The Fractional CFO Show with Adam Cooper

What separates highly profitable agencies from those that constantly feel stretched? For many agency founders, the answer isn't simply winning more clients or asking people to work harder. It's building better operational systems, improving resource planning, understanding the numbers behind the business and making more informed commercial decisions. In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show , Adam Cooper sits down with Ryan McNamara , Global Operations Director at Rise at Seven , to explore how the agency transformed its utilisation from around 50% to 80% over a two-year period—and, more importantly, what other agencies can learn from that journey. Ryan has spent his career building and improving operational systems across creative and digital agencies. Having founded his own business before moving into senior operations leadership, he understands both the entrepreneurial and operational challenges that agencies face as they grow. Rather than discussing theory, Ryan shares the practical lessons learned from implementing operational change inside one of the UK's best-known agencies. Together, Adam and Ryan explore why agency profitability is often driven by operational excellence rather than cost-cutting, why better resource planning creates better client outcomes, and why finance, operations and client services need to work together if agencies are to scale successfully. One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is changing how agencies think about utilisation. Too often, utilisation is viewed purely as a finance metric or something used to monitor employee performance. Ryan explains why that's the wrong approach. Instead, utilisation should be viewed as an operational planning tool that helps agencies: Deliver better work for clients Improve project profitability Make more informed hiring decisions Build stronger commercial awareness Increase operational efficiency Support sustainable agency growth Rather than creating pressure, accurate operational data should help leaders make better decisions and give teams the support they need to succeed. In this episode we discuss: How Rise at Seven increased agency utilisation from approximately 50% to 80% Why improving utilisation takes time, consistency and leadership rather than quick fixes Why so many agencies struggle with utilisation, timesheets and operational discipline Why scheduling matters more than timesheets The difference between measuring historical performance and planning future capacity How resource planning improves both agency profitability and client experience Using utilisation data to support pricing decisions and improve project profitability Understanding when work is under-scoped and when projects need to be repriced Why timesheets should never be used to "police" employees Creating a culture where operational information helps people rather than punishes them How accurate data improves training, coaching and professional development Using operational data to support recruitment and hiring decisions Why utilisation acts as an early warning system for future capacity challenges The relationship between capacity planning, resource allocation and commercial performance Bringing together finance, client services and operations to improve decision-making Why operational leadership is ultimately about people, not process How agency founders can introduce better planning without creating unnecessary bureaucracy Why processes should support outcomes rather than dictate behaviour The importance of understanding your financial numbers before adding operational complexity Ryan's recommended business books on operations, leadership and continuous improvement One insight that particularly stood out was Ryan's observation that: "Timesheets tell you what has happened. Scheduling tells you what happens next." It's a deceptively simple idea, but one that completely changes how agencies should think about planning. Timesheets provide valuable historical data, but scheduling allows agencies to proactively manage future workload, resource allocation, project delivery and profitability. Throughout the conversation, Ryan explains how better scheduling allows agencies to identify future bottlenecks, improve client delivery, make smarter hiring decisions and ultimately build a healthier business. The discussion also explores how operational data supports commercial conversations. Instead of relying on gut feel, agencies can use accurate information to understand: Whether projects are profitable Where teams need additional support Which departments require investment When additional hiring is justified Where clients may need to be re-scoped or repriced How to balance client delivery with long-term sustainable growth These are exactly the kinds of conversations that founders, operations leaders and finance professionals need to be having if they want to build resilient businesses. Whether you're running a creative agency, digital agency, marketing agency or another professional services business, the principles Ryan shares are highly transferable. If you're responsible for agency operations , resource planning , financial management , commercial performance , project profitability , capacity planning or business growth , this episode is packed with practical advice you can implement immediately. About The Fractional CFO Show The Fractional CFO Show is hosted by Adam Cooper , Founder of ACC Finance Solutions , where each episode explores the financial, operational and leadership challenges facing founders, CEOs and senior operators. Rather than focusing purely on finance, the show looks at the commercial decisions that help businesses become more profitable, scalable and resilient. Guests share practical experiences, honest lessons and actionable advice for business owners looking to improve performance and build stronger organisations. If you enjoy this episode, please consider following the show on your favourite podcast platform and leaving a rating or review—it really helps more founders discover the podcast. Connect with Ryan McNamara on LinkedIn to follow his insights on agency operations, leadership and operational excellence. For more episodes and resources, visit ACC Finance Solutions .

