Why Accountants Are the Natural CFOs of the SMB World
Small and midsize business owners juggle everything—sales, people, suppliers, operations. Financial strategy often gets pushed to the end of the queue, treated as a compliance necessity rather than a leadership discipline. Most can’t hire a CFO, so critical decisions rely on instinct and partial information. You’re already inside their financial reality. That proximity is your superpower.
Your unfair advantage: trust, continuity, and context
Trust: You’ve earned permission to speak frankly about money—one of the most sensitive topics in business.
Continuity: You see how the business behaves across seasons, shocks, and cycles, not just in snapshots.
Context: You understand the owner’s goals, constraints, and risk tolerance—knowledge outsiders work months to build.
You don’t need to become someone else to be valuable as an advisor. You need to use what you already know deliberately and rhythmically.
From reporting to leadership: the Insight–Meaning–Action loop
Insight: Select one signal that actually matters now (debtor days creep, margin erosion, cash runway tightening).
Meaning: Translate it into a consequential narrative: “If debtor days stay at 62, we’ll starve Q4 cash and miss supplier discounts.”
Action: Offer one practical intervention: “Introduce 30% deposits on orders >£1,500 and add a day-14 reminder email. Or get upfront payment”
Follow-up: Close the loop next month; celebrate progress or adjust the approach.
One chart, one paragraph, one decision. Clarity beats complexity, every time.
A simple 30–30–10 agenda owners love
30 minutes — Look back: What changed in revenue, margin, cash, and working capital?
30 minutes — Look ahead: What happens next if we do nothing? What’s the upside if we act?.
10 minutes — Decide and assign: One action, one owner, one date.
You’re not reporting the past; you’re co-creating the future.
Start with a three-client pilot (in 30 days)
Week 1 — Choose: Pick three clients who pay well and are open to ideas.
Week 2 — Invite: “I’ve spotted an opportunity to strengthen your cash by two weeks—15 minutes next Tuesday?”
Week 3 — Deliver: Bring one chart and one action. Confirm next month’s check-in.
Week 4 — Capture: Email a three-line recap. Log the outcome and refine.
Pilots create proof. Proof creates confidence. Confidence creates momentum.
Package lightly, price simply
Monthly Pulse: 30-minute call + one-page pulse note. Outcome: accountability and course-correction.
Quarterly Review: 60–90-minute deep dive + simple benchmark. Outcome: priority alignment and next-quarter plan. Use https://www.runagood.com/ai-business-advisor
Growth Quarter: Three pulses + one focused workshop (pricing, cash conversion, debtor discipline). Outcome: measurable shift on one lever.
Price for perceived value, not time. Anchor to the cost of inaction (e.g., debtor days or margin slippage) and the upside of improvement.
Scripts that reduce friction
Open: “I noticed a trend in last month’s numbers. If we act now, we can protect your Q4 cash.”
Reframe: “This isn’t more paperwork—it’s one decision each month that moves the business forward.”
Close: “Shall we lock 30 minutes for the first Tuesday of each month? I’ll prepare; you just bring questions.”
Measure what matters (to you and them)
Owner value: Fewer surprises, faster decisions, better cash discipline.
Your value: Advisory revenue growth, improved client retention, higher referrals.
Practice value: Elevated positioning, better margins, increased exit multiple.
You already hold the financial story. The move now is to help write the next chapter—one decision at a time.
To get your own one-page agenda template with the Insight–Meaning–Action framework, book a 15-minute call below.