Your weekly go-to guide to transform your finance function into a strategic powerhouse.

Welcome Hein 👋,

In last week’s newsletter, we dove deeper with Ben Adams, who's going beyond the traditional CFO-for-hire model to build fully integrated fractional finance functions.

This week, we wrap up The Fractional CFO Playbook with a look at the bigger picture. Over the past few weeks, we’ve spoken to finance professionals redefining what it means to go fractional—from solo operators to full-stack teams, niche specialists to ecosystem builders. In this final piece, we’re distilling the most powerful lessons they’ve shared, plus a few next steps if you’re thinking about taking the leap yourself.

FEATURED ARTICLE

The Fractional CFO Playbook: A new era of financial leadership

Over the past few weeks, we’ve followed the journeys of several finance professionals who are shaping—and reshaping—what it means to be a Fractional CFO. From going solo to founders building full-stack finance teams, these leaders are proving that fractional work isn’t just a stopgap or retirement plan. It’s a strategic career move. A mindset. A model for what’s next.

As we close out The Fractional CFO Playbook, let’s zoom out and take stock of the most powerful lessons that emerged from our conversations with Joe Newbold, Ryan Pearcy, Corinne Thompson, Andy Collier, Ben Adams, and Kat Wellum-Kent.

From CFO-for-hire to full-stack finance

Once upon a time, being a fractional CFO meant dropping into a business for a day or two a week to offer high-level financial guidance. Today? That model is being stretched—and in many cases, completely reimagined.

Consider Ben Adams, who’s moved well beyond the traditional CFO-for-hire setup. Instead of parachuting in for strategy sessions, he’s built a compact, high-performing finance team that handles everything from bookkeeping to board-level insight. By owning the full finance function—from daily operations to compliance—Ben ensures the numbers are clean, the insights are sharp, and the value he delivers is deeply strategic.

Kat Wellum-Kent has gone even further. What started as Fractional Finance is now evolving into The Fractional Group—a growing ecosystem of services spanning HR, marketing, operations, and beyond. Her vision? To recreate the entire C-suite in a fractional model, with specialist leaders and functional teams under one umbrella.

This isn’t just a new way to work. It’s a new way to build businesses. Let’s break down the biggest lessons

1. You need more than just numbers to stand out

As more professionals enter the fractional world, one truth keeps surfacing: it’s not enough to be good at finance. You need to know who you’re for, and what makes you different.

For Joe Newbold, that meant identifying his two personas—either the “Hard-Hitting CFO” who takes charge or the “Hand-Holding CFO” who reassures and guides. For Corinne Thompson, it was doubling down on her fundraising and M&A expertise. And for Kat, it was recognising the gaps in scale-ups where finance and HR often sit awkwardly on one person’s plate—and then building a solution around it.

The takeaway? Clarity is your differentiator. Not just in your pitch, but in how you operate. You’re not just offering a service—you’re solving a very specific problem for a very specific kind of client.

2. It's not always glamorous—but it’s real

While the rewards are undeniable—flexibility, impact, autonomy—this path isn’t without its challenges. Nearly every one of our contributors spoke about the messy middle of going fractional.

There’s the cognitive overload of context switching between clients. The vulnerability of selling yourself instead of hiding behind a company brand. The early days when momentum is slow and imposter syndrome is loud.

Ben recalls moments where he felt “overwhelmed and underused,” while Kat talks candidly about the mindset work required to bet on herself. Ryan Pearcy and Andy Collier reminded us that fractional work often means being “always-on,” juggling marketing, delivery, admin, and everything in between.

But here’s the thing: none of them regret it. Because over time, they built systems, refined their offers, and found joy in doing work that genuinely matters.

3. Lead with generosity, and the rest will follow

Perhaps the most powerful advice we heard was this: don’t start with selling. Start with serving.

It’s a mindset echoed across the board. Whether it’s Ben reaching out to founders just to be helpful, or Ryan coaching others to focus on value before volume, the most successful Fractional CFOs build their reputations not on pitches, but on generosity and clarity.

Your next client probably won’t come from a cold pitch. They’ll come from a referral, a community interaction, a LinkedIn post that struck the right chord. So make yourself visible. But more importantly, make yourself valuable.

4. What’s next: Fractional is just getting started

Looking ahead, the consensus is clear: fractional work is only going to grow.
As automation and AI continue to reshape the back office, there’s a growing belief—especially from Kat and Ben—that full-time finance roles will become increasingly rare. And with younger professionals entering the space, there’s a new wave of energy and tech-savviness reshaping how the work gets done.

But even in a tech-enabled world, one thing won’t change: the human element. Trust. Strategic clarity. Business therapy, as Ben calls it. That’s the part of the job no software can replicate.

So, are you ready to take the leap?

If this series has shown us anything, it’s that the world of fractional finance is wide open—but it’s not a shortcut or a soft landing. It takes courage, clarity, and commitment.

If you're considering the move, our contributors recommend a few steps to set yourself up for success:

• Build a financial runway (aim for six months)
• Hone your personal brand and pitch
• Start small, with one client or one day a week
• Join communities (like The Stack Exchange) to learn and connect
• Focus on helping first—and the work will come

Whether you're just starting to explore this path or already deep into the journey, the stories in this series prove that there’s no single blueprint—but there is a common thread: a desire to work smarter, add real value, and build something on your own terms. So, if you’re looking for more purpose, freedom, and impact in your career, this might be the boldest move you make.

If you missed any part of the series, you can catch up on all the articles in the newsletter section of the CFO Techstack website.

