CFO Chronicles: The Secrets Behind Success

Cutting Costs, Boosting Success: Greg Powell’s Vision for Smarter Financial Strategies

• James Donovan • Season 2 • Episode 22

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Discover how Greg Powell from Fifth Ridge Ventures is revolutionizing the financial landscape for medium-sized businesses in Atlantic Canada by introducing the innovative role of fractional CFOs. Greg shares his expertise on creating a flexible, three-month rolling plan tailored to address specific client needs, ensuring that businesses can effectively manage costs while prioritizing pressing issues. This episode offers a treasure trove of insights into Greg's client acquisition strategies, emphasizing the power of networking and the pivotal referrals from banks. It's a masterclass in financial consulting that highlights the immense value and peace of mind fractional CFOs bring to business owners by targeting and resolving their unique pain points.

Explore the exciting concept of a "flexible C-suite," where professionals from diverse fields band together as fractional executives to provide a comprehensive suite of services. Inspired by a motorcycle ride, Greg's partnership offers an innovative approach to business solutions, applicable in both Canada and the U.S. Gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and systemic differences between Canadian and American entrepreneurs, and how these nuances play a role in business operations. Greg also extends an invitation to U.S. businesses to leverage the cost-effective benefits of favorable currency exchange rates. Join us for an insightful journey into the challenges and triumphs of fractional CFO services, and the promising future of flexible executive solutions.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to CFO Chronicles the secrets behind success the go-to podcast for fractional CFOs and accounting firm owners who want to attract more high-paying clients and increase their revenue. Hosted by James Donovan from Nine Two Media, this podcast dives into marketing strategies specifically designed for lead generation and client acquisition. In each episode, you'll hear from industry leaders sharing their success stories and Thank you to your bottom line.

Speaker 2:

Today I'm joined by Greg Powell, all the way from Canada. Greg, you're our first Canadian guest coming on Sussex, New Brunswick, from Fifth Ridge Ventures. So happy to have you on the show today. We actually got introduced from my cousin Tiffany probably a month and a half ago. Welcome to the show.

Speaker 3:

Thank you for having me. It's good to be here.

Speaker 2:

Perfect. So, greg, tell me what it's like working with Canadian businesses as a fractional CFO. Everyone we've had on the show, everyone we work with primarily is US based. So I've heard a lot about different strategies in the US in regards to tax planning and just running American businesses and where that jumps in. So what's it like north of the border? Tell us a little bit about that.

Speaker 3:

Sure, well, I do actually have one US client, so I've just started with him. But my Canadian experience has been quite rewarding, actually, because I find that there's been a lack of that senior level talent in accounting. I don't know where it's all gone, but you know some of these medium sized companies. They really do need that CFO level help, just just not one full time, and that's where the fractional piece comes in. It's been working really well. I found that here in Atlantic Canada it was a relatively new concept. I've lived out in New Brunswick now for three and a half years and a lot of people were just coming out saying, oh, this is what I need and it fits with my business right, because the population here is only so big, businesses get only so big, but they still need that, that help, and it just hasn't been available that's so interesting it's, I'm sure it's very similar.

Speaker 2:

You know, I'm going to say at home, being being in New Brunswick as well, but it's just a case of I think a lot of businesses don't know what they don't know when it comes to what a fractional CFO can even provide for a business. Instead of thinking, okay, I have an accountant, I'm good, this is just going to be another expense for me, but the reality is it's a massive investment for business bringing on a fractional CFO and in how much of an ROI you truly can get out of, out of that higher well it.

Speaker 3:

It doesn't have to be a massive investment, because what I do is I try to figure out what the pain points are, right.

Speaker 3:

So you have your bookkeeper, your day-to-day accountant in your business keeping things running. You have your year-end accountant who will do your tax return and your final financial statements. But that piece in the middle causes some pain points. So I try to figure out what the client's pain points are and how can we resolve them, and what I like to do is a three-month rolling plan, right? So I'll say, okay, well, you have these issues, let's tackle this, this and this in this timeframe. You know this is what you're going to get, this is how long it's going to take me, this is what it's going to cost and the client's sort of in control of how much they want to spend per month and how quickly they want to get some of these issues resolved. So, even though you know it's, it's not cheap to have the fractional cfo, it doesn't have to be a burden, right?