Can a charity teach business leaders about financial management? Most people assume charities and commercial businesses operate in completely different worlds. In reality, the financial challenges are remarkably similar. Whether you're leading a global conservation charity or a growing SME, you're still responsible for generating sustainable income, managing cash flow, allocating limited resources, investing in people and technology, planning for the future and making difficult strategic decisions. In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show , Adam Cooper sits down with Paul Cox , CEO of Shark Trust , to explore what it really takes to lead a purpose-driven organisation in an increasingly competitive funding environment. Although Shark Trust exists to protect sharks and rays around the world, this conversation is about far more than conservation. It's about financial leadership , strategic planning , resource allocation , operational efficiency and making better decisions under pressure. Paul shares his fascinating journey from investment banking to marine biology before ultimately becoming CEO of one of the world's leading shark conservation charities. Along the way, he explains why running a charity demands the same commercial discipline as running any successful organisation. One of the biggest misconceptions Paul challenges is the belief that charities somehow operate outside the normal realities of business. As he explains during the episode: "We still have bills to pay. We still have people to pay. We still have offices, technology and operating costs. The difference is that when we generate a surplus, we invest it back into creating more impact." That single insight forms the foundation for a fascinating discussion covering everything from fundraising strategy and financial planning through to artificial intelligence and measuring return on investment. What you'll learn in this episode During the conversation we discuss: Why charities require exactly the same financial discipline as commercial organisations. The financial realities of leading a purpose-driven organisation. Cash flow management and maintaining financial resilience during uncertain economic conditions. Why unrestricted funding is often significantly more valuable than restricted grant funding. Long-term financial planning when projects and funding commitments span several years. Building diversified income streams to improve organisational resilience. Making strategic investment decisions when resources are limited. Balancing investment in people, technology and projects. Creating operational efficiency without compromising organisational purpose. Improving productivity through smarter systems and processes. The growing impact of Artificial Intelligence on fundraising, grant applications and organisational effectiveness. Responsible AI adoption and balancing technological innovation with environmental responsibility. Measuring return on investment when success isn't measured through profit. Leadership lessons from running an international conservation organisation. Why collaboration often creates greater long-term impact than competition. Running a charity still requires great financial leadership One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation is that good financial management isn't about maximising profit. It's about maximising impact. Whether you're a founder, CEO, finance director or charity leader, the same questions continually arise: How do you make the best use of finite resources? How do you prioritise investment opportunities? How do you forecast in uncertain markets? How do you improve productivity without continually increasing costs? How do you balance today's pressures with tomorrow's ambitions? Paul explains how Shark Trust approaches these challenges through careful strategic planning, disciplined financial management and a clear focus on long-term outcomes. For anyone involved in business growth , financial planning , strategic finance or organisational leadership, there are valuable lessons throughout this discussion. AI, productivity and doing more with less Artificial Intelligence has become one of the biggest talking points for organisations of every size. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for people, Paul explains how Shark Trust is exploring ways to use it responsibly to increase productivity and free up time for higher-value work. The conversation explores: Using AI to improve operational efficiency. Supporting research and knowledge gathering. Improving communication and content creation. Enhancing fundraising processes. Managing AI responsibly within a mission-led organisation. Balancing innovation with environmental responsibility. It's a thoughtful discussion that moves beyond the headlines to consider how leaders can embrace technology while remaining focused on people and purpose. Measuring success beyond profit For most businesses, success is relatively easy to measure. Revenue. Profit. Cash generation. Return on investment. For a conservation charity, success can take decades to become visible. Paul discusses how Shark Trust thinks about measuring impact, demonstrating value to funders and making investment decisions where the return may not become visible for many years. It's a fascinating perspective that challenges traditional thinking around KPIs and performance measurement. About Paul Cox Paul Cox has led Shark Trust since 2015. His career has taken him from investment banking through to marine biology before ultimately becoming CEO of one of the world's leading shark conservation charities. Today, he leads an organisation focused on protecting sharks and rays through science, conservation, education, policy and international collaboration. Alongside his passion for marine conservation, Paul has developed extensive experience in organisational leadership, fundraising strategy, financial management and building sustainable organisations capable of creating lasting impact. About The Fractional CFO Show The Fractional CFO Show explores the financial decisions behind successful organisations. Hosted by Adam Cooper , Founder of ACC Finance Solutions , each episode features honest conversations with founders, CEOs and business leaders about financial leadership, business growth, strategic planning, operational challenges and the lessons they've learned along the way. Whether you're scaling a founder-led business, building a leadership team or simply looking to make better financial decisions, each episode is designed to provide practical insights that can be applied immediately. Listen now If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to The Fractional CFO Show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you'd like to support the show, leaving a rating or review really helps more founders, CEOs, finance leaders and business owners discover these conversations. To learn more about ACC Finance Solutions and how a Fractional CFO can help improve your financial visibility, strategic decision-making and business growth, visit: https://accfinancesolutions.com

