

Translation, Anchored in a Framework.

Across every engagement, the principle is the same: every recommendation comes with the why alongside the what. For product-led engagements — FOS, Quarterly Advisory, and Fractional CFO — that translation happens through the Financial Health Matrix: a four-dimensional frame that scores your business across the areas that drive financial decisions, then traces every recommendation back to the dimension it's improving and the result we expect to see.

That comes from teaching this work as much as doing it — and after a decade of running modeling and valuation training for institutional finance teams, the habit is built in: every recommendation should be something a founder can understand, defend, and act on with confidence — not just receive.

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Cash Health

Runway, burn rate & near-term liquidity

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Profitability

Revenue-to-profit conversion & margin quality

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Operational Efficiency

Working capital management & cost structure

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Growth & Scalability

Revenue growth trajectory & operating leverage

See a sample scorecard at FounderFinance.ai →

Foundation · Most engagements start here

Financial Operating System

$6,500 · 30-day project

The Financial Operating System is the foundation most ongoing relationships are built on — a focused 30-day project that gives you a calibrated 3-statement operating model and a 90-day action plan organized around your highest-priority financial health areas.

Whether or not we continue working together after, the FOS leaves you with the financial infrastructure to make consequential decisions without guessing. The model is yours. The action plan is yours. The priorities are yours.

Discuss FOS Scoping →

Includes

  • Financial Health Assessment — diagnostic baseline across the four dimensions
  • Calibrated Operating Model — 3-statement model tuned to your business
  • 90-Day Action Plan — three to five prioritized actions with expected impact
  • Working Sessions — two to three live sessions to walk through the work

Timeline

Four weeks from kickoff to delivery

Best For

Companies past the spreadsheet phase that need the foundation built right before scaling further.

Progression

Most clients continue into Quarterly Strategic Advisory or Monthly Advisory after the FOS lands. Some take the deliverables and run with them internally — also a fine outcome.

Light Touch

Quarterly Strategic Advisory

$2,500–$3,500 / quarter

A quarterly cadence for companies with embedded operations who need a senior strategic partner — not embedded finance leadership. Three to four hours of focused engagement per quarter, scaled around your business cycle.

The work isn't reporting. It's revisiting where you stand, surfacing what changed, and naming the three priorities that should guide the next ninety days.

Explore Quarterly Advisory →

Each Quarter Includes

  • Health Matrix Re-Run with updated financials
  • Variance Analysis vs. prior quarter
  • 60-Minute Strategy Call
  • Written Summary with three priority actions

Cadence

Once per quarter, on a schedule aligned with your business

Best For

Companies with a controller or finance lead handling day-to-day, who need a senior strategic partner reviewing the work and surfacing what's next.

Progression

Common follow-on after a successful FOS. Some clients begin here directly when the foundation is already in place.

Embedded

Monthly Advisory / Fractional CFO

$5,000–$10,000 / month

Embedded financial leadership for companies where consequential financial decisions are happening every month — not just at inflection points. Senior judgment in the loop, in the rhythm of your business.

This is the engagement for companies that need a CFO-level partner without committing to a full-time hire. Monthly cycles, quarterly reviews, ad-hoc calls when something demands a senior response.

Explore Fractional CFO →

Each Month Includes

  • Model updates and reforecasting as actuals come in
  • Monthly reporting with variance commentary
  • Variance analysis against plan
  • Ad-hoc strategic support between cycles
  • Board / investor communications support

Cadence

Monthly cycle plus on-demand availability

Best For

Companies where monthly financial decisions are consequential — pricing changes, hiring, capital allocation, scenario planning. High-touch; limited to three to five concurrent clients.

Progression

Often follows FOS or Quarterly Advisory when the cadence of decisions accelerates. Sometimes engaged directly for companies in active growth or transition.

Project-Based

Strategic Packages

From $15,000

Time-bound engagements for specific transactions or strategic initiatives. Fixed scope, fixed price, defined deliverables. Designed for moments when bringing in a senior outside practitioner is faster and cleaner than building the work internally.

Fundraising Readiness

$15,000–$25,000

Investor-ready operating model, scenario analysis, valuation reasoning, and pitch material support. Closes the gap between where your finance function is today and what sophisticated investors expect to see.

Typical timeline: 3–4 weeks.

M&A Preparation

$20,000–$30,000

Diligence preparation, data room alignment, valuation modeling, deal structure analysis, and stakeholder communications. Designed so the financials, the model, and the story all hold up to buy-side scrutiny.

Typical timeline: 4–6 weeks.

Custom Project Work

Scoped per engagement

Specialized analytical work outside the standard packages: pricing strategy, scenario modeling for strategic pivots, FP&A infrastructure builds, post-transaction integration, board-specific deliverables.

Strategic Packages are also the common engagement model for CFOs and finance leaders bringing us in for project-based partnership.

Scope a Project →

Not Sure Which Track Fits?

Most engagements scope cleanly into one of the four tracks above. If you're not sure which fits, the fastest way to find out is to see your numbers run through the framework first. The free Financial Health Scorecard is the same diagnostic that anchors every engagement — it'll tell you which track makes sense before you book a call.