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Industry Project-Based Services / Entertainment Experience Design
Revenue $5–10M annually
Team Size 15–25 employees
Big Wins
- Ownership and management regained valuable time to focus on clients, projects, and business growth
- Greater visibility into project profitability and overall business performance
- More proactive cash flow planning instead of reacting to short-term needs
- Streamlined financial processes and reduced manual work
- Stronger systems and reporting built to support increasing business complexity
Client Overview
The business was growing steadily, taking on an increasing volume of projects—each at different phases of completion. As the portfolio expanded, complexity grew alongside it. Managing multiple projects simultaneously meant tracking different timelines, budgets, and cash needs all at once, creating demands that went well beyond standard business operations.
Like many growing businesses, ownership and management had been handling much of the financial work internally while simultaneously running and growing the business.
Two interconnected problems were holding the business back.
First, project leaders lacked timely financial information to keep projects on budget and plan cash needs—decisions that needed to happen in real time, not after the fact. Second, ownership was spending valuable time on bookkeeping and pushing information around rather than focusing on business development and strategic growth. These weren’t just operational frustrations—they were actively limiting what the business could become.
The team didn’t have clear answers to questions like:
- Which projects were driving profitability?
- How much cash will we need in the coming months?
- Where are resources performing best?
- What areas of the business need attention?
Without the right financial infrastructure, the business couldn’t fully realize its potential. Growth was happening, but the systems and information needed to manage that growth strategically simply weren’t keeping pace.
The business needed more than bookkeeping support. It needed stronger financial structure, better visibility, and processes designed to support growth.
The Challenge
As project volume and operational complexity increased, several issues began creating friction:
- Financial reports had become increasingly difficult to interpret because of an overly complex chart of accounts
- Limited visibility into project-level profitability and performance
- Cash flow planning lacked forward-looking visibility
- Manual financial work was consuming valuable owner and management time
- Credit cards and liabilities had not been consistently reconciled
- Reporting delays made it harder to make timely decisions
- Accounts payable and spending processes lacked structure and oversight
The Solution
I partnered with the client as a fractional controller, focusing on simplifying financial processes, improving visibility, and building systems designed to support the next stage of growth. A central goal was giving ownership and management their time back—freeing them from financial administrative work so they could focus on business development, client relationships, and strategic priorities.
Financial Organization & Reporting Improvements
- Redesigned and streamlined the chart of accounts structure
- Organized financial reporting around leadership decision-making needs
- Created cleaner and easier-to-understand reporting
Result:
Leadership gained more useful financial information without needing to sort through unnecessary complexity.
Project Profitability Visibility
- Implemented project-level tracking and reporting
- Developed percentage-of-completion reporting to provide better visibility into project performance as work progressed
- Created reporting views to monitor project performance
Result:
Leadership gained visibility into which projects were performing well and could make better decisions around pricing, staffing, and resource allocation.
Cash Flow Planning Improvements
- Redesigned cash flow forecasting into a more structured planning process
- Improved visibility into expected inflows, spending needs, and timing considerations
Result:
The business shifted from reacting to immediate cash demands toward more proactive planning.
Process Automation & Workflow Improvements
- Implemented structured AP workflows and approval processes
- Introduced a corporate card program to improve spending oversight
- Reduced manual work across financial processes
Result:
Financial operations became more organized and efficient while reducing administrative burden on ownership and management.
Balance Sheet Cleanup & Financial Accuracy
- Reconciled credit cards and liability balances
- Improved consistency across financial records and supporting schedules
- Established processes to support ongoing maintenance and accuracy
Result:
Leadership gained cleaner and more organized financial information to support ongoing decision-making.
The Impact
- Ownership and management regained valuable time to focus on serving clients, growing the business, and doing the work they enjoy most
- Better visibility into business performance and project profitability
- Financial reporting that became easier to understand and use
- More proactive cash flow management
- Reduced manual effort and improved operational efficiency
- Stronger systems capable of supporting continued growth
- Faster and more informed business decisions
Ready to Gain More Financial Clarity?
Not sure where financial gaps may exist?
The 360 Financial Diagnostic helps identify opportunities across your financial foundation, reporting, and operational processes — providing a clearer picture of where improvements can strengthen visibility and support growth.