Why Should You Hire a CFO?

I have learned from my years as both a CFO and a business owner that many business owners who have not worked directly with a CFO, don’t understand the value they bring to steering the company’s future. When the CEO has a difficult time determining how to spend limited dollars, for example, they may decide to invest in sales and marketing to strengthen sagging revenue, expecting immediate returns with hockey stick-like increases in sales.  Sales and marketing efforts are great investments if properly managed and monitored; however, without discipline and strategy, the expected return may not be realized if the investment was misdirected, to begin with.

CEOs often have a background expertise in sales or technology.  They have enough respect for accounting and finance to know they need at least some of it but, truth-be-told would rather kiss an alligator than to admit how little they understand about financing, how a balance sheet works or why they need a cash flow statement.

They also don’t understand the difference between a CFO and a CPA.

So, what was your question again – why do you need a CFO? That’s why.

Barker Associates, CFO Strategists, works with entrepreneurial growth companies, established corporations and nonprofits to develop positive cash flow and increase the value of your company. We can be contacted at [email protected] or 904.728.2920.