The Financial Controller Review
A clear-eyed review of the financial systems your business depends on.
Once a business crosses the million-dollar mark, the financial picture naturally becomes more complex. Revenue grows, timing matters more, and cash flow does not always match what the reports suggest.
Experienced CEOs feel it when something no longer lines up.
That tension is rarely a leadership issue. It is usually a sign that the financial systems have not evolved alongside the business.
The Financial Controller Review brings clarity to that moment by looking beneath the reports to understand how reliable the numbers are and how well they support real decisions. The first step is a short call with a controller to review what’s going on and determine the right level of support.
WHY CONTROLLERS MATTER (WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A FINANCIAL TEAM)
CFOs, tax professionals, accountants, and bookkeepers each play an essential role in your business. Their work is invaluable. As a company grows, the volume and speed of financial information increase, and it becomes harder for anyone to see the full picture at once. This review is designed to answer one question: are your financials decision-ready?
A controller steps back to look at how the entire system is functioning. This includes the structure underneath the work your team is already doing and how information moves before it ever becomes a decision.
During the review, our controllers look at:
how financial data flows through the business
whether allocations and timing reflect what is actually happening
where processes support accuracy or create strain
where inconsistencies tend to begin
how numbers are prepared before they reach leadership or advisors
This is not about finding fault. It is about understanding the environment your financial team is working inside so the numbers they rely on are consistent, timely, and clear.
When the ecosystem is healthy, decisions come easier. Everyone has better visibility, a shared understanding of what is true, and a clearer view of what is driving profit. Their work is invaluable. As a company grows, however, the volume and speed of financial information increases, and it becomes harder for anyone to see the full picture at once. The review is designed to answer one question: are your financials decision-ready?
Option 1:
The Financial Controller Review
Starting at $2500
For when the numbers don’t feel reliable enough to trust your decisions.
This option is designed for leaders who sense that something in the financials is not quite lining up. The reports may look fine on the surface, but they are not yet giving you the confidence you need to move forward without second-guessing.
At this stage, the opportunity is to strengthen how your financial information is being produced and reviewed before layering on higher-level strategy.
This review focuses on accuracy, consistency, and visibility, so the numbers reflect what is actually happening in the business and can be relied on for decision-making.
Our Controller team performs a focused review of:
How financial data is generated
Where inconsistencies or gaps begin
How cash flow is actually moving through the business
You’ll walk away with:
Confidence in the reliability of your financials
Clarity around key cash flow drivers
The specific areas that need attention first
A written summary of findings
A clear explanation of what it all means for your business
Why this comes before the CFO Valuation:
Strategic forecasting and scenario planning only work when the underlying data is accurate. Strengthening execution at the Controller level creates the foundation for CFO valuation later.
Not sure which option fits? Take our Financial Clarity Diagnostic.
Option 2:
Financial Controller Review + CFO Valuation
Starting at $4000
For when the numbers are sound, but the decisions feel higher-stakes.
This option includes the full Financial Controller Review, plus dedicated time with a CFO to help interpret the findings for business decisions, opportunities for growth, and current business value.
Once the data is validated by our controller, the focus shifts to interpretation and future direction, helping you understand what the numbers are telling you about growth, risk, and opportunity. A key part of this work is understanding the value of your business today and how financial decisions influence that value over time.
You receive coordinated support from both a Controller team and a CFO-level advisor to:
Connect financial patterns to real business decisions
Pressure-test priorities and tradeoffs
Clarify which actions matter most now versus later
You’ll walk away with:
Everything included in the Financial Controller Review
CFO-level interpretation of the findings
Clear guidance on how financial patterns affect decisions and business value
Prioritized focus areas for the next 12 months
A clearer view of long-term options and readiness for future transitions
Best fit when:
The data is solid, and the next challenge is making confident, high-impact decisions.
What the Financial Controller Review Covers
The Financial Controller Review is a focused, controller-led assessment of the parts of your financial system that most often create confusion as a business grows.
It is designed to clarify what the numbers are actually showing, where reliability starts to slip, and what needs attention first. The goal is not to rebuild everything — it is to make the current financials decision-ready.
Here is what we review over several days:
1. Accuracy of Your Financials
Rather than reviewing every line item, we focus on the areas where inaccuracies most commonly affect decision-making, including:
transactions recorded in the wrong period
allocations that no longer reflect how the business actually operates
how inventory, receivables, payables, or loans appear in the reports
This allows us to determine whether the financials reflect reality — or whether key information is being distorted or missed.
2. What Is Driving Cash Flow
Cash pressure usually shows up before the reason is clear.
We review:
how money moves in and out of the business
billing and collection timing
major payment obligations or commitments
seasonal or cyclical patterns
This clarifies why cash flow does not always align with what the P&L suggests.
3. How Processes Shape the Numbers
Financial reports are only as reliable as the processes behind them.
We look at:
how information is entered and reviewed
where timing breaks down
workflow steps that introduce friction or inconsistency
whether current tools and roles support accuracy
As businesses grow, small process gaps can quietly create meaningful reporting issues.
4. Areas That Need Attention First
Growing businesses often outgrow their financial systems before anyone realizes it.
We identify:
where reporting reliability may be at risk
where cash flow exposure exists
where decisions are being made without full visibility
This review prioritizes the areas that matter most now — not everything that could eventually be improved.
How To Work Together
Controller Conversation
Meet with one of our controllers for a focused conversation to understand your business, your goals, and what prompted the review.
Review
Our team reviews your financials and supporting documentation and prepares a written summary of findings and recommendations.
Findings
We review the findings together, answer questions, and discuss next steps based on the option you selected.
“Cindy restructured our administrative team, set more efficient processes in place, and created an enjoyable work culture for all. She found and corrected profit leaks and wasteful spending. She saved us tens of thousands of dollars. Cindy filed our PPP2 and received full forgiveness. She was also able to prove our qualification for ERC and hundreds of thousands of dollars we didn’t know we were entitled to receive. She is exceptionally well versed on new policies, programs, and procedures. There is nothing that has been asked of Cindy where she has not exceeded expectations. "
— -Richard Saldivar, TERIS Founder
Not sure which option is right for your business?
Take our diagnostic to see which level of support fits your business.
