The short answer
A fractional CFO in Chandler gives you part-time, senior financial guidance without a full-time salary. At AZ Easy CPA, Chris Badulescu, CPA, meets with you monthly to review results, build budgets, forecast cash flow, track KPIs, talk through pricing and margins, and get you ready for conversations with lenders.
What does a fractional CFO actually do for a small business?
A fractional CFO turns your bookkeeping into decisions. Instead of just reporting what happened last month, we help you plan what happens next: how much cash you will have, which jobs or products earn the most, when you can hire, and what a lender will want to see before you ask for money.
Most small businesses reach a point where clean books are not enough. You have reports, but you are still guessing about hiring, pricing or whether you can afford that new truck. A fractional CFO fills that gap on a part-time basis.
Chris works with you the way an in-house finance leader would, just on a schedule that fits a small business. You get a CPA who knows your numbers, asks good questions and helps you think through the tradeoffs before you commit.
- Monthly strategy sessions to review results and set priorities
- Budget creation and updates through the year
- Cash flow forecasting so you can see tight months coming
- Personalized metrics (KPIs) that fit how your business makes money
- Pricing and margin conversations
- Lender and financing preparation
What happens in a monthly strategy session?
Each month Chris reviews your financial statements with you, compares results to your budget, walks through your cash forecast and KPIs, and helps you pick a short list of actions. You leave knowing where you stand and what to focus on before the next session.
The sessions are a conversation, not a lecture. Chris explains what moved and why in plain language, then you talk through what it means for the business. Sessions can happen by video, phone or in person at our Chandler office.
- Review last month. Profit and loss, balance sheet and cash position, compared to budget and to the same period last year when the history is there.
- Look ahead. Update the cash flow forecast for the next few months and flag anything that looks tight.
- Check the KPIs. The handful of numbers you agreed matter most, such as gross margin, average job size or revenue per employee.
- Decide. Agree on two or three action items, like adjusting a price, chasing older receivables or waiting a month on a purchase.
"I have worked with Chris Badulescu for the last year and would highly recommend him not only for bookkeeping/accounting services, but as a fractional CFO." (Chris P., Google review)
How do budgets and cash flow forecasts help me plan?
A budget is your plan for the year, and a cash flow forecast shows when money actually comes in and goes out. Together they help you spot slow months early, time big purchases, plan for tax payments with your tax partner and avoid surprises when payroll is due.
Profit and cash are not the same thing. A business can be profitable on paper and still run short when customers pay slowly, a loan payment hits or inventory needs restocking. That is why we build both a budget and a rolling cash forecast.
We start with your real history from the books, then layer in what you know is coming: seasonal swings, planned hires, equipment, owner draws and estimated tax payments your tax partner recommends. Each month we update the forecast with actual results so it stays useful instead of sitting in a drawer.
| Tool | What it answers | How often we update it |
|---|---|---|
| Annual budget | What revenue and spending should look like this year | Built once a year, adjusted when plans change |
| Cash flow forecast | How much cash you will have in the coming weeks and months | Every month |
| KPI dashboard | Whether the business is moving in the right direction | Every month |
Which KPIs should a small business track?
The right KPIs depend on how your business makes money. A service business might watch billable hours and average ticket, a contractor might watch job margins and backlog, and a retailer might watch inventory turns. We help you pick a few numbers that actually drive decisions and track them consistently.
Too many metrics can be as unhelpful as none. We usually start with three to six numbers that tie directly to your goals, then add or drop as the business changes.
- Gross margin by service line, product or job type
- Cash runway: how many months of expenses your cash covers
- Accounts receivable aging: who owes you and for how long
- Owner pay and draws compared to what the business can support
- Labor cost as a share of revenue
- Industry measures, such as revenue per chair for a salon or job costing for the trades
These personalized metrics come straight from your books, so the bookkeeping has to be right first. If it isn't, we start with bookkeeping cleanup or catch-up bookkeeping and build from there.
Can a fractional CFO help with pricing and margins?
Yes. Pricing is one of the most useful conversations we have with owners. We look at what each service, product or job really costs once labor, materials and overhead are counted, then talk through where prices may be too low and which work is worth more of your time.
