FRACTIONAL CFO SERVICES
Financial Leadership for Businesses With a Higher Standard
Built for the owner or CEO who needs more than reports.
You need CFO-level strategy at the table. It doesn’t make sense to hire someone full-time. Canoan is the Strategic CFO firm built for this.
Financial Management and Financial Leadership are Two Different Things
Most small-to-medium-sized businesses have financial management. The books are done, bills are paid, and reports are created.
But today’s business has a bigger need for a strategic financial leader at the table. Navigating short-term challenges while also creating a vision for the future requires more than just financial management skills. It requires someone who knows how to operate and build for the future simultaneously.
That person’s hard to find. And when you do find them, the price tag to employ them full-time is often beyond what a small-to-medium-sized business can afford.
That’s why Canoan Strategy & CFO was created. We make expert financial leadership accessible without the full-time price tag.
Most fractional CFO providers don’t go beyond the reports. They leave it to you to figure out how the numbers impact your growth and sustainability. In contrast, Canoan Strategy & CFO starts with your specific needs and desired outcomes. Then we close the gap between strategy and execution, using the numbers as the scorecard.
How can we help?
We focus on what your company actually needs. So instead of publishing a menu of services, we build what you need at the right price. When our clients first come to us, they usually fall into one of three categories. Pick the one that’s closest to your situation to find out how we can help.
I need the CFO expertise, but I don’t need someone full time
You’ve already figured out that what you need isn’t more reporting. You need someone who can tell you what to do with the numbers, and why. Ready for the expertise. Not ready to hire full-time.
I have a major event on the horizon
A sale. A succession. A significant growth push. The biggest financial moments are not won in the event itself. They are won in the months and years before it.
Something isn’t working
Not in crisis. But margins are compressing, revenue is lumpy, cash flow is inconsistent, and multiple attempts to correct it haven’t fixed it.
Not sure which one fits? Let’s talk
How Canoan Strategy & CFO is different than other fractional CFOs.
Strategists, Operators, AND Accounting
Closing the gap between strategy, execution, and the financials is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today. Instead of rigid reporting, planning, and forecasting, we take a more agile approach that allows for iterations with quick feedback on what’s working and not working.
Not a staffing firm
Staffing firms have their place. But often you get whomever has available time, and not always the person who’s the best fit.
We work alongside you and your team, become experts in your business, earn your trust, and stay at the table through whatever comes next.
At the Decision Level
Our work doesn’t stop with deliverables. We don’t send you pages of reports every month with a one paragraph summary and call it good.
You can expect us to provide expert opinions and guidance based on what the reports say.
No hourly charges
You want outcomes. So do we. We are exclusively fixed fee, so you know exactly what outcomes you get versus buying a bank of someone’s hours. It’s no fun to be in the conference room calculating hourly rates of contractors. Let’s focus on the outcomes instead.
Some know exactly what they need and are ready to move. Others need clarity first. We’re built for both.
Here’s how we work with our clients
Diagnostic
Define the problem(s) before committing to a path. For owners and CEOs who know something isn’t working or who have a major event approaching.
Project Engagement
Defined scope, defined timeline. M&A preparation, capital raise readiness, rebuilding your financial infrastructure, or other specific financial objectives.
Embedded Strategic CFO Advisory
Ongoing, embedded Strategic CFO work. We customize the engagement so you don’t pay for things that you don’t want.
Advisory Power-Up
A specific event requiring expertise outside your current engagement scope. Expands when needed, returns to base when complete.
Frequently asked questions about fractional CFO services.
What is a Strategic CFO and how is it different from most fractional CFOs?
A fractional CFO typically comes from a career in the accounting ranks and manages financial reporting and compliance. Many times, they don’t have operational experience outside of their own firm. Strategic CFOs have wider and deeper operational and strategic experience in a variety of businesses and industries. They operate at the executive level, translating what the numbers mean into business decisions. Strategic CFOs have operational experience in many other areas of business and are well-suited to be true partners to the CEO not only managing today’s needs, but also building the future.
What does a fractional CFO do for a small-to-medium-sized business?
At a minimum, fractional CFOs oversee financial reporting, profitability and margin analysis, cash flow management, budgeting and forecasting, banking and capital relationships, and planning. Strategic CFOs go beyond that to shape the future of the business
When should a business owner consider hiring a fractional Strategic CFO?
When the business owner wants to use their financial data to be proactive about the growth of their company, but isn’t yet at a scale where a full-time CFO makes sense. Common triggers: revenue growth without profitability improvement, a major event approaching, persistent cash flow unpredictability.
Where does Canoan Strategy & CFO provide Strategic CFO services?
Canoan is based in Des Moines, Iowa, and primarily services B2B business owners across Iowa and the broader Midwest. Clients are closely held businesses, typically with revenue between $5M and $25M, but those revenue bands can shift depending on the industry.