Speaker 1:

you can.

Speaker 3:

You can manage it. Not every problem needs to be solved next week either right. There's things that you can just sort of work on over time and scale up and down as the client needs nice yeah, I think I I got the wrong word in there like massive investment, as in it's.

Speaker 2:

It's a huge beneficial investment to be making, and massive in the sense of the impact it will have on the business. That that may have been taken a little bit out of context as far as like the monetary value going in. So tell me a little bit about how you're going out and finding clients Like what's been working well for you to get new blood coming through the door. How you're getting on sales calls. What does that process look like?

Speaker 3:

Well, most of my referrals have actually come from the banks. So usually a client will end up going to the bank needing an extension of their line of credit, or they want to borrow money for expansion, and the bank will be you know where's your financial statements and you know it'll be. Their year-end statements were already six months late and they're now, you know, eight, nine months old. So the bank's like okay, I need something. You know more current and you know realizing that there's that gap. You know more current and you know realizing that there's that gap, and so the bank's a little bit of that willing, maybe, or reluctant to work with somebody without current set of financial statements.

Speaker 3:

That's where I've got a lot of my business from. So they'll be like, okay, you need somebody else. And I'll happen to know, greg, he's a fractional cfo, this could work. And the introduction goes from there. Um, I spend a lot of time networking, not only with the banks but with other people in industry, just letting them know what it is that I do, because I find that that fractional CFO piece is a relatively new concept, especially here in England, canada.

Speaker 3:

But just saying, oh, I can get a CFO and I don't have to have him here every day and he's not on my payroll, but I integrate within the company as well. Right, so it feels like I'm their employee, but I'm, I'm a contractor. But the networking has been has been just in-person meetings, you know, whenever I have a chance to attend an event.

Speaker 2:

But, as I mentioned, the bulk of the referrals come through banks or other financial institutions do you feel the networking with banks would be as impactful living in a a larger populated city like toronto, like vancouver or some of the bigger cities in the us, where there'd be a lot more competition between banks and you know fractional CFO and professionals of your level?

Speaker 3:

Good question, because I did start off as a fractional CFO in Toronto and I moved to Canada, you know, shortly after that there's definitely a lot more competition.

Speaker 3:

Keeping that relationship is a little bit harder in a large city than it is in a smaller community. Just yesterday I went out for lunch with a friend in Moncton and I bumped into two bankers that I deal with at lunch and one of them happened to be with somebody and asked me you know, do you have a business card? So you know the probability of bumping into somebody that you've networked in Atlantic Canada is higher than it is in Toronto. I mean, I lived in Toronto for 33 years and you know I've never bumped into people. I knew just passed so many people on the street and yesterday I went to lunch and bumped into two bankers. So you know it does make it and that and they get to know you a little bit more, right it's, it's, the pace is a little slower. So the one banker I bumped into happened to be from Sussex, even though he's living in Moncton. So we have that in common. So the interpersonal relationship develops differently.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's so funny just hearing that. Being from Moncton and living there, that's just classic. Going out in Moncton anywhere and running into someone you know, whether you know they're from Miramichi or someone's visiting from Halifax you just you can't go outside without running into someone you know, which is quite comical. Tell me a little bit about, and don't feel you have to give away all of your secrets here, but tell me a little bit about your sales process so you get on with, you know, a business owner. Maybe they were referral, maybe it's from some prospecting you did on your own. What does that process look like, from the initial conversation to getting them signed up as a client?

Speaker 3:

so it's actually pretty, pretty straightforward, right, generally they come to me with they've had a problem, as I mentioned earlier, that the bank they may have wanted an extension line of credit got turned down. So initially, it's what's your pain point? What's keeping you up at night? Uh, I'd like to have a one-on-one meeting with them.

Speaker 1:

You know, so they get a chance to to feel you know, am I somebody they want to work with?

Speaker 3:

right, because there's that interpersonal relationship. The problems are fairly I don't want to say common, but common, for lack of a better word where you know they're not getting their financial statements on time or they've had big adjustments from their year end and they just don't know exactly where they stand. So I'll do a fairly high level analysis of their balance sheet at that time an income statement and say, okay, well, this is what I see, let me have a deeper dive. And then I usually come back to them with a plan right, saying you know, you're, here's what I saw, here's how we can fix it and here's how long I think it's going to take and what it's going to cost you.

