A fractional CFO is an experienced chief financial officer who works with your business part-time rather than on a full-time salary. You get senior financial strategy, cash flow forecasting, and decision support for a few days a month, without adding an executive to your payroll. For many Wichita owners, it is the point where the numbers start guiding decisions.
Most owners are experts at their craft rather than at reading a cash flow statement, and there is no reason they should be. A fractional CFO fills that gap. It is the strategic financial partner you would hire full-time if the salary made sense, available for the slice of time your business actually needs. Momenti Strategy offers fractional CFO services to businesses across the Wichita area.
What does a fractional CFO actually do?
A bookkeeper records what already happened. A fractional CFO helps you decide what happens next. The role is forward-looking and strategic, and it stays focused on the handful of financial questions that shape where your business goes. Day to day, that usually means five things.
- Cash flow forecasting. Building a rolling forecast so you can see a shortfall coming weeks ahead, rather than on the morning payroll is due. Scenario planning is how you test the what-ifs before they arrive.
- Budgeting and planning. Turning your goals into a realistic budget, then revisiting it as reality changes. Budget review and creation keeps the plan honest as the year moves.
- Profitability analysis. Finding which products, services, or customers actually make money, and which ones quietly drain it. Expense analysis is often where the first savings show up.
- Debt and payment strategy. Structuring debt and payables so growth is not strangled by interest and due dates. A debt payoff strategy turns a pile of obligations into a sequence.
- Decision support. Pressure-testing the big moves, such as a key hire, a new location, or a price change, with real numbers before you commit. Financial consulting covers the questions that do not fit a template.
In short, a fractional CFO gives you a seat at the table where the money decisions get made, filled by someone who has sat in that chair before. The role sits above the day-to-day accounting work, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the same set of responsibilities at the executive level.
How is a fractional CFO different from a bookkeeper or an accountant?
This is the question that trips up most owners, because all three roles touch your money. The simplest way to see it is that each one answers a different question, and they build on each other.
| Role | What they focus on | The question they answer |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | Records daily transactions, reconciles accounts, keeps the books current | “What did we spend, and is it recorded?” |
| Accountant / CPA | Prepares tax returns and year-end statements, handles compliance | “What do we owe, and are we filed correctly?” |
| Controller | Owns accuracy, the monthly close, and on-time reporting | “Are the numbers right and on time?” |
| Fractional CFO | Strategy, forecasting, and decision support | “Given the numbers, what should we do next?” |
The order matters here. Clean, current books have to come first, because forecasting means very little without them. So a fractional CFO does not replace good bookkeeping. It sits on top of it. The IRS publishes a plain-English guide to which records a business should keep and for how long, which is a useful place to start.
Momenti can handle both levels, so you can layer in the right amount of support rather than guessing. Our bookkeeping services are built for exactly that.
When does a business know it is time for a fractional CFO?
You do not need to be in crisis to benefit. Most owners recognize at least a few of these signs.
- Growth is happening, but cash feels tighter rather than easier.
- You make big decisions on instinct because the numbers are never ready in time, or you are unsure of what they mean.
- Something new is coming, such as a bank loan, a large client, a second location, or buying out a partner.
- Your books are clean, but nobody is turning them into a plan.
- Opening the financials keeps sliding down the list, so it rarely happens.
Some owners bring in a fractional CFO to steer through a rough patch. Others do it to make sure a good year can be sustained and repeated. Both are the right reason. The businesses we serve arrive at this point from very different directions, and that is normal.
What does working with a fractional CFO look like?
At Momenti Strategy, the sequence is deliberate, and it runs in the same order every time. You begin with a short Discovery Form, so the first conversation starts with real information rather than twenty minutes of background questions. That leads to a no-obligation Discovery Meeting of about 30 to 45 minutes, covering where your business is now and where you would like it to go.