What does it really take to build a successful business without external investment? Many founders are told that the route to growth is to raise funding, specialise in a niche, standardise everything and scale as quickly as possible. But what if there was another way? In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper is joined by Gulliver Moore, Founder and CEO of Sunday Treat, a creative content agency that has grown organically into a multi-million-pound business working with some of the world's best-known brands, including Google, Disney, Canon, Revolut and Candy Crush. Over the last five years, Sunday Treat has expanded from a one-person operation into a team of fourteen, all without taking external investment and while deliberately ignoring much of the conventional advice given to agency founders. Instead of focusing on aggressive scaling, Gulliver explains why they've prioritised building a financially sustainable business, maintaining a strong company culture, protecting creativity and making commercial decisions that support long-term growth. This is an honest conversation about what building a modern agency really looks like behind the scenes. Rather than talking about overnight success, we explore the realities of growing a business, managing uncertainty, improving leadership, forecasting revenue, maintaining healthy cash flow and building a company that founders genuinely enjoy running. In this episode we discuss: Growing a creative agency without raising external funding Why cash flow is often more important than revenue growth Building a profitable business while staying true to your values The financial realities of running a project-based agency Managing working capital and large client payment terms Financial forecasting when future revenue is uncertain Scaling from founder to CEO Developing management and leadership skills Creating a culture that attracts and retains talented people Why Sunday Treat deliberately chose not to niche down How variety can become a competitive advantage Winning larger clients without following the traditional agency playbook Expanding into the United States and establishing a presence in New York Balancing creativity with commercial discipline Managing risk while continuing to grow Why sustainable growth often beats rapid growth One of the themes that runs throughout the conversation is the relationship between creative ambition and commercial discipline. Gulliver openly discusses how becoming responsible for employees completely changed the way he viewed leadership and business. Like many founders, he discovered that being technically brilliant at your craft doesn't automatically prepare you for managing people, having difficult conversations or building an organisation. He talks honestly about the mistakes he made early on, the management books that transformed his approach and why learning to become a better leader has arguably been just as important as winning new clients. For listeners interested in financial leadership, there are some particularly valuable insights into managing a business where revenue is inherently unpredictable. Unlike subscription businesses or companies operating on recurring revenue, Sunday Treat works largely on individual projects. That means forecasting income, managing utilisation, planning recruitment and protecting cash flow requires a very different approach. Gulliver explains how they think about financial planning, why maintaining a healthy cash buffer has been critical to their growth and how they approach larger client projects where payment terms can stretch well beyond the point at which suppliers and employees need paying. For founders, CEOs and business owners, it's a practical reminder that profitability and cash flow are not always the same thing—and that sustainable businesses are built through careful financial management as much as strong sales. The episode also explores one of the biggest debates in the agency world—whether businesses should niche down. Conventional wisdom suggests agencies should specialise in one industry or one type of customer. Sunday Treat deliberately chose not to. Instead, they work across multiple sectors and platforms, helping brands create content for everything from LinkedIn and TikTok through to television advertising and global campaigns. Gulliver explains why this approach has helped keep the team engaged, protected the business from changes within individual industries and ultimately created more opportunities for growth. Another fascinating part of the discussion focuses on international expansion. After seeing a significant proportion of revenue already coming from US clients, Sunday Treat recently established a formal presence in New York. Rather than treating expansion as simply opening another office, Gulliver shares the commercial realities behind entering a new market, including client acquisition, pricing, building relationships overseas and balancing growth with operational simplicity. Throughout the conversation, Gulliver offers a refreshingly honest perspective on what success looks like. Rather than chasing vanity metrics or headline growth numbers, he talks about building a business that is enjoyable to run, financially resilient and capable of creating exceptional work for clients while providing meaningful careers for the team. For anyone running a service