What kinds of questions can I bring to you?

Anything that affects your business financially or operationally. Clients come to us with questions like: Can I afford to hire someone — and when? Is my pricing right? Why doesn’t my profit match my bank account? What’s driving my cash crunch? Where can I cut expenses without hurting growth? Should I invest in this opportunity or wait?

What's included in advisory services?

This varies by your plan, but advisory can include: Regular strategy meetings Cash flow planning Forecasting Pricing and profitability analysis Hiring and compensation planning Identifying financial risks and opportunities Support for decision-making Scenario planning (“What happens if…?”) Metric tracking and interpretation You get insight that turns your numbers into direction.

Fractional CFO | Elevated Advisory & Accounting

Wooden Montana table with plant and construction phamplet

FRACTIONAL CFO

Strategic financial leadership for businesses ready to scale with intention.

At a certain stage of growth, clean books and basic reports stop being enough.

Our Fractional CFO services help growing businesses in Northwest Montana and nationwide take control of budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, profitability, and owner pay — without adding the overhead of another full-time hire.

We help you understand what your numbers are really telling you — from profit margins and pricing to cash flow forecasting and sustainable owner compensation — so you can make confident, forward-looking decisions. We bring structure, visibility, and real financial strategy to the table. Because at this level, it’s not about having more data — it’s about knowing what to do with it.

We believe financial strategy shouldn’t live in a spreadsheet. It should live in the conversations that guide your business forward.

Let's Talk

What is a CFO?

A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the financial strategy and long-term financial health of a business. While accountants manage the day-to-day financial records, a CFO focuses on the bigger picture — helping leadership teams understand financial performance, plan for growth, manage risk, and make informed strategic decisions.

So then, what makes a

Fractional CFO

Different?

mulitcolor blue black and orange artwork

Three business women meeting with computers spreadseets and coffee

A traditional CFO is a full-time hire. A Fractional CFO gives you the same partnership & strategic firepower — delivered when and how your business actually needs it.

Get executive-level financial leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. A traditional CFO can cost $150K–$300K+ annually plus benefits — a fractional CFO gives you the same strategic impact at a level that makes sense for your business today.

Right Sized Investment

Your financial needs aren’t static — and your CFO shouldn’t be either. A fractional CFO adapts alongside your business, providing the right level of support whether you’re building, scaling, or preparing for your next big move.

Built for Growth Stages

Skip the months-long hiring process and onboarding curve. A fractional CFO steps in with experience, quickly identifies opportunities, and starts creating clarity and direction from day one.

Faster Impact

A traditional CFO brings experience from one organization. A fractional CFO brings insight from many — applying proven strategies, patterns, and solutions across industries to strengthen your business.

Broader Experience

You don’t need a CFO 40 hours a week — you need the right expertise at the right time. A fractional CFO flexes with your needs, allowing you to scale support up or down as your business evolves.

Flexible by Design

A fractional CFO isn’t influenced by internal politics or day-to-day pressures. You get clear, honest financial partnership & insight— grounded in data and focused on what’s truly best for your business.

Objective Guidance

Rooted in Northwest Montana.
Built for wherever you're going.

As a Kalispell-based firm, we understand the unique challenges businesses in Northwest Montana face — from seasonal cash flow fluctuations to growth across construction, trades, and service-based industries.

We work with businesses in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and across the Flathead Valley, as well as clients nationwide, combining local insight with scalable financial strategy.

About Us

A Fractional CFO helps you see the full financial picture — where you are, where you’re headed, and what needs to happen to get there.

It’s not just about tracking performance, but shaping it.

Forecast Cash Flow Before It Tightens

Stay ahead of cash gaps before they become problems. We help you project what’s coming, so you can make proactive decisions — not reactive ones.

Understand True Profitiability

Revenue doesn’t always equal profit. We break down your numbers to show what’s actually driving margin — and what’s quietly costing you.