Speaker 1:

And then you know, if they like that idea, we just I have a fairly straightforward contract.

Speaker 3:

You know it's. It's pretty straightforward, it's it's not. You don't need a lawyer to review it, it's pretty straightforward. You're saying you know I'm going to here's my rate, you know here's what I want to be paid, here's what I'm going to do for you. And then we put I put together that three-month plan where it says I'm going to deliver this in this month, in month one, this in month two, this in month three, and we just keep updating it as we go along and then I can work remotely.

Speaker 3:

I do a lot of work right here in Sussex If I need to go and see the client. That's not a, so we just that's how it works. It's really straightforward. And you know, the nice thing with a three-month rolling plan is that you're always revisiting your financial statement. So I can do this for you, I can do that for you, and if there's ever a pause, that's fine, right, we have some months where I may do a lot of work, some months where I do a little and where I do a little, and their clients always pretty much in control. Yeah, cool. What's your take on hourly versus the retainer model? Yeah, I do struggle with that one. I had a client recently. I did a little project for them and they had a great business. It was a lot of potential and they were taking a very, very modest salary right.

Speaker 3:

They were just taking sort of what they needed to live. It translated into probably about $45 an hour is what the the owners to two owners were paying themselves. And it's really hard to go in and say, well, I'm charging $200 or $225 or when they're paying themselves $40 or $45 an hour. In that particular case, I said this is what you need and I'll deliver it to you for this price as opposed to getting into an hourly rate as opposed to getting into an hourly rate.

Speaker 3:

Most clients are used to accountants and lawyers charging an hourly rate, so the rate doesn't necessarily shock them. But I think they always worry about creep right, like, oh, how long is it going to take you to do it and are you going to be efficient? So I'm trying to get a little bit more to the. I'm going to deliver you this for this price as opposed to an hourly rate. But it doesn't always work out that way, because sometimes you know there's just there's not that project, it's more of an ongoing thing. So I tend to be pretty transparent as to how much things are going to cost. But I I am getting away from talking about that hourly rate more and more, and also, too, it makes me feel less like a consultant and more as part of the company where they're just. This is my monthly fee for greg yeah, that's a good point.

Speaker 2:

There's, there's I mean there's two sides to every coin. Right, and you can you can slice it a ton of different ways.

Speaker 3:

Tell me about, um, maybe one of the biggest wins that stand out for you with your clients oh well, early on, uh, one of my first clients here in the maritimes had a very successful business. Uh, he started from his garage and, as a result, he had some personal guarantees on his line of credit and some, you know, collateral. And that was just stressing him amazon.

Speaker 2:

Amazon was the garage, right.

Speaker 3:

You're talking about jeff I wish, I wish that was my, my client. Yeah, uh, maybe he could be the next one. Um, so these personal guarantees were essentially causing him a lot of stress and, oddly enough, one of the bankers who I bumped into at lunch yesterday happened to be his banker and we had a conversation. You know, saying this doesn't make sense. I mean, you have other business assets that you can have a clatter against and this is outdated and it really didn't take a lot of effort from me. It was more just. Here's some financial statements. Here's what I see. I want to get these personal guarantees removed, and they did, and the client slept better at night. It really didn't cost it. It didn't take me very long to do it. It was really part of my analysis of this company and a conversation with the bank.

Speaker 3:

So that was my first big win here in the Maritimes, and then there's been a lot of times you get little wins, you just help somebody sleep better at night. I've had a couple of the bigger wins where I've helped clients buy businesses Up in Miramichi actually, where your cousin Tiffany's from, helped a client buy some additional Tim Hortons stores. So there's been great wins, but that little sounds little, but removing those personal guarantees was just big for everybody.

Speaker 2:

That's cool. I can't remember if it was a conversation we were having or if I heard it somewhere else, but just, I mean, even presenting being a fractional CFO is like I'm just going to help you sleep better at night, and that may sound crazy to you. Know, the average business owner, but if you know all of your finances are in line, you know business owner, but if you know all of your finances are in line, you know what's happening you're making all these data-driven decisions.