business, creative agency, consultancy or founder-led company, there are practical lessons throughout this conversation around: Business growth Financial management Cash flow forecasting Profitability Leadership Founder mindset Scaling operations Agency growth Strategic decision making Commercial finance Business strategy Team development Company culture International expansion As always, we finish with our Business Book Bonus, where Gulliver shares the books that have most influenced his leadership style, management approach and personal productivity—including Radical Candor , The Making of a Manager and Uptime . Whether you're a founder, CEO, agency owner, finance leader or someone interested in building a business for the long term, this episode is packed with practical insights and honest reflections from someone who's grown a successful business by doing things differently. About the Guest Gulliver Moore is the Founder & CEO of Sunday Treat, an award-winning creative content agency helping global brands create engaging content across digital, social and broadcast channels. Since launching the business, Gulliver has grown Sunday Treat organically into a multi-million-pound agency working with brands including Google, Disney, Canon, Revolut and Candy Crush, while maintaining a strong focus on creativity, culture and sustainable business growth. The Fractional CFO Show is hosted by Adam Cooper, Founder of ACC Finance Solutions, and explores the commercial, financial and leadership decisions behind successful businesses. Each episode features conversations with founders, CEOs and senior operators, covering topics including business growth, financial strategy, cash flow, forecasting, profitability, leadership and scaling founder-led businesses. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow The Fractional CFO Show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast platform so you never miss a future conversation.

What does good financial leadership actually look like inside a growing business? Many founders reach a point where bookkeeping is under control, management accounts are being produced, and year-end compliance is taken care of, yet they still feel uncertain when making important business decisions. They know the numbers exist. They receive reports. They have visibility of revenue. But they still don't feel fully in control of profitability, cash flow, hiring decisions, pricing, or growth plans. In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper is joined by Heidi Armstrong, Fractional CFO at ACC Finance Solutions, for a practical discussion about the role financial leadership plays in helping founder-led businesses improve profitability, strengthen cash flow, and make better decisions. This is a particularly special episode as it marks the first time a member of the ACC Finance Solutions team has joined the show. Drawing on her experience working with businesses across recruitment, beauty, media, professional services and other founder-led organisations, Heidi shares what she sees when businesses begin to outgrow basic finance support and require more strategic financial guidance. The conversation explores a common challenge faced by many SMEs. Business owners often know they need "better finance", but they're not always sure what that means in practice. Is it better reporting? More detailed management accounts? A bigger finance team? More software? Or is it something else entirely? Throughout the discussion, Heidi explains why good financial leadership is often less about producing more reports and more about helping business owners understand what their numbers are telling them and how those insights should influence future decisions. Topics covered include: • What a Fractional CFO actually does within a growing business • Why many founders feel disconnected from their numbers despite receiving regular financial reports • The difference between financial reporting and financial leadership • How financial forecasting helps business owners make decisions with greater confidence • The role of cash flow forecasting in supporting sustainable growth • Why revenue growth does not always lead to improved profitability • How management information can become a genuine decision-making tool • The importance of monitoring financial KPIs that actually matter • Common reasons margins deteriorate without founders noticing • Why pricing reviews should be a regular business discipline • The impact of inflation, supplier costs and overhead increases on profitability • How hiring decisions affect cash flow, capacity and future growth • The financial implications of expanding too quickly • Why business owners should place a value on their own time • How scenario planning supports better strategic decisions • The hidden cost of difficult clients • Why client profitability is about more than revenue alone • Lessons learned from working across multiple industries and business models One of the most interesting parts of the conversation centres on client profitability. Many business owners evaluate clients purely based on the revenue they generate. However, Heidi discusses why some clients can consume disproportionate amounts of management time, operational resources and emotional energy. A client may appear profitable on paper but become significantly less attractive once the true cost of servicing them is taken into account. The discussion highlights why founders should regularly assess not only what clients pay but also the time, complexity, interruptions and stress associated with managing those relationships. The episode also explores the connection between financial visibility and confidence. When founders lack clarity around cash flow, profitability or future financial performance, decision-making often becomes reactive. Businesses delay investments. Hiring decisions become difficult. Growth opportunities are missed. Cash flow concerns create unnecessary stress. By contrast, businesses that embrace financial forecasting, scenario planning and regular performance reviews are often able to make decisions earlier, with greater certainty and lower risk. Heidi shares practical examples of how she helps business owners understand the numbers behind their