Hire a Controller Before You Hire a CFO.

Why Hiring the Right Controller is Your Most Strategic Decision

In my 15 years as a fractional CFO guiding privately held companies toward sustainable growth, I've learned one undeniable truth: your Controller isn’t just another accountant—they’re your most strategic hire. Here's why your Controller should be viewed as a critical partner, not merely as a financial record-keeper.

Who's your Daddy?

Your Controller Drives Financial Sanity

Think of your Controller as the person you rely upon for accurate financial infomration. They don’t just handle the books— they give you peace of mind. You are able to explain the financias to anyo0ne who understands such things. You can speak with confidence on your financial perfomrance. Their precise, timely reporting becomes the foundation of every strategic decision you make.

Trust In The Process

Its true that a Controller speds their time looking at the past. In truth, if you don't spend some time looking at the past you won't be able to effectly make changes to migrate your organization from where you are to wheer tou want to be. A truly exceptional Controller will elevate reporting standards an organization is confident that the infomation can be relied upon to Do Someting Different. Something perhaps they have never done before. And they wull be able to measure the effects of that decision by looking backward every month forever. The Controller helps your leadership team stay focused on driving growth and making good, everyday decisions to this end.

Get To The End Before They Do

In privately held companies, the goal often is to sell or to go public, Very few privately held companies with instututional investors want to run themselves forever, If you are one of these, think about what you will need to sell. You will need to know more about your bueinss then any potential acquirer does to extract the maximum value from the deal. This knowlede will take time to amass, and the way to start this is to work with a Controller to mainatin a sold set of USGAAP financials that are timely and accurate.

Whose Job Is It Anyway?

Too often in early stage or lower me market companies, the Controller role does not exist. Its a bookkeeper and a CFO, or a a bookkeeper and an outsourced accoutning firm that Does A Bunch Of Things. But what is not being done is consistent and accurate finacial statements. Make this someone's job. It is someone's job to play go/fetch with the financial statements and all yoru questions on why things are recorded the way they are. Not only does this put others to their highest and best use in the organization, but it improves morale when you the organization knows that the infomation is is receiving is on point.

Empowering Your CFO

As a fractional CFO, my effectiveness is significantly amplified by having a highly capable Controller. With a strategic Controller expertly managing the accounting details, I can fully concentrate on higher-level financial strategies—whether it's capital planning, strategic initiatives, M&A, planning and thinking through critical next steps, or working with the Company's advisors to move forward the Board's agenda—knowing the critical financial fundamentals are in trusted hands.

Where to Find a Great Controller

Your Controller isn’t just critical—they're indispensable. You can find plenty of fractonal Controllers. If you need help finding one drop me a note, I can intro you to a few I respect and have worked with in the past.