M42
Fractional CFO advisory

Earn more.Waste less.Keep more.

For owner-operated businesses doing $1M–$20M. We turn your monthly financials into a clear playbook for your next move — working alongside your bookkeeper, at a fraction of a full-time CFO.

The framework

Too many owners run their business in the dark.

You don't need more spreadsheets — you need visibility.

Make / Spend / Keep is the framework we use to make sure you can answer the three questions every owner should know cold, confidently, and in plain English.

01
Make
Are we actually making money — and on what?
  • Which jobs, clients, or products actually make money — and which just look busy?
  • What does it actually cost me to deliver — fully loaded?
  • If I raised prices 10%, what would I gain — and what would I lose?
02
Spend
Where is the money going — and is it worth it?
  • What am I spending on that I wouldn't miss if I cut it tomorrow?
  • Is my team the right size — or am I paying for capacity I don't use?
  • Where could I cut 10% without anyone noticing it?
03
Keep
How much ends up in my pocket — and what's left to grow?
  • Why does my P&L say I made money but my bank account doesn't agree?
  • How much can I safely pay myself without starving the business?
  • If I want to hire, expand, or invest — what do I need in the bank first?
Capabilities

The work we do across every engagement.

These are the capabilities we apply — drawn from the Make / Spend / Keep framework. Which ones we focus on depends on what your business actually needs.

Make
From revenue to contribution
$847K Revenue −$184K COGS −$118K Direct labor −$72K Variable $473K Contribution

Unit Economics & Margin Analysis

Understand the true profitability of every product, service line, and customer segment. See where your real margin lives — and where it leaks.

Customer segment profitability
Enterprise 52% Mid-market 38% SMB direct 24% Reseller 9% Legacy accounts −4%

Pricing & Customer Profitability

Find the pricing leverage and customer mix that drives the most value. See which segments earn — and which quietly cost you.

Spend
Monthly OpEx — before / after
Before $98,000 After $83,500 −15% Annual impact $174,000

Cost & OpEx Reduction

Cut what doesn't drive growth. Protect what does. Vendor renegotiations, subscription audits, and software stack reviews that pay for themselves.

P&L vs. budget — October
BUDGET ACTUAL $ VAR % Revenue $220K $236K +$16K +7% COGS ($88K) ($94K) −$6K −7% Gross profit $132K $142K +$10K +8% Payroll ($62K) ($60K) +$2K +3% Other OpEx ($28K) ($31K) −$3K −11% Net income $42K $51K +$9K +21%

FP&A & Operating Models

Financial planning that actually drives decisions — not just reports. Annual budgets, rolling forecasts, scenario testing.

Keep
Projected cash balance — next 13 weeks
Minimum: $50K $32K Wk 1 Wk 13

Cash Flow Forecasting

See exactly where your cash is going — and when you'll need more. 13-week rolling forecasts that catch tight weeks before they arrive.

Owner KPI dashboard — monthly
REVENUE $847K ↑ 12% MARGIN 38.2% ↑ 2.1 pts CASH $312K → stable AR DAYS 38 ↓ 4 days

KPI Dashboards & Reporting

Real-time visibility into the metrics that actually move your business. Owner-friendly dashboards, in plain English.

Pricing

Two ways to put the framework to work.

CFO Lite

Starting at $2,500/month

For owner-operators who want monthly financial discipline — a clear picture of performance, tight cash management, and steady progress against the goals you set.

What's included every month
  • Goal-setting and tracking — annual targets set together, progress checked monthly
  • Monthly financial performance review with plain-English commentary
  • Annual operating budget with monthly budget-vs-actuals review
  • 13-week rolling cash flow forecast
  • One-page KPI dashboard tracking what actually matters
  • Two scheduled calls each month — monthly review and mid-month check-in
  • Bookkeeper coordination so your books support the reporting

Both tiers are month-to-month with no annual contracts. Both include direct coordination with your bookkeeper. We don't do investor reporting, fundraising, or M&A advisory — we're built for owner-operated SMBs, not VC-backed startups.

Start with clarity — on us.

Bring one decision you've been stuck on. We'll help you think it through — and tell you straight whether we can help, whether your bookkeeper has it covered, or whether you need something else entirely.

Find a time
Typically responds within one business day
or email hector@m42cfo.com