What this covers
You’ll know what cash is likely to do over the next 13 weeks, what is driving it, and which decisions to make this week so you do not get surprised mid-month.
You reached out because payroll and vendor bills are starting to outrun cash, and you need a clean story behind the P&L for a banker or partner conversation. I’ll build a forecast you can run weekly and numbers you can defend. If you’d like to move forward, the next step is a short working session and a file request.
I start by getting the cash forecast grounded in what actually moves money: invoice timing, deposits and retainers, payroll cycles, loan payments, and the slow-paying accounts you already know by name. Then I put a weekly rhythm around it so you and I make decisions before cash gets tight, not after.
A bit about me
I’m Caroline Whitaker, Fractional CFO. I’ve spent my career inside owner-led service businesses where the work is strong but the numbers arrive late, inconsistent, or hard to explain under pressure. Most clients hire me when growth turns cash into a daily concern and a bank meeting turns reporting gaps into real risk.
I’m the person you hire when you want a forecast that matches the bank balance, not a spreadsheet that looks tidy. I dig into timing, seasonality, and one-time cash drains, and I separate what is truly recurring from what is owner-driven or non-operating so your story holds up in a lender deck and in a weekly operations huddle.
Recent work
Here are a few recent engagements that show how I make cash, margin, and lender reporting line up.
Portfolio
13-week cash rebuild. Rebuilt a cash forecast around payroll cycles, customer deposit schedules, and AR aging. Set a weekly review cadence that tied forecast changes to specific jobs and invoices, not broad assumptions.
Budget and reforecast reset. Built an annual budget with a monthly rolling reforecast, anchored to headcount plans and booked backlog. Shifted owners from annual guessing to monthly decisions tied to hiring and capacity.
Bank model cleanup. Cleaned up a lender-facing model for a refinance by fixing add-backs, normalizing working capital timing, and tying EBITDA to the P&L and tax return. Reduced back-and-forth with the bank.
“The cash forecast matched the bank balance, and the weekly decisions got easier.”
Owner-operator, a growing service business
How this runs
You are buying a steady rhythm more than a one-time build. I keep the cash view current, tie it back to what the business is doing, and walk you into each decision with the numbers already reconciled.
1. Cash intake Week 1 I pull your last 12 months of activity and map how cash actually moves: payroll dates, collections patterns, vendor terms, deposits and retainers, and loan or tax payments. I’ll ask for a short list of known timing issues so I can bake them in from day one. 2. Weekly cash cadence Weekly Each week I update the 13-week forecast with actuals and the next set of expected inflows and outflows. You and I take 30 minutes to review what changed, what is now tight, and which actions fix it, like speeding collections, moving a spend, or adjusting staffing plans. 3. Close review Monthly After month-end, I review the close for accuracy and consistency and look for items that break comparability, including owner add-backs and one-time costs. Then I walk you through what mattered in the month and what it changes in the next forecast and reforecast. 4. Decision work As needed When a banker or partner conversation is coming up, I tighten the story: margin by line, pricing pressure, capacity constraints, and what is really driving EBITDA and cash. If the books are messy, I’ll flag what needs cleanup and what can be handled with clear adjustments.
Pricing
Most clients start with Setup plus an ongoing monthly cadence, then I add the decision work only when you need it. Prices are per month.
Priced items
Get started
If you want the cash forecast in place quickly, I’ll keep the start simple and focused on the next 13 weeks.
1. Sign this proposal and choose a start date. 2. Intro me to your bookkeeper and CPA, and share the access I request. 3. I’ll send the file request and schedule our first working session.
Signature
Fee summary
Payment
Setup invoices are 30% to start and 70% when setup is complete. Ongoing work is invoiced at the start of each month. Every invoice is due within 7 days of the invoice date.
Start and schedule. I’ll confirm a start date once I have your signed agreement and the setup deposit. My weekly cadence runs on a consistent check-in day, set during Week 1, so the cash forecast stays current.
What I need from you. You’ll introduce me to your bookkeeper and CPA and share access to your accounting system, bank feeds, and any existing budget or forecast files. If I’m missing data, I’ll list exactly what’s missing and why.
Messy books and add backs. If the books are behind or categories are inconsistent, I’ll work with what’s there and flag the limits in the forecast and reporting. Owner add-backs are documented line by line, with the backup I used.
Changes to scope
If you ask for work outside cash intake, weekly cash cadence, close review, or decision work as needed, I’ll explain the added time and cost in writing before I start, so the invoice matches what you approved.
Turnaround times. My forecast updates depend on fresh bank and A/R and A/P info. When I receive your weekly inputs by the agreed cutoff, you’ll have an updated 13-week cash view within two business days.
Ownership and use. You own the files and reports I build for you once invoices are paid, including the forecast model and reporting pack. I may keep a copy for my records, but I won’t share it without your permission.
Confidentiality. I treat your financials, customer details, payroll information, and bank conversations as confidential. I only discuss them with the people you authorize, like your CPA, bookkeeper, or banker, and only to move the work forward.