Build Pricing that Supports Margin

Pricing shouldn’t be a guess. We help you structure pricing that reflects your costs, supports your margins, and positions your business for sustainable growth.

Model Growth Scenarios Before You Commit

Before you hire, expand, or invest — we map it out. See the financial impact of your decisions ahead of time so you can move forward with confidence.

When should you hire a Fractional CFO?

Most businesses don’t start with a CFO but growth has a way of exposing gaps. You don't need a CFO because of your revenue range, you need one when things start to feel . . . unclear.

If you're nodding along to any of these, you’re not alone...and you’re not behind. You’ve just outgrown reporting alone and are ready for CFO-level direction.

And you don’t have to hire a full-time CFO to get it. This is the perfect time to use a fractional CFO as a launchpad—meeting you where you are, and giving you the perfect level of support, clarity, and strategy to move forward with confidence.

Book A Free Discovery Call

Revenue is up… so why doesn’t it feel like there’s more money?
Cash flow is always a question mark
You keep asking, “Can we afford this?”
You’re making big decisions—but it still feels like a bit of a guess
Growth is happening—but you’re not totally sure what’s driving it (or what’s not)
You’re looking at your numbers and thinking… “This isn’t as simple as yes or no anymore.”
You’re thinking about expansion, hiring, or investing—and want to get it right
You don’t just want reports… you want to know what to do next

We help you answer...

Can we actually afford to hire right now—or will that create pressure somewhere else?

What does our cash flow look like six months from now?

What financial risks are on the horizon?

What needs to change to improve my margins?

What decisions should I be making today to support long term growth?

If we move forward with this, what does it look like 3–6 months from now?

Accountant vs CFO

Each role matters but they serve different functions

office female accountant black shirt brown hair with tree

Accountant | Barbara Akins

My focus: Keeping your financials accurate, organized, and up to date

I handle: Bookkeeping, reconciliations, payroll, compliance, and month-end close

What this means for you: Clean, reliable numbers you can trust

“I record and organize your financial history—so you have a clear, accurate picture of where you’ve been. I make sure the foundation is solid, because everything builds from here."

woman ceo red hair orange shirt white blazer

Fractional CFO | Sarah Gould

My focus: Turning your numbers into strategy and direction

I handle: Forecasting, cash flow strategy, profitability analysis, growth planning, and leadership advising

What this means for you: Clear direction, confident decisions, and a plan for sustainable growth

“I turn your numbers into forward momentum—so every decision moves you closer to where you want to go.”

The metrics that matter

Depending on your industry, we help you track & act on the numbers that actually drive decisions.

Let's Talk Strategy

Cash Runway

How long your business can operate with the cash you have today—so you can plan ahead, not react under pressure.

Gross Profit Margin

The truth about whether your work is actually profitable—before overhead even enters the picture.

Cash Flow Forecast

Know what’s coming before it hits — helping you plan confidently, avoid cash crunches, and make proactive decisions instead of reactive ones.

Job/Project Profitability

See which jobs are truly making you money (and which are quietly draining it) so you can price smarter, protect margins, and grow profitably.

Revenue Per Employee

What your team produces compared to what they cost—because payroll should drive growth, not drag it down.

How could a fractional CFO help

your unique

business?

While we serve a variety of clients, we bring deep experience to industries where complexity and scale intersect.

Job Costing Clarity

Work in Progress (WIP) Reporting

Equipment Investment Modeling

Crew Expansion Strategy

Margin Stablization
Team utilization and billable capacity

Service pricing and profitability analysis

Hiring timing and compensation planning

Cash flow forecasting and revenue predictability
Recurring revenue growth

Customer retention and lifetime value

Labor scheduling and staffing efficiency

Multi-location or expansion planning
Cost of goods sold (COGS) management & margin optimization

Inventory planning and cash flow efficiency

Product mix and profitability by category

Expansion planning and scalable growth decisions

Real. Talk.

