Does your business need a CFO, an on-site Controller, or a Contract Controller, or a bookkeeper?
You’ve probably found this page because you’re looking to determine what is the best fit for your small business. With technology, you can connect with an ever-refined level of service that matches your company needs.
We’ll walk through your options here.
CFO
A CFO level of services can be broad. Most CFOs are in charge of a high-level of financial planning and decision-making. CFOs aren’t typically making the journal entries or writing out checks regularly. Some CFOs are marketers, fund-raisers, and financial experts. They make high-level decisions regarding cash flow and the best use of company resources.
CFOs aren’t commonly seen within smaller businesses but are seen more regularly in mature businesses and rapidly growing organizations. CFOs are employees of an organization working at a senior executive level. These individuals are often very well paid in salary, bonuses, and other extensive benefits.
On-Site Controller
On-site Controllers are employees of an organization. An on-site controller can be necessary in smaller companies that are evolving and shifting regularly.
Their on-site services are regularly required in financial decisions, financial transactions, and you may even find them in a shipping department working out the kinks of operations.
Because smaller companies don’t typically have senior executives, a controller can be found wearing HR hats, marketing hats, and operations hats.
An on-site controller is necessary for a company that lacks the operations and financial expertise elsewhere in the company. An on-site controller can be very expensive to a smaller business, but they can also save an organization from having to hire other department leaders.
Contract Controller
A Contract controller (often called fractional controller) is becoming more commonplace in small companies. Some companies are good at what they do, but they need financial help in decision-making, budgeting, and reporting. A contract controller isn’t likely to head up an inventory count, or terminate an employee, but it’s also not unheard of.
Companies often hire contract controllers as a way of getting consistent and sound financial advice without the heavy cost of a full-time controller. For a small business, an onsite controller may spend time doing lower-level tasks. Shipping items, running to the post-office, doing basic financial transactions.
Small businesses have discovered that technology allows them to keep the simple tasks with appropriate level employees while hiring an outside contract controller to help make the higher-level decisions. These outside contract controllers cost a portion of what you’d pay a full-time controller, but they’re also not quite as available as the controller in the corner office.
Bookkeeper
A bookkeeper keeps things strictly financial. Most bookkeepers work separately from the business and keep track of transactions, often after-the-fact.
Some bookkeepers will keep track of bills and send invoices. A good system will allow them to do so remotely and allow an owner or manager to print payments or finalize payments.
Bookkeepers are great for simple business and established small businesses. They may not be raising funds, pushing marketing goals, or overhauling systems, but they’re great to keep you up to date in reporting and regulatory matters. A good bookkeeper will get you information that aids you in making the right decisions for your business.
What We Can Do For You
At Shreeve Landry, we don’t provide the onsite CFO or the onsite Controller services…but we provide Contract Controllers, Bookkeepers, and even some Contract CFO services. Our CFO and Controllership clients have benefited from our expertise, our knowledge of business, and even our ability to fund-raise and aid in marketing decisions.
Our clients have had more money to spend on marketing, sales, and other necessary functions when they’ve utilized our fractional CFO and controller services.
If you think you could benefit from a Contract Controller, CFO, or even just a bookkeeper, feel free to reach out and schedule an appointment.