COMMUNITY INSIGHTS

🎤 How I stacked it

Andy Richardson, Director at DY Digital Ltd, reveals their tech stack

DY Digital provides outsourced finance functions for businesses operating across the UK and US. They work closely with high-growth companies, offering services right up to CFO level. They also aim to use best-in-class systems and processes for every service they offer, ensuring an efficient and consistent approach.

Andy told us, "As we’re an internal accounting team for our clients, our team are ensuring all transactions are reconciled daily, we’re thinking about and planning for month end as we go through the month, considering any cash/operational/other impacts on our client’s business, holding meetings and preparing reports and insights.  Our days are similar in terms of our core services, but not one client is the same and we receive requests for different analysis and reports most days that keep things different."

Here’s what Andy and his team are using:

1. Xero for Core Accounting: Xero is our go-to accounting system and sits at the heart of most of our finance processes. The team also works with QBO where needed, but Xero is preferred for its integration capabilities and cloud-first approach.
2. Dext Prepare for Invoice Processing: We process thousands of invoices each month, and Dext Prepare helps us to do that efficiently, cutting down on manual entry and ensuring accuracy at scale. 
3. Dext Precision for Ledger Health: To ensure consistency and oversight, Dext Precision provides the team with real-time health checks and data accuracy tools across client files.
4. ApprovalMax for Approvals & Accruals: ApprovalMax powers purchase orders, invoice approvals, and 3-way matching. It also supports accurate month-end processes by helping identify accruals early.
5. Fathom for Reporting: Clear, client-ready reports and performance insights are built in Fathom. It’s the team’s go-to for presenting management information with impact.
6. Futrli for Cash Flow Forecasting: Futrli is used to help clients forecast their cash flow with confidence—especially important for businesses navigating scale or cross-border operations.
7. Airwallex and Telleroo for Payments: To manage payroll and supplier payments in the UK and US, we use Airwallex and Telleroo. Built-in approval flows and speed of execution make these tools essential.
8. Mayday for Intercompany: Mayday plays a critical role in managing intercompany balancing and multi-entity bank reconciliations. What used to be a time-consuming manual process is now handled quickly and accurately.
9. DataSights for Custom Analysis: Still in early use, but full of potential—DataSights pushes finance data into Google Sheets, enabling bespoke reporting and deeper analysis for clients.
10. Socket and GoCardless for Proposals and Payments: Proposals, renewals, and Direct Debit payments are streamlined using Socket and GoCardless. The combo ensures transparency and efficiency from quote to cash.
11. Client Engager for Practice Management: Client Engager is a simple and effective tool housing all our client data and tracks deadlines. It’s central to how we manage workloads and service delivery.
12. Xama AML for Compliance: To stay on top of AML requirements, we use Xama AML to be AML compliant—which integrates neatly with Client Engager and Socket to streamline checks.
13. Breathe HR for HR: Internally, we use Breathe to manage staff records, leave, and HR documentation. It’s easy to use and well suited to our growing team.
14. Swoop for Client Funding Support: To support clients with funding and cost-saving opportunities in the UK and US, we work with Swoop.

Keen to share how you stack it? Email to  hein.vanzyl@getmayday.com

THE STACK EXCHANGE

🧵 This week's top threads, from The Stack Exchange

1. Has anyone recently migrated from MYOB to Xero?
2. Why does Xero show a higher total FX loss than expected.
3. We’ve been trying to roll out an AP module with OCR and PO matching across larger entities, looking for any and all ideas.
    

NEW IN THE WORLD OF CFO SOFTWARE

🗞️ News from the stack-o-sphere

• Payhawk unveils “AI Office of the CFO” bringing enterprise-ready AI to finance operations. Learn more.
• Pleo partners with Taktile: Smarter financial crime detection for scalable growth. Learn more.
• G-Accon releases new KPI Dashboards feature for Xero users. Learn more.

WHAT THE DATA SAYS

📊 Stat of the week

68% of CFOs and 78% of CEOs rate AI as valuable. In the UK, 39% of businesses see AI skills as a top employee asset this year, the highest globally.

Research by Pleo

UPCOMING EVENTS

🗓️ Save the date

7 accounts receivable mistakes and how to fix them

Wed, 21 May, 11am BST

Late payments continue to be a major challenge for businesses, affecting cash flow, increasing financial risk, and consuming valuable time. But many late payments aren’t just caused by "bad payers" — they result from common but preventable mistakes in the accounts receivable process. This webinar will explore seven key mistakes businesses make and practical strategies to address them. 

Stop Chasing Payments: Expert cheat codes to unlock cash

Thu, 29 Apr, 11 AM AEST

Hear directly from business leaders and accounting experts from Xero, TheBeanCounters and The Back Room, as they reveal the easy switches to optimise your tech stack for better cash flow and stress-free collections.

Master your month-end

Wed, 30 April, 11am AEST

We're showing you how to achieve a day 1 month-end and start offering proactive, real-time advisory to your clients. Most accounting firms take five days or more to complete month-end. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Join us for a "how-to" webinar with Tyler Caskey and Daniel Foo from The Bean Counters, where they’ll share their proven framework for achieving a streamlined and stress-free month-end close.

MORE OF THE GOOD STUFF

And lastly, our top picks!

🎧 Podcast: Scaling Smart: Financial Strategies for High-Growth Startups, ep. 69, The CFO Show

📝  Article: The Hidden Cost of FX Fees: Why Businesses Should Pay Attention

😆  Joke: How many accountants does it take to screw in a lightbulb?How many did it take last year?

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