Fractional CFO · SaaS · Fintech · Payments · NY/NJ

You should not find out you are running out of cash two weeks before it happens.

I help founders get real-time control of cash, build models that hold up under board scrutiny, and install a finance cadence that runs without me in the room every day.

Naitik Patel, CPA  ·  25+ years in finance leadership
Broadridge  ·  Citi  ·  Deutsche Bank  ·  Merrill Lynch  ·  Deloitte

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Naitik Patel, CPA

01

Cash clarity you can act on

A 13-week rolling cash forecast. Real visibility into runway, covenant risk, and working capital. Before it becomes a crisis.

02

Forecasts your board trusts

Driver-based models that connect your operating assumptions to your P&L and balance sheet. Scenario-ready for fundraising conversations.

03

A finance operating system

Close cadence, KPI dictionary, CFO pack. Infrastructure that makes your numbers repeatable. No single point of failure.


Built for founders who have outgrown their bookkeeper.

You have revenue. You have a team. But your financial picture is still assembled by hand every month and nobody fully trusts it, including you.

That is the gap I fill. Not a consultant with a deck. A finance operator who gets in the numbers with you.

SaaSFintechPaymentsTech-enabled services$2M–$25M revenueSeries A or bootstrappedPre-raise or scaling

You will know where you stand within the first week.

No multi-month discovery phase. We move fast and build as we go.

Week 1

Financial diagnostic

I get into your P&L, balance sheet, cash position, and reporting stack. You get a clear picture of where the gaps are and what is urgent.

Weeks 2–3

Build the foundation

Cash forecast, KPI framework, and close process. Built in your tools, designed for your team to run without friction.

Week 4

CFO pack + 90-day plan

Board-ready reporting package and a clear forward plan. You walk into your next investor conversation with numbers you can defend.


ERP and AI Readiness Assessment

Before you spend six figures on an ERP implementation or an AI tool your team will not use, you need an honest assessment of what you actually need and when. I evaluate your current finance stack, identify the highest-leverage gaps, and give you a phased build plan. Available as a standalone engagement or as a retainer add-on.

See the full scope on the Services page

How clients work with me

Engagements are scoped based on complexity, reporting cadence, and team size.

A full-time CFO in the NY metro costs $280K–$380K per year in salary before benefits, bonus, and equity. Most growth-stage companies do not need that yet. They need the judgment without the overhead.

Foundation

CFO Foundation

$3K–$6K/mo

Monthly retainer · scope-based

  • Cash forecast + close cadence
  • Monthly CFO pack
  • Bookkeeper coordination
  • CEO working sessions
Most common

Growth CFO

$6K–$12K/mo

Monthly retainer · ongoing

  • Full FP&A + scenario modeling
  • Board and investor reporting
  • Finance team build-out support
  • Strategic finance partnership
Project

Fundraising CFO

$2.5K/day

Project-based · defined scope

  • Investor-ready financial model
  • Data room preparation
  • Diligence support
  • Board narrative and deck

Financial Diagnostic: where every engagement starts

Before the retainer begins, I spend a week inside your numbers. You get a clear-eyed assessment of your cash position, reporting gaps, and what needs to be built first. The fee applies toward your first month if we move forward together.

$5,000

one-time · credited to retainer

Most growth-stage clients land between $6K–$10K/month. Let us talk about what makes sense for your situation.


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Do you work with companies that already have a bookkeeper or controller?+

Yes. That is the most common setup. I work alongside your existing accounting team. I am not replacing them; I am adding the strategic CFO layer above them. We define the handoffs clearly in week one.

How is this different from hiring a full-time CFO?+

A full-time CFO in the NY metro costs $280K–$380K per year before benefits, bonus, and equity. You are not ready for that fixed cost yet, but you do need the judgment. With me, you get senior-level FP&A, board-ready reporting, and strategic partnership at a fraction of that. And no hiring risk.

What does a typical month look like?+

Close by day 5–7. CFO pack delivered by day 10. A working session with you or the leadership team mid-month. A standing check-in toward month end. You always know where things stand. No surprises.

Can you support investor or board conversations directly?+

Yes. I have prepared and presented financial narratives to boards and investor groups throughout my career. I can prep the financial narrative, review the deck, and join investor conversations as the CFO voice when that is useful.

What is the Financial Diagnostic and do I have to do it?+

The diagnostic is a one-week deep dive into your P&L, balance sheet, cash position, and reporting infrastructure before the retainer starts. It gives me a real foundation to work from. The $5,000 fee is credited toward your first retainer month if we move forward. It is not required, but most clients find it is worth it on its own.

Let us talk about your numbers.

30 minutes. No pitch. An honest conversation about where your finances stand and whether I can help move them forward.

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