Free Assessment
Is Your Business Financially Healthy?
Many SME owners sense something is off with their finances but can't pinpoint exactly what. Our free financial health check helps you identify gaps, risks, and opportunities in your financial operations—before small problems become big ones.
The Challenge: Flying Blind on Financial Health
As a small or medium-sized business owner, you wear many hats. You manage operations, lead your team, serve customers, and drive growth. But finance often becomes a back-burner function—something handled by a part-time bookkeeper or outsourced accountant focused primarily on tax compliance and keeping the books in order.
This approach works when you're small and simple. But as your business grows, financial complexity compounds. Multiple revenue streams, growing headcount, seasonal fluctuations, and tighter margins create a web of financial decisions that gut instinct alone can't navigate.
The result? Many business owners experience a persistent uncertainty about their financial position. They check bank balances obsessively, make hiring decisions without knowing true capacity, and discover cash shortfalls only when it's too late to avoid them. They sense the business could be more profitable but can't identify where the leaks are.
A financial health check is the first step toward clarity. It's not about finding fault—it's about understanding where you are today so you can make confident decisions about tomorrow.
Warning Signs Your Financial Health Needs Attention
If any of these sound familiar, a financial health check can help you identify root causes and develop solutions.
Cash Flow Warning Signs
- You frequently check bank balances before making payments
- Payroll timing causes anxiety every two weeks
- You've delayed vendor payments to preserve cash
- Seasonal fluctuations catch you off guard
- You're unsure how long your current cash will last
Reporting & Visibility Gaps
- Financial statements arrive weeks after month-end
- You can't quickly answer "How did we do last month?"
- Decisions are made on gut feel, not data
- You're surprised by expenses when reviewing financials
- Different people cite different revenue numbers
Strategic Planning Deficits
- No formal budget or the budget is outdated
- You can't model "what if" growth scenarios
- Pricing decisions lack margin analysis
- Hiring decisions aren't tied to financial forecasts
- You don't know your break-even point
What Our Financial Health Check Evaluates
We assess four critical areas of financial operations that separate thriving businesses from those that struggle with growth.
Financial Reporting
How quickly and accurately can you report on financial performance?
- How many days after month-end do you close your books?
- Can you produce accurate financial statements within 10 days?
- Do you have dashboard visibility into real-time metrics?
Cash Flow Management
How well do you understand and manage your cash position?
- Do you have a 13-week cash flow forecast?
- Can you predict cash shortfalls 30+ days in advance?
- Do you actively manage AR aging and collections?
Planning & Forecasting
How sophisticated is your financial planning process?
- Do you have a detailed annual budget?
- Do you track budget vs. actual with variance analysis?
- Can you model different growth scenarios?
Strategic Finance
Is finance a strategic partner to the business?
- Does leadership receive regular financial insights?
- Are key decisions supported by financial analysis?
- Do you have visibility into profitability by product/customer?
Why Financial Health Matters for Growing SMEs
Financial health isn't just about having money in the bank. It's about having the visibility, processes, and strategic insight to make confident decisions that drive sustainable growth. Businesses with strong financial health share common characteristics:
- They close books quickly. Financial statements are ready within 5-10 days of month-end, not 30-45 days later when the data is stale.
- They see around corners. Cash flow forecasts extend 13+ weeks, revealing potential shortfalls with enough time to take action.
- They know their numbers. Leadership can immediately cite key metrics: gross margin, customer acquisition cost, burn rate, runway.
- They make data-driven decisions. Hiring, pricing, and expansion decisions are supported by financial models, not guesswork.
- They separate strategic from administrative finance. Bookkeeping and tax compliance happen, but finance also contributes to strategy.
The gap between where most SMEs are and where they could be isn't about working harder—it's about building the right financial foundation. A health check illuminates that gap and shows you exactly what to focus on first.
How It Works
Complete Self-Assessment
Answer straightforward questions about your current financial operations. Takes about 5 minutes—no financial expertise required.
Receive Your Health Report
Get a personalized financial health report with scores across all four assessment areas, highlighting strengths and improvement opportunities.
Review with a CFO
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your results, ask questions, and get actionable recommendations tailored to your business.
Who Benefits from a Financial Health Check?
Our financial health check is designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses at inflection points—moments when financial clarity becomes critical to making the right next move.
Growing Businesses ($1M-$30M)
Companies experiencing growth pains and needing more sophisticated financial operations.
Founders Preparing to Fundraise
Getting financials investor-ready before starting the fundraising process.
Businesses Experiencing Cash Pressure
Organizations that need better visibility into cash flow and working capital.
Companies Considering a CFO Hire
Understanding what level of financial support is actually needed before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
A financial health check is a comprehensive assessment of your business's financial operations, processes, and strategy. It evaluates areas like cash flow management, financial reporting accuracy, planning capabilities, and strategic finance maturity. The goal is to identify gaps, risks, and opportunities to strengthen your financial foundation—similar to a doctor's checkup but for your business finances.
Most growing businesses benefit from a financial health check when they experience rapid growth, cash flow unpredictability, difficulty making data-driven decisions, preparing for fundraising, or simply feeling uncertain about their financial position. If you find yourself making decisions based on gut feel rather than solid financial data, or if month-end close takes more than 10 days, a health check can reveal specific areas for improvement.
Bookkeepers record transactions and maintain accurate financial records. Accountants ensure compliance, prepare tax returns, and produce financial statements. A CFO provides strategic financial leadership—forecasting, cash flow optimization, fundraising support, and guiding business decisions with financial insight. Think of it as: bookkeepers record the past, accountants verify it, and CFOs shape the future.
Businesses typically benefit from CFO support when revenue exceeds $1-2M, when preparing for fundraising, during rapid growth (50%+ year-over-year), or when financial complexity increases through multiple revenue streams, new markets, or significant hiring. Many SMEs find that fractional CFO services provide enterprise-level financial leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.
A healthy financial operation features timely and accurate reporting (books closed within 5-10 days), reliable cash flow forecasting (13-week rolling forecast), clear visibility into profitability by product, service, or customer segment, and finance serving as a strategic partner to leadership—not just a compliance function. It means decisions are supported by data, not guesswork.
Our initial self-assessment takes about 5 minutes to complete. The follow-up consultation with a CFO to review your results and discuss recommendations typically takes 30-45 minutes. If you decide to proceed with a deeper engagement, a comprehensive financial operations review can be completed within 2-3 weeks depending on the complexity of your business.
Yes, the self-assessment and initial CFO consultation are completely free with no obligation. We believe in demonstrating value before asking for commitment. Many businesses find the consultation alone provides actionable insights they can implement immediately, regardless of whether they engage our services.
After completing the assessment, you'll receive a personalized financial health report highlighting your strengths and areas for improvement. You can then schedule a free consultation with one of our CFOs to discuss the findings, ask questions, and explore recommendations tailored to your specific situation and goals.
Ready to Assess Your Financial Health?
Take 5 minutes to complete our assessment and get personalized recommendations from experienced CFOs—completely free, no strings attached.