Advisory that founders are proud to use.

Turn today’s numbers into tomorrow’s decisions. You don’t need slide decks that gather dust—you need clear guidance, timely forecasts, and a cadence that connects plans to action. Our team builds a practical advisory rhythm on top of your Xero books, turns analysis into next steps, and stays with you through execution. If you’re searching for startup advisory, financial forecasting, or pricing guidance in Chicago or beyond, this page is for you.

We take the guesswork out of your planning.

Advisory should feel fast and organized. We start with a brief orientation to capture your model, goals, and constraints, then stand up a 12‑month operating forecast you can actually run. Each month, we review actuals versus plan, explain the variance drivers, and update the forecast so it stays credible. If you need catch‑up modeling or cleanup to align with your accounting, we fold that into the first cycle so the story is complete. By the end of the first month, the cadence is set, owners know their next steps, and leadership can make confident decisions without waiting for quarter‑end. This is founder‑friendly advisory—structured, transparent, and built to move at startup speed.

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Aider AI

Advisory Intelligence

Aider AI adds an early‑warning system to your numbers. It scans your live data, flags what needs attention, and prioritizes conversations so you focus where impact is highest. Instead of hunting through exports, you see who is on plan, who is drifting, and why—then turn those signals into actions inside your monthly rhythm.

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Syft Analytics

Bill Pay & AP Automation

Melio streamlines accounts payable so you can approve and pay bills by ACH or card without paper checks. We’ll set up approval workflows, vendor profiles, and bill schedules so AP is on‑time, audit‑friendly, and synced back to Xero. Result: fewer late fees, cleaner cash projections, and audit trails you can hand to anyone.

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Vinyl

Meeting Notes & Follow‑Through

Vinyl joins your leadership calls, captures decisions and context, and turns them into organized action items. Summaries live alongside your plans, so nothing slips between meetings. With an accurate record of the why behind choices, execution speeds up and accountability sticks.

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FAQs

  • What’s the difference between Advisory and CFO services?

    Advisory gives you the thinking, models, and cadence of a finance partner without adding headcount. We build and maintain your forecast, analyze margins and pricing, translate the story for boards and lenders, and guide prioritization each month. A fractional CFO layer adds executive ownership—running capital raises, negotiating debt, leading finance hires, and sitting in the seat for investor and bank relationships. Many founders start with advisory to establish rhythm and visibility, then graduate into fractional CFO as complexity, headcount, and outside stakeholders grow. We can operate in either lane, but the goal is the same: faster, better decisions grounded in clean books and a plan you trust.


    • How often will we meet and who attends?
    • Will you help with pricing and margins?
    • Can you assist with board or lender reporting?
    • Do you work with non‑Xero stacks?
Reporting Pack

Pricing and Getting Started

What’s included (every month):

  • Forecast update with income statement, balance sheet, and cash view
  • Actuals versus plan with plain‑English variance analysis
  • Pricing and margin review with specific recommendations
  • Cash runway and hiring readiness discussion
  • KPI dashboard and trends tailored to your model
  • Scenario planning for upcoming decisions and risks
  • Action items, owners, and deadlines captured and circulated