Every “survived” startup hits the same moment: cash’s moving, invoices are flying, investors want numbers — and there’s no CFO in sight.
You don’t need a finance exec yet. But you do need a finance function. Here’s how to build one before you can afford the title.
Start with visibility. If your bank balance and your burn rate live in different spreadsheets, you’re already behind. You need a single dashboard that shows cash in, cash out, and runway — updated weekly, not monthly.
Next, clean up the invoicing. Missed billing cycles kill trust and screw cash flow. Automate what you can, even if it’s just a Zapier trigger or a recurring Stripe charge. If you’re still chasing PDFs, you’re burning hours you don’t have.
Now tackle cost controls. This isn’t about being stingy. It’s about knowing what you’re actually spending. Cancel zombie subscriptions. Audit AWS once a quarter. Tag everything by function. If marketing owns the tool, marketing needs to see the bill.
On forecasting — don’t wait. Even basic 12-month cash flow modelling is better than gut feel. Use Google Sheets. Start with assumptions you can update: revenue per customer, churn, hiring pace. You’re not predicting the future. You’re stress-testing it.
Then set up your stack. At minimum: accounting software (Xero or QuickBooks), a cap table you understand (Carta or Excel if you must), and a monthly close routine. Yes, even if it’s just you. Discipline now saves panic later.
Finally, bring in help — just not full-time yet. A part-time bookkeeper. A freelance finance analyst. Maybe an advisor who’s scaled before. Don’t wait for Series A to start thinking like a real company.
You don’t need a CFO to act like a CFO. You need systems, visibility, and habits.
Build them early, when it’s just you and a spreadsheet. They’re what keeps the lights on when the stakes get real.
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