Startup CFO Solutions
Startup CFO Solutions
We partner with Startup CEOs to optimize cashflow, accelerate growth and be ready for exit
As a Fractional CFO we are your partner to define business goals and implement changes to achieve them
What We Do
We work with startup CEOs and founders to define business goals and implement changes to achieve them
Neeta Shah, Founder of Startup CFO Solutions
Neeta is passionate about all things start up and as a result, partners with CEOs and founders to optimize cash flow, accelerate growth and be ready for exit. She strongly believes in promoting women in tech and business, and as such works extensively with women-founded businesses and non profits. She created the Prowess Program, which gives fund raising support to female founders.
Neeta has 20 years of global experience in finance, FP&A and operations, whilst leading teams, rolling up her sleeves and delivering high impact results. She began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers' Assurance and Advisory services in London and Sydney. She subsequently joined BlackRock in London and later New York, where she worked on Finance initiatives for the Technology business. She also worked with Citigroup's Global Consumer Bank Finance, based in New York and focused on digitization and automation.
Neeta has a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics, is a chartered accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is a CFA charterholder.
Services
As a Fractional CFO we are your partner for growth, from formation to exit
Fund Raising
We are there every step of the way
- Develop financial models, business plans and pitch decks
- Strategize about funding sources and types (Equity, SAFEs, Convertible Notes, Debt)
- Oversee due diligence and contract negotiation
Financial Strategy
We enable strategic decision making
- Set up business intelligence and reporting
- Set up KPI dashboards
- Develop a strategic plan
- Executive decision support
Corporate Transactions
We prepare you for M&A activity
- Analyze opportunities and advice on alternatives
- Build a transaction preparedness plan
Forecasting
Get to where you want to be
- Build short term and long term budgets and forecasts
- Draw up a blueprint to get from today to future goals
- Scenario analysis
Supporting growth
We drive operations for success
- Cashflow management strategies
- Hiring team members
- Marketing ROI analysis
- Operational systems and process optimization
- International expansion
- Vendor contract negotiation
Contact Us
We would love to learn about you and your business
Prowess Program
A mere 3% of global venture capital dollars went to female-only founded startups
Neeta Shah, Founder of Startup CFO Solutions, created the Prowess Program, which gives fund raising support to female founders.
If you are (or aspire to be) a female entrepreneur, small business owner or startup founder, sign up by clicking below and letting us know a bit about you.
If you are interesting in learning more about the Prowess Program, drop us an email by clicking below.
Blog
Get to know us
October 3, 2023This is a decision which will impact your business significantly. Deciding between an in-office or all-remote set up can make a huge difference to the financial path of your company. Whether you opt for an in-office or remote team operating model, various costs and financial impacts need to be...September 19, 2023Cash is king and cash flow forecasting is important for your business. Use it to get insight into cash runway, which is how many months of cash you have remaining, as well answer key questions such as where you need to reduce overheads, when to invest, what sales increases you need. Here...September 12, 2023What are the top 3 assets ALL companies should be investing in so that they can achieve continued growth and success? Read on to learn more. 1. Customers Invest time and money in getting to know your customers by talking to them and learning about how their needs are evolving. One way to do...September 5, 2023Entering into lending agreements is a great opportunity for startups as it will provide access to capital to grow your business. Once you have identified a lender, a facility and are in the negotiation stage, pay close attention to these four critical areas: Be prepared to produce forecasts....August 1, 2023Using ownership, or equity, in your startup as a way to raise capital and bring on the right talent has many benefits. It means you don’t have to use cash and aligns incentives on the success of the company. Here are some do’s and don’ts around giving away a piece of your company. When raising...For effective marketing, you’ll have to have a budget and resources, which includes people and technology and other supplies. People-wise, marketing skills can vary a lot. Many businesses these days tend to need marketing skills in the digital space, but even when you think about digital...When you’re growing a brand, a customer base and a business, marketing will likely be one of your biggest spend items. You want to understand your buyer’s high-priority needs, then tie your product’s unique features to solve their most important problems. When you do that, you’re able to...We wrote about “The Why, How and Who of Including Equity in Your Comp Plan.” Now that you’ve decided to offer equity, remember this: The whole topic of equity and stock options is somewhat complicated and potentially confusing, so be sure to be transparent and clear when communicating about it...Including equity in your compensation plans is always a good idea, especially for startups. Not only will employees and potential employees expect it, but it buys you quite a few benefits when cash is low at the early stages of your company. Why should you include equity in your comp plan? ...Sales commissions are a hefty cost item for startups, because sales is so important at this stage of a company. Since you’re going to have to spend money to make money, make sure you are spending it wisely. When you’re coming up with sales comp or commission plans, the most important thing you...According to Payscale, the average base salary for a startup employee is $106,000 per year plus a $9,000 bonus. But hiring an employee will cost you a lot more than their salary. Some costs are “hidden,” even though they’re right there in plain sight. If you don’t think about these expenditures...May 16, 2023Paying Your Board Members: How and How Much? Did you expect qualified people would join your board for their own edification? You’re not alone in that thinking, but that’s not how it typically works. When you’re hiring board members, they’ll generally expect some kind of compensation, which...May 9, 2023Having a strong board is essential for a successful startup. Make sure you are select board members that reflect the right experience from industry, regional and operational perspectives for the business. For example, if you’re in health tech, having board members familiar with the health...If you’re a CEO with a board meeting next week, you are, most likely, stressed. In fact, your whole organization has probably been spending too much time preparing your board report. You’ve involved a lot of people from the business, which will detract from actually running the business. It’s a...April 11, 2023If you have VC funding, your investors will want to be part of your board of directors. That means you’ll need to have one! Even if you’re not funded, you could equally decide to have a board because of the other benefits it can bring to your organization. A good board gives the CEO a chance...According to CBInsights, the top reason startups fail is because they “ran out of cash and failed to raise new capital.” In fact, 38% of startups fail for this reason. But you’ve successfully raised funds for your company. You’ve done what more than a third of other companies couldn’t. You’ve...March 28, 2023What’s more important to you: white-glove service or financial safety? From a CFO’s point of view, a higher level of personal service is just not worth the risk of losing your money. Many startups and VCs liked the level of service offered by Silicon Valley Bank and similar financial...As many startups breathe a collective sigh of relief that their Silicon Valley Bank (or other bank) deposits are being made whole, it’s important to consider the ongoing impacts of the banking failure on your company. The uncertainty and the fear may be subsiding, but you can’t simply continue on...Five Things to Understand About Your Business BEFORE You Start Fundraising You’ve made the decision to raise outside funds for your business (which means you surely have read “When, Why and How to Raise Outside Capital for Your Business”). Before you go out to actually ask for money, you want...February 21, 2023How to Choose the Right Outside Funding for Your Business One of my clients invested their own funds and some family funds in their local food-delivery business, and it was growing well. They realized they would grow even more if they could get into more national partnerships and distributions....More Posts
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