Get in Touch

red haired CEO business woman at computer desk

Construction Firm Growing Too Fast

Revenue climbed — but cash tightened. We implemented job-level margin tracking and rolling forecasts.
Result: Stabilized cash flow and improved profitability.

What is poor job costing, costing you?

Go

Multi Entity Family Business

Distributions lacked structure. We created coordinated modeling and quarterly planning.
Result: Reduced stress and increased liquidity visibility.

Are you taking distributions with confidence, or just hoping there will be enough left over?

Professional Services Firm

Strong revenue, low margin. We refined pricing and capacity strategy.
Result: Measurable profit improvement.

Are you growing revenue faster than profit?

Frequently asked questions

Understanding Advisory & Our Approach

Fractional CFO

Advisory is the ongoing, strategic partnership that helps you make informed, confident decisions using your real financial data. It’s not just reporting what happened. It’s interpreting what the numbers mean, what’s changing, and what to do next. Advisory covers cash flow, pricing, hiring decisions, forecasting, budgeting, and the day-to-day questions that impact your business trajectory. Traditional accounting looks backward. It tells you what already happened. Advisory looks forward. It’s about helping you understand what your numbers are telling you now and using them to make better decisions with more confidence. Instead of handing you reports and wishing you luck, we meet you where you are and talk through what matters most in your business. That might be cash flow planning, budgeting, job costing, or simply helping you think through a decision before it becomes a problem. The biggest difference? You’re not reacting after the fact. With Advisory, you’re planning ahead with clarity, context, and a team in your corner.

Advisory is built into your monthly relationship with us. You’ll meet regularly with your advisory team to review numbers, spot patterns, talk through decisions, and look ahead. Between meetings, you can send questions as they arise — because good decisions rarely wait for month-end. Our goal is to give you: Clarity in your numbers Confidence in your direction Proactive guidance (not reactive updates) Strategy you can actually use And a partner who understands the climb with you It’s a real relationship — not a once-a-quarter check-in.

Take a beat. That’s actually when Advisory is most helpful. Most of our clients don’t come to us feeling “caught up.” They come to us feeling overwhelmed or unsure, and Advisory helps them get unstuck. We meet you where you are, clean things up step by step, and help you build a system you can actually run — without judgment or lectures. If your finances feel heavy right now, you’re not late…you’re right on time.

Elevate your experience and climb to new heights with Elevated Advisory and Accounting. We're not the typical stuffy accounting firm. We're fun, we're personable, and we take customer service to a whole new level.

FRACTIONAL CFO

At a certain stage of growth, clean books and basic reports stop being enough.

What is a CFO?

Fractional CFO

Different?

A traditional CFO is a full-time hire. A Fractional CFO gives you the same partnership & strategic firepower — delivered when and how your business actually needs it.

Right Sized Investment

Built for Growth Stages

Faster Impact

Broader Experience

Flexible by Design

Objective Guidance

Rooted in Northwest Montana. Built for wherever you're going.

Forecast Cash Flow Before It Tightens

Understand True Profitiability

Build Pricing that Supports Margin

Model Growth Scenarios Before You Commit

When should you hire a Fractional CFO?

We help you answer...

Each role matters but they serve different functions

The metrics that matter

Cash Runway

Gross Profit Margin

Cash Flow Forecast

Job/Project Profitability

Revenue Per Employee

Real. Talk.

Construction Firm Growing Too Fast

Multi Entity Family Business

Professional Services Firm

Frequently asked questions

What is Advisory, and how is it different from traditional accounting?

What kinds of questions can I bring to you?

How do we work together on Advisory?

What's included in advisory services?

I feel behind and overwhelmed — is Advisory still a good fit?

Other Solutions

Business Valuations

Project Based Support

Startup Services

Exit Planning

Bookkeeping & Payroll

Back to Top

Elevate your experience and climb to new heights with Elevated Advisory and Accounting. We're not the typical stuffy accounting firm. We're fun, we're personable, and we take customer service to a whole new level.

Rooted in Northwest Montana.
Built for wherever you're going.