Valuation, exit, and CFO questions Texas owners ask first
Plain answers to the questions that come up in almost every first conversation, whether the topic is a sale, a valuation, or senior financial leadership.
What does a business valuation cost, and what drives the number?
Valuation fees depend on the purpose behind the report. A rough indication of value prepared for planning is a shorter engagement than a full opinion prepared for a lender, a partner dispute, or an estate filing. The number itself is driven by normalized earnings, revenue quality, customer concentration, recurring revenue, working capital, and the depth of management after a sale. Two Texas companies with identical revenue can be worth very different amounts, which is why we review the financial statements before quoting scope rather than after.
How far in advance of a sale should an owner start preparing?
Twelve to thirty-six months is the realistic window for preparing a business to sell. The work that moves a multiple is rarely strategic. It is add-backs documented with support, clean accrual books, contracts in the company name, a management team that does not depend on the owner, and two to three years of financial statements that agree to the tax returns. Owners who start a year out can usually still close, but they negotiate from a weaker position and carry more of the diligence risk themselves.
What is the difference between a fractional CFO and an outsourced controller?
A controller owns the accuracy and timeliness of the financial record: the close, the reconciliations, the reporting package. A fractional CFO owns the decision-making that sits on top of it: cash forecasting, budgeting and variance, lender and board reporting, pricing, and transaction planning. Many growing Texas companies need a controller first and add CFO hours as complexity arrives. When bookkeeping is behind, the engagement starts with cleanup, because every later decision inherits the quality of the underlying records.
Do you work with businesses outside of Texas?
The firm is Texas-based and most engagements are with Texas companies, but the work is not limited by geography. Clients operating in multiple states are served from the same team. What matters is whether the business is established enough to have real financial decisions in front of ownership, typically companies beyond the startup stage with meaningful revenue and a management team in place.
Who actually does the work?
Engagements are principal-led. The partners you speak with during scoping are the partners who review the reporting, attend the lender or buyer meetings, and sign off on the deliverable. Where specialized work is required, such as tax preparation through Nonte CPA, that work is delivered by the appropriate licensed team and coordinated under one engagement rather than handed off to an unfamiliar firm.
How are engagements priced?
Fractional CFO and controller work is priced as a monthly retainer scoped to the hours and cadence the business needs, which is why the first conversation includes a review of the reporting and cash cycle rather than a rate card. Valuation and transaction advisory work is quoted as a project fee after scope is agreed, and tax work is quoted separately. There is no charge for the initial consultation, and it is held in confidence.
Still looking for detail? The services page explains each scope of work, insights covers when a fractional CFO makes sense, and the contact page books a complimentary consultation.
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