Speaker 3:

That's a huge relief of stress, right, and I find that a lot of business owners they're really good at doing what they do right, whether it's producing that widget or providing this type of service. They're really good at that, and they may not necessarily be good at understanding their financial statements. So if you can help them understand their financial statements and project forward or help mitigate some risk and problems that they have, that's just another skill set that they've just never learned right, so just as I can't build, the perfect widget widget.

Speaker 3:

They don't necessarily produce the best finance or understand their financial statement, so it really just helps them like I no longer have to worry about that or you know, canada revenue agency calls me, I can tell them to talk to greg okay yeah, I don't have to stress about that greg, is it?

Speaker 2:

is it too? Is it too soon to talk about the other project that we were speaking about a couple weeks ago with the no, it's actually perfect timing awesome. I would, uh, I would love for to hear a little bit more about what we were speaking about before just just here on the the podcast. But I love the idea of how you're partnering up with so many other professionals in your space to be like a, a what would you say? Just like a whole suite of fractional professionals, essentially yes, yeah.

Speaker 3:

So I started a group uh called flexible c-suite, and so what it is is I'm a fractional CFO, there's a fractional COO, a fractional marketing person, it, hr, logistics, and we all are fractional individuals working together for a couple of things. One, we can refer each other business, but also we could offer a company a whole executive suite on a fractional basis. And what is really kind of cool about this is this actually came together from a motorcycle ride the fractional CO and I. I helped him buy a motorcycle last year, so we went out on a motorcycle ride. He says I'm thinking of going fractional, can you give me some tips and pointers? And we had a good conversation.

Speaker 1:

He goes well, I know.

Speaker 3:

Andrea and. Alex and on and on. So we decided just to come together and say how can we help each other grow our businesses? So we formed a little partnership. We're actually meeting in about an hour to just move it along. Partnership we're actually meeting in about an hour to, you know, just move it along. But the whole idea is, you know, you can hire one of us or you can hire all of us to be your fractional C-suite.

Speaker 2:

That's such a neat idea. I'm very curious to check in, you know, in a couple months, in a year, and just see how that's progressing. It's such a strong offer.

Speaker 3:

I'm very excited for for what's to come with that for you guys I I'm very excited about as well, because we we just came together very easily and everything's been flowing really well and, um, you know, we, we really just started, uh, in december, early december, saying hey, let's do this, and we've been on the same page about everything and now it's just okay. How do we we're looking really now at? How do we let everybody know?

Speaker 1:

how do?

Speaker 3:

we market ourselves. So you know it's um. Our fractional marketing person's probably going to take the lead this afternoon on that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I would hope so yes, um, you mentioned you have a client in the US. Primarily your clients are in Canada, or the complete opposite, where we have a client in Canada and then the rest of our clients in the US. What are either some similarities or differences you notice from Canadian and US businesses?

Speaker 3:

Mostly, I would say it's on the tax side. So accounting is accounting right. Your debits and your credits, they're the same. Um. Us tax is not in my wheelhouse.

Speaker 3:

Um, this is probably the only thing I ever quit in my life. I started studying us tax, and it was several years ago. I was like, yeah, no, I'm not gonna do this. So on the tax side of things, it's just, it's not in my wheelhouse at all. But business is business right, and there are, I see, no reason why, outside of the tax, that we couldn't interchange right. There may be some nuance responses, and I think one of the other advantages too, though, is I have a great Canadian network. I don't necessarily have that same network in the US, so those banking relationships in the United States I'd have to form them right so and the banking is different there's more banks in the United States than there are in Canada.

Speaker 3:

So forming those relationships would take maybe a little bit more effort on my part. But my client that I do have in the us it's more about business strategy and understanding his financials. And what can we do about it? The tax piece doesn't really come in okay, that's interesting.

Speaker 2:

I was curious if you were, think, if you were, if you notice, like any, even just like personality differences or the way you know the business owners from the U? S versus Canada run their business, what, what those conversations or relationships look like. I mean, we're, we're so similar to countries, but I was just curious if anything stood out to you.

Speaker 3:

Sometimes I find that you know Americans are more assertive, more aggressive, but not necessarily so Right. I think that you know americans are more assertive, more aggressive, um, but not necessarily so right. I think that you know, from the canadian side, they are equally as aggressive, but maybe quieter about it.