If it feels like a good fit on both sides, a proposal and an engagement letter arrive together, usually within three to five business days. They come as a pair so you can weigh the scope and the terms side by side. Only after you sign the letter do we ask for your financial records, generally two years of them.
The analysis begins from there. You can read our process in full, stage by stage, including the timing for each one. Meanwhile your financial information stays strictly confidential throughout. For a business owner sharing the full story of their finances, that is a core promise rather than fine print.
The work is also practical and measurable. Before founding Momenti Strategy, Juli McClure stepped into a struggling small business as its president and led a full financial and operational overhaul. Over about two and a half years, that work recovered more than $100,000 in past-due receivables, reduced business and stakeholder debt from over $750,000 to under $230,000, and brought accounts payable current.
Different businesses need different things, and the throughline is the same. Turn the numbers into decisions, then into results. An accounts receivable and payable assessment is usually where that starts.
Is a fractional CFO worth it for a small business?
The honest answer is that it depends on what a better financial decision is worth to you. A fractional CFO earns their place by protecting cash, catching problems early, and helping you sidestep expensive mistakes, rather than by adding another fixed salary to your overhead.
You get executive-level financial thinking scaled to your size, and you adjust the level of support as your needs change. For a growing Wichita business, the value tends to show up in three places: steadier cash flow, clearer decisions, and far fewer surprises.
If free resources are the better starting point right now, the U.S. Small Business Administration and free mentoring from SCORE both cover the fundamentals well. Either one pairs naturally with a plan built on your own numbers. Otherwise, explore all financial services to see where the fit might be.
How do you choose a fractional CFO in Wichita?
Once you decide the role makes sense, fit is what matters most. A few things are worth weighing.
- Local understanding. Someone who knows the Wichita market and the daily reality of running a Kansas small business. The Kansas SBDC at Wichita State University is another good local resource.
- Range of services. Ask whether they can handle the audit, the budget, and the debt work, or whether they only offer advice. A financial audit and assessment is a fair test of that.
- A real starting point. Look for a genuine discovery process rather than a hard sell.
- Confidentiality and trust. Your numbers are sensitive, and the relationship should treat them that way.
- Personal fit. You will talk often, so it should feel like a partnership.
If you are weighing whether it is finally time, the simplest next step is a conversation. Momenti Strategy offers a Discovery Meeting to talk through your situation, understand your goals, and show you what a clearer financial picture could look like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a fractional CFO the same as an outsourced CFO?
Yes, the terms are used interchangeably. Both describe an experienced chief financial officer who works with your business part-time or on a project basis rather than as a full-time employee. Fractional simply emphasizes that you are using a fraction of a full CFO role, sized to what your business needs.
Do I still need a bookkeeper if I hire a fractional CFO?
In most cases, yes. A bookkeeper keeps your daily records accurate and current, which is the foundation a fractional CFO builds strategy on. The two roles work together, so clean books go in and better decisions come out. Momenti can provide both, which keeps them in sync.
How much time does a fractional CFO spend on my business?
It varies with your needs. Some businesses need a few days a month for forecasting and reporting. Others need more during a big transition such as a loan or an expansion. The right partner scales the time up or down as your situation changes, so you never pay for a full-time seat you do not need.
When does a fractional CFO review my financial records?
After you sign the engagement letter, not before. You will receive a proposal and an engagement letter together first. Once the letter is signed, we request your records, generally about two years of them, and the review begins. Nothing is shared until the scope is agreed in writing.
How soon will I see results from a fractional CFO?
Some wins come quickly, such as tighter cash flow visibility or catching a costly leak in the first review. Deeper results, like reducing debt or rebuilding profitability, build over months as the plan takes hold. The goal is steady, lasting progress rather than a one-time fix.
Ready to Build Momentum?
The first step is a no-obligation Discovery Meeting. It costs nothing, and nothing needs deciding on the call. Tell us where your business is and where you would like it to go, and we will show you what a clearer financial picture could look like.
Book a Discovery Meeting online or call 316-617-7178.