Many owners set prices once and rarely revisit them, even as wages, materials and rent go up. When we break down margins by line of business, it often becomes clear which work carries the company and which work just keeps everyone busy.
Chris won't tell you what to charge your customers, because you know your market. What he can do is show you the math behind each option so you can make the call with real numbers in front of you.
- Margin by service, product, location or job
- Breakeven point and what it takes to cover fixed costs
- What a price change could do to profit at different volumes
- Which customers or jobs cost more to serve than they appear
How do you help me get ready to talk to a lender?
Lenders want clean, consistent financial statements and a clear story about how the loan will be repaid. We help you get your books in order, prepare the reports they typically ask for, build a projection that holds up to questions and practice the conversation before you walk in.
Whether it is a line of credit, an equipment loan or an SBA loan, the bank will look closely at your numbers. Missing reconciliations, mixed personal expenses or statements that don't match your tax returns can slow things down or end the conversation.
- Reconciled balance sheet and income statement
- Accounts receivable and payable aging reports
- A debt schedule showing current loans and payments
- Cash flow projections that show how payments fit
- Coordination with your tax partner so returns and books line up
If a lender, surety or landlord asks for CPA-prepared financial statements, we can prepare compiled financial statements and talk through whether they are asking for something more.
Is a fractional CFO right for my business?
It is usually a good fit when your books are current, the business is growing or changing, and you are making decisions that feel bigger than your gut. If you are still behind on bookkeeping, we start there, then add advisory once the numbers are reliable.
Fractional CFO work makes the most sense for owners who already have monthly bookkeeping in place, or who want us to handle it alongside the advisory work. Many clients pair the two so Chris knows the books inside and out before each session.
| Service | Main focus | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly bookkeeping | Accurate, reconciled books and monthly reports | Every business that wants current numbers |
| Accounting consulting | Processes, software and systems | Owners fixing how the books get done |
| Fractional CFO | Planning, forecasting and decisions | Owners ready to use the numbers to grow |
We are a small team on purpose. You work directly with Chris, and Hillary keeps scheduling and follow-ups moving, so you are never handed off to someone who doesn't know your business.
How do we get started?
Free phone call
Tell us about your business, your goals and what is keeping you up at night. There is no pressure and no obligation.
Review the books
Chris looks at your current financials to see whether they are ready for planning or need some cleanup first.
Build the foundation
We set up your budget, cash flow forecast and the KPIs that matter most to you.
Monthly sessions
Each month we review results together, update the forecast and agree on next steps.
Adjust as you grow
As the business changes, we revisit the plan, the metrics and how often we meet.
Fractional CFO questions
What is the difference between a fractional CFO and a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records and reconciles transactions so your numbers are accurate. A fractional CFO uses those numbers to help you plan, forecast and make decisions. We offer both, and many clients use them together.
How much does fractional CFO service cost?
Pricing depends on how often we meet, the size of the business and how much forecasting and reporting you need. We quote it after a free phone call so you know exactly what is included before you start.
Do I need monthly bookkeeping to use your fractional CFO service?
You need reliable books, but they don't have to come from us. That said, many owners have us handle the bookkeeping too, because it means Chris already knows the numbers before every strategy session.
Can we meet in person?
Yes. Sessions can be in person at our office on S. Alma School Road in Chandler, or by video or phone. Plenty of clients across Arizona and outside the state meet with us remotely.
Will you do my taxes as part of this?
No. AZ Easy CPA does not prepare tax returns in house. We work with trusted tax partners, keep your books ready for them and coordinate on planning items like estimated payments. You can learn more on our partners page.
Can you help me get a business loan?
We can't make lending decisions, but we can help you prepare. That includes cleaning up the books, building projections, pulling together the reports lenders usually ask for and, if needed, preparing compiled financial statements.
How soon will I see useful reports?
If your books are current, we can usually build a first budget and cash forecast within the first month or two. If the books need cleanup, that comes first so the planning rests on accurate numbers.
Bookkeeping near you
From our Chandler office we work with businesses across the East Valley and Arizona, in person or online.
