Fractional Executive Leadership
Fractional CFO Services
Senior finance leadership without the $400K commitment. Cash flow clarity, board-ready reporting, and M&A confidence on your timeline.
CFO is the most common fractional executive role, representing 18.8% of all fractional leadership positions.
Your Controller Flags a Cash Gap. Your CFO Already Has a Plan.
Your controller flags a cash gap three weeks out. Your fractional CFO restructures the AP schedule, calls your banking contact, and updates the board deck before lunch. No six-month search. No learning curve. No $400K salary line item. Just a finance leader who has done this exact thing at four other companies and knows what to do next.
That is the fractional model. You get a CFO who has sat in the seat, not someone growing into it. They embed with your team, own the outcomes, and scale their time with your needs. When the initiative wraps or you hire permanently, they hand off clean.
What a Fractional CFO Handles
A Fractional CFO provides senior-level financial leadership on a part-time or project basis. Unlike a consultant who delivers a report and leaves, a fractional CFO embeds with your team, takes ownership of financial operations, and drives measurable outcomes.
- Cash flow management and forecasting - visibility into what's coming
- Financial systems and controls - infrastructure that scales with growth
- Board and investor reporting - the real story, presented clearly
- M&A due diligence and integration - when opportunities arise
- Banking relationships and capital strategy - funding your next phase
- Team development - building internal finance capability over time
The Cost Equation
A full-time CFO carries median total compensation of $375Kâ$450K annually. For growing companies that need strategic finance leadership but not 40+ hours a week of it, that math rarely works. Fractional CFO engagements average between $2,500 and $7,500 per month for basic services and scale from there based on your needs, priorities, and available internal resources.
But cost is only part of it. CFO turnover hit 22% in 2024, and demand for interim finance leadership surged 103% year-over-year. The gap between needing a CFO and having one keeps widening - and companies that wait pay the price in missed decisions and cash flow leakage.
The fractional executive market has tripled since 2018. This is not a workaround - it is how mid-market companies access finance leadership now.
Signs You Need a Fractional CFO
Most companies don't realize they need a CFO until the gaps start costing them. If any of these sound familiar, it's time to have a conversation:
- You're making decisions without reliable financial data
- Cash flow surprises keep showing up
- Your accounting team is keeping the books but nobody is reading them strategically
- You're preparing for a raise, acquisition, or major investment
- Your CFO left and you need someone in the seat now
- You've outgrown your controller but aren't ready for a full-time hire
Meet Our Fractional CFOs
Finance leaders across manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, and professional services. The right CFO matched to your industry and challenge.
Ladon Johnson
Fractional Executive, CFO
Christy Marchand
Fractional Executive, CFO
Nate Pettitt
Fractional Executive, CFO
Becky Shive
Fractional Executive, CFO
John Katsilometes
Fractional Controller
Susan Johnson
Fractional Executive, CFO
Troy Harnisch
Fractional Executive, CFO
Todd Steen
Fractional Executive, CFO
Neal Greenberg
Fractional Executive, CFO
Dale Dollenbacher
Fractional Executive, CFO
Alicia Brown
Fractional Executive, CFO
Ready for Financial Clarity?
A 30-minute call to discuss your situation. No pitch, no pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a fractional CFO do?
A fractional CFO gives you senior financial leadership on a part-time basis, owning the work a full-time CFO would: cash flow management, forecasting and budgeting, capital strategy, board and investor reporting, and M&A support, without the full-time cost.
How much does a fractional CFO cost?
Engagements average between $2,500 and $7,500 per month for basic services and scale from there based on your needs, priorities, and available internal resources. That's a fraction of the roughly $400,000 in total compensation a full-time CFO commands.
When should a company hire a fractional CFO?
Common signals: cash keeps surprising you, you're raising capital or heading into an acquisition, you've outgrown your bookkeeper or controller, your board wants sharper reporting, or you're making big decisions without a financial model behind them.
What's the difference between a fractional CFO and an interim CFO?
A fractional CFO is an ongoing, part-time partner who scales with you over time. An interim CFO is a full-time, temporary bridge, usually to cover a departure until you hire a permanent replacement. Altus offers both.
How is a fractional CFO different from an accountant or controller?
Accountants and controllers record and report what already happened. A CFO is forward-looking: forecasting, capital allocation, pricing, and the financial strategy behind growth decisions. Most companies need both, doing different jobs.
What industries do your fractional CFOs work in?
Our fractional CFOs bring experience across many sectors, and we're not limited to a fixed list. We match the right operator to your business whatever your industry. Areas of particular depth include agriculture, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, professional services, cooperatives, private equity, venture capital.