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Premium advantages for startups when employing an interim CFO by Sam McQuade CFO: Startups, especially in their early phases, usually do not have full-time CFOs as they may not generate enough revenue to justify the cost of an additional C-suite member on the payroll. However, when things begin to look exciting – during a time of rapid scaling up or in case of a merger or acquisition – a CFO becomes inevitable. Still, many startups might be hesitant to take on the additional cost of a C-suite colleague, especially when the situation necessitating the presence of a CFO is transitory. CFOs, after all, bring highly valuable skills to the table and expect reasonably commensurate compensation. Hiring a fractional CFO is an innovative solution to this conundrum that many startups face.

The philosophy of “What got you here won’t get you where you want to go” is ever-present in business once past the initial start-up phase. Businesses launch additional products, open new territories, open additional locations, transact in new currencies, and deal with increasing regulatory requirements. These all require more advanced thinking, tools, and techniques. Many bootstrap startups begin with a part-time bookkeeper and simple systems but later find that they cannot sustain additional business growth and complexity. Systems, resources, processes, and strategies must scale in sophistication as a company grows.

Developing the Interim and Fractional CFO Concept with Experience: From the inside looking out, Sam McQuade continued to sharpen his skills and nurture the ideas and mission of Panterra Finance. He spent time in the executive suites of Dell, as a Finance Manager and a Financial Planning and Analysis Manager where he achieved a 400% revenue growth in the Swiss market. Other stops in corporate suites, each of which shaped the final innovative services offered by Panterra Finance. Find more information on Sam McQuade CFO of Panterra Finance.

With technological advances disrupting job descriptions, the organization will have its share of fear and resistance. Given the close collaboration between finance and information technology, the CFO is in a unique position to anticipate the future needs of organization and help mentor people with their reskilling into other growth areas. What else do you think CFOs can be doing now to adapt to the future? I’d be very grateful if you provide your comments and share your thoughts. Thank you!

Are a CEO and a CFO the Same Thing? No, a CEO and a CFO are not the same thing. However, CFOs are required to work closely with the other senior executives of a company, such as the CEO. These executives are sometimes referred to as the C-Suite of the company, representing the company’s highest level of decision-making. Although the CFO is typically subordinate to the CEO in the corporate hierarchy, CFOs will generally be the foremost decision-maker on all matters within the Finance department of their firm.

Forecasting: Importantly, CFOs don’t only report what is — a significant part of their value to an organization is their ability to accurately predict likely future outcomes. That includes financial forecasting and modeling based not only on the company’s past performance but on internal and external factors that may affect revenue and expenses. The CFO is tasked with making sense of the various departmental level forecasts to create profit projections for the CEO and shareholders.

Another purpose of a DAO is to automate decision-making. In a traditional organization, decisions are made by a small group of people. This can often lead to delays in decision-making. With a DAO, decisions are made by the code that governs the organization. This makes it much faster and easier to make decisions. In business environments, it frees up space for people to focus on other things. It has opened up opportunities for more decision-makers to get involved in the governance of a DAO. The most notable example is the MakerDAO, which is a decentralized autonomous organization that governs the Dai stablecoin. The MakerDAO has a voting system that allows anyone to participate in the governance of the organization.

Selling your business or looking to buy others? Our experts can lead the deal and make sure that you have a thoughtful ownership transition. We are happy to provide second opinions on valuations as well so you have another perspective and feel better before your close the deal.

The last two to three decades have seen a paradigm shift in the lives of almost everyone. The Internet and the web particularly have given a whole new meaning to the way we communicate and interact with each other. Web1.0 was all about connecting people and devices. Web2.0 was all about connecting people with each other. Recent years have seen the development of Web3.0 which is an entirely different ball game. Web3.0 is all about connecting people with machines and devices to create a more efficient and trustworthy internet. This new web is built on the back of blockchain technology which allows for decentralization, transparency, and security. One of the most exciting applications of this technology is the DAO or decentralized autonomous organization. With everything Web3.0, some concepts are harder to understand than others for now. With increased adoption, they will enter the mainstream sooner.

Many small and mid-sized organizations employ a bookkeeper or controller who maintains the financial system and records transactions in an accurate and timely manner. The CPA produces the tax returns and some basic performance analysis quarterly and at year-end. However, this leaves a significant gap in terms of the information and management reporting available. Business owners and entrepreneurs may lack the critical financial information needed for informed decision making; and for external purposes such as presentations to lenders or investors.

Do you want to hire your very first CFO or need interim coverage? We offer solution CFOs for immediate short term projects and longer term engagements. Adaptable with clear pricing so you cover your business and don’t have to get into a potentially bad and expensive full time hire. In disrupting the traditional contracted title of CFO, Panterra Finance innovatively offers all its clients thought leadership based on international financial market experiences. Panterra Finance offers a unified international approach to businesses in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Eight centrally located offices in the USA, Switzerland, the Middle East, and the emerging African Continent, offers global enterprises Fractional and Interim CFO services backed by a team with a grasp of dynamic world trends. Find more information at Sam McQuade.