Speaker 3:

Or you know it tends to be not something that's you don't necessarily notice it right away. Where you tend to notice that more with american entrepreneurs, it's they're out of the gate, they're, they're fairly okay, let's, let's go, that's right. Where canadians are? They want to go? But they slowly get out of the gate, then they then they go right. So it's uh, it's different in that sense, but from a fractional cfo standpoint, it's more just managing the time yeah, do you have much desire to take on more american clients, or do you?

Speaker 2:

do you just really enjoy working with canadian clients, or just maybe it's even easier for you to acquire canadian clients at this point?

Speaker 3:

um, I would be happy to expand in the united states. I just never really focused there because I I had lots of opportunity here in canada and things were coming in and with that tax piece. Sometimes that is a larger piece for Americans so it's like, okay, something comes my way, great. But now that I have one.

Speaker 3:

US client and things are going well why not get another one or another one? And just knowing that you know that gap of tax or whatever is there. So I'd be happy to take on clients south of the border, and the nice thing for the clients in the US is I'd be happy to take on clients south of the border, and the nice thing for the clients in the U? S is I come at a discount right. Cause I'm not my rates are quoted in Canadian dollars.

Speaker 2:

So with the dollar the way it is, they save money.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, a big what would it be close to 40%. Now it's creeping, right, so it's not between you know they could save easily, easily, 30%. Yeah, so it's a it's creepy. Yeah, it's creeping right.

Speaker 2:

So it's, it's not, it's between. You know they can save easily easily 30, yeah, so it's a nice savings so last question for you, greg um, what's been one of the most rewarding parts of going out on your own and being an entrepreneur?

Speaker 3:

I, I'm finally in control of my schedule, right? I don't? You know, when I was working full time, I was working those 60, 70, sometimes 80 hour work weeks just burning out. Now I set that plan with the client. I deliver. I mean, I schedule downtime in my calendar so I'm able to make money, keep my clients happy and not burn myself out. And and because I'm not needed every day, if I'm gone for a week I'm not missed as much as I was when I was working full time, right, I don't have to because they're I'm going to. Maybe they're missing me one day of that week as opposed to five. So, being in control of my schedule and being able to see the success that my client and help them and see them become successful and, at the same time, being able to work hard but also have the ability to play hard that's that's been the most rewarding for me.

Speaker 2:

That's so cool. Play hard. That's been the most rewarding for me. That's so cool, Greg, thank you so much for coming on and sharing all these stories and your insight For anyone who wants to get in touch with you. What's the best way they can reach out to you?

Speaker 3:

Well, I'm on LinkedIn. Pretty easy to find on LinkedIn. I check that every day. And then my email is pretty easy, it's just greg at fifthridgeventurescom.

Speaker 2:

Perfect. All right, we'll put those links in the show notes so that people can get in touch and continue the conversation with you. Thanks again for coming on, and I look forward to seeing what takes place with the flexible C-suite that you and your team have put together.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely, we'll keep in touch. Thanks for having me. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 2:

Thanks for tuning into this episode of CFO Chronicles the secrets behind success. I hope you found value in today's conversation. As we wrap up, I'd love for you to do two things. First, make sure to subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss any future episodes. If you enjoyed today's discussion, please rate and review the show. It helps others discover the insights we share here. Second, if you're ready to take your business to the next level and attract the high-end clients you deserve, head over to accountingleadsnowcom or click the link in the show notes to book your strategy. Call. It's time to position yourself as the advisor your clients need. And don't forget you can connect with me on LinkedIn to stay up to date on what's happening in the world of accounting and financial growth. We've got more exciting topics coming up, so stay tuned for the next episode of CFO Chronicles. Until then, keep pushing forward. Your growth is just one strategic move away.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for listening to CFO Chronicles the secrets behind success. We hope today's episode provided valuable strategies to help you attract more high-paying clients. Be sure to subscribe, follow and share with fellow professionals. Connect with us on LinkedIn and leave a review or comment to join the conversation. Your feedback helps us bring you the best insights in finance and marketing. Until next time, keep striving for success and unlocking your business's potential.