Blog
Notes from the CFO seat.
How we think about forecasting, cash, deals and building companies that last.
Controller & accounting
The Ownership Mentality: Why Your Business Needs a Controller, Not Just a Better Bookkeeper
September 26, 2026
The Ownership Mentality: Why Your Business Needs a Controller, Not Just a Better Bookkeeper
Most founders know their books aren't where they need to be. Revenue is growing, the team is expanding, the business is getting more complex. But the financial reports still feel like an afterthought.
Read →Leadership & values
How to Get More Out of Your CFO (and How I Think About It Differently)
August 27, 2026
How to Get More Out of Your CFO (and How I Think About It Differently)
If you're a founder reading this, there's a good chance you've had at least one frustrating experience with a finance person. Maybe it was a CFO, a controller, or a consultant. They were smart. They…
Read →Cash flow
From Guessing to Confident: How One CEO Stopped Living Month to Month
August 2, 2026
From Guessing to Confident: How One CEO Stopped Living Month to Month
Ask most founders how their business is doing and they'll point you to a number. Revenue is up. Margins are holding. The bank balance looks fine this morning. But numbers on a screen are not the same…
Read →Forecasting & models
It's June. Did You Hit Your Number?
June 26, 2026
It's June. Did You Hit Your Number?
A tale of two companies at the midpoint.
Read →Controller & accounting
Accounting Has to Have a Purpose
June 12, 2026
Accounting Has to Have a Purpose
Just because your books are accurate doesn't mean they're meaningful.
Read →Startups
Why Startups Should Hire a Fractional CFO Early?
April 20, 2026
Why Startups Should Hire a Fractional CFO Early?
Most startups do not fail because of a bad product. They fail because they run out of money or make poor financial decisions.
Read →Leadership & values
What Services Does a Fractional CFO Provide?
April 20, 2026
What Services Does a Fractional CFO Provide?
A fractional CFO is a senior finance expert who works with a company part-time. You get high-level financial guidance without paying a full-time salary.
Read →Leadership & values
The Invisible Work That Builds Confidence
March 19, 2026
The Invisible Work That Builds Confidence
Sometimes I feel a little silly doing all the FP&A work I do.
Read →Pricing & profit
Salary vs. Distributions: Why Tax Efficiency Is Not Always the Right Answer for US Business Owners
March 12, 2026
Salary vs. Distributions: Why Tax Efficiency Is Not Always the Right Answer for US Business Owners
Every founder and small business owner eventually hits the same question: how should I pay myself?
Read →Startups
The Advantages of Fractional CFO Services for Startups in the US
March 3, 2026
The Advantages of Fractional CFO Services for Startups in the US
Most startups do not fail because of a bad product. They fail because they run out of money and no one saw it coming.
Read →Cash flow
Cash Flow Forecasting Services for Small Businesses
March 3, 2026
Cash Flow Forecasting Services for Small Businesses
Your revenue is growing. Your bank account tells a different story.
Read →Budgeting
The Most Expensive Lesson in Business Isn't in Any Textbook - it's Fixed Expenses
March 2, 2026
The Most Expensive Lesson in Business Isn't in Any Textbook - it's Fixed Expenses
How Smart Founders Think About Fixed Expenses vs. Variable Costs — and Why Getting It Wrong Can Sink a Company
Read →AI & tools
Understanding Gross Margins in the Age of AI
February 14, 2026
Understanding Gross Margins in the Age of AI
What every founder needs to know before the economics of their business quietly shift underneath them.
Read →Controller & accounting
How to Connect Your Bank and Credit Card Accounts to QuickBooks Online (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)
January 26, 2026
How to Connect Your Bank and Credit Card Accounts to QuickBooks Online (And Why It Matters More Than You Think)
One of the simplest ways to upgrade your financial operations is also one of the most overlooked: connecting your bank and credit card accounts directly to QuickBooks Online.
Read →Leadership & values
A Fractional CFO Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle
January 14, 2026
A Fractional CFO Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle
When I first started offering Fractional CFO services, I assumed the value was self-evident.
Read →SaaS & metrics
How CFOs Manage and Create Growth in Businesses (Using the Rule of 30)
November 29, 2025
How CFOs Manage and Create Growth in Businesses (Using the Rule of 30)
Growing a business is exciting, but creating profitable, sustainable, and enduring growth is the real challenge. Many companies start with the familiar “growth at all costs” mentality. Eventually,…
Read →Forecasting & models
Why Your Financial Model Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It)
October 18, 2025
Why Your Financial Model Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It)
In the past 90 days, we’ve been brought in as Fractional CFO's to rebuild financial models for three different companies: two in fintech, and one in enterprise SaaS. Sometimes we were brought in by…
Read →Controller & accounting
Do You Really Need a CFO — Or Just a Better Bookkeeper?
July 12, 2025
Do You Really Need a CFO — Or Just a Better Bookkeeper?
Let’s be honest — the finance world doesn’t make it easy for entrepreneurs.
Read →Leadership & values
What I Learned as a Founder, CFO, and Private Equity Investor — So You Don’t Have To
July 1, 2025
What I Learned as a Founder, CFO, and Private Equity Investor — So You Don’t Have To
I'm a Private Equity CFO
Read →M&A & exits
How to 10X My Business: Growing Through M&A
February 27, 2025
How to 10X My Business: Growing Through M&A
In the past few months, I’ve had 10x Is Easier Than 2x by Dan Sullivan recommended to me three times. While I haven’t fully dived in yet, the core premise resonates: achieving exponential growth…
Read →AI & tools
How I Use AI as a Fractional CFO: Practical Tips from the Field
February 14, 2025
How I Use AI as a Fractional CFO: Practical Tips from the Field
As a Fractional CFO at Tee Up Advisors, I’m always on the lookout for tools and strategies to work smarter and deliver exceptional value to my clients. While we’re not quite at the point of having…
Read →Budgeting
The Power of Budgeting: Aligning Teams for Success
January 7, 2025
The Power of Budgeting: Aligning Teams for Success
Budgeting isn’t just about crunching numbers; it’s a tool for alignment and clarity within a team. In my work as a Fractional CFO supporting businesses with revenues between $3M and $50M, I’ve…
Read →AI & tools
Fractional CFOs can leverage IES in managing group-level debt facilities
December 10, 2024
Fractional CFOs can leverage IES in managing group-level debt facilities
I am excited to leverage Intuit Enterprise Suite (IES) to provide a consolidated view and projection of my clients' businesses, facilitating more effective capital planning at the entity level.
Read →SaaS & metrics
SaaS Metrics Tech CFOs use - Why different metrics?
December 5, 2024
SaaS Metrics Tech CFOs use - Why different metrics?
SaaS (Software as a Service) businesses operate under unique financial dynamics compared to traditional business models, necessitating distinct metrics for evaluating performance. Due to the high…
Read →M&A & exits
Customer Concentration: The Deal Killer That Keeps Coming Back
November 27, 2024
Customer Concentration: The Deal Killer That Keeps Coming Back
Customer concentration is one of the most common deal killers in M&A. The logic is simple: when one customer makes up a large percentage of your revenue, your business becomes inherently risky. What…
Read →Leadership & values
Tee Up Advisors Core Values: The Guiding Principles Behind Our Work
November 15, 2024
Tee Up Advisors Core Values: The Guiding Principles Behind Our Work
At Tee Up Advisors, we’re more than just CFOs.
Read →Pricing & profit
CFOs boost Cash Flow and Profit using Porter's 5 Forces
October 30, 2024
CFOs boost Cash Flow and Profit using Porter's 5 Forces
In our previous posts, we’ve highlighted various strategies to improve cash flow, emphasizing that
Read →Pricing & profit
Should You Harvest Profits or Reinvest for Growth? A Outsourced CFO’s Guide to Making this Difficult Decision
October 21, 2024
Should You Harvest Profits or Reinvest for Growth? A Outsourced CFO’s Guide to Making this Difficult Decision
Should you grow Cashflow 💵 or grow Enterprise Value📈?
Read →Leadership & values
Legacy Advantage -> Tee Up Advisors; The Story of Building, Scaling, and Creating a Legacy
October 1, 2024
Legacy Advantage -> Tee Up Advisors; The Story of Building, Scaling, and Creating a Legacy
Launching Legacy Advantage in Vancouver was driven by a vision to bridge the gap in bookkeeping and payroll services for small businesses. By leveraging QuickBooks Online and prioritizing people, we…
Read →Pricing & profit
The Cost and the ROI of a Fractional CFO
September 28, 2024
The Cost and the ROI of a Fractional CFO
It's always about cost vs return isn't it? Risk vs reward? Can't have one without the other? Well, what's the case for a (Fractional) CFO?
Read →SaaS & metrics
Track Productive KPIs to build Enduringly Profitable Companies
September 9, 2024
Track Productive KPIs to build Enduringly Profitable Companies
Our mission is to partner with entrepreneurs to build Enduringly Profitable Companies; and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are vital tools for measuring the success of a business. For CFOs and…
Read →Controller & accounting
Cryptocurrency 101: A Fractional CFO’s Tips on Accounting for Cryptocurrency
August 29, 2024
Cryptocurrency 101: A Fractional CFO’s Tips on Accounting for Cryptocurrency
As cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum gain traction in mainstream finance, they present unique challenges for CFOs responsible for guiding businesses through these uncharted financial waters.…
Read →Controller & accounting
“I Already Have a Controller; do I Need a (Fractional) CFO?”
August 25, 2024
“I Already Have a Controller; do I Need a (Fractional) CFO?”
As your business grows and your financial management needs become more complex, the question of whether you need a CFO, especially if you already have a Controller and a bookkeeper, becomes…
Read →M&A & exits
What to Expect When Selling Your Business to Private Equity
August 21, 2024
What to Expect When Selling Your Business to Private Equity
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about private equity (PE) firms buying up businesses of all sizes. On the surface, it all sounds very exciting—a chance to cash in on years of hard work, step back…
Read →Leadership & values
Becoming Enduringly Profitable and Creating Generational Wealth
August 14, 2024
Becoming Enduringly Profitable and Creating Generational Wealth
While many businesses can be profitable, not all are enduringly profitable. So, what exactly is an enduringly profitable company? According to Harvard Business Review,
Read →Leadership & values
What is a (Fractional) CFO?
August 9, 2024
What is a (Fractional) CFO?
Growing a business can be challenging.
Read →Leadership & values
10 Signs You Need a Fractional CFO
August 6, 2024
10 Signs You Need a Fractional CFO
Running a business is no small feat. As companies grow and evolve, their financial needs become increasingly complex. Enter the Fractional CFO – a part-time, highly experienced financial executive…
Read →Cash flow
How Fractional CFOs Can Help Businesses Improve Cash Flow
August 3, 2024
How Fractional CFOs Can Help Businesses Improve Cash Flow
Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. Without effective cash flow management, even the most profitable companies can find themselves struggling to stay afloat. This is where a Fractional CFO…
Read →Startups
Finding Your First 10 Clients: A Guide for Startups
July 31, 2024
Finding Your First 10 Clients: A Guide for Startups
Launching a startup is an exhilarating journey filled with challenges and opportunities. Whether you’re setting up a bookkeeping company, a consulting firm, or any other business, the initial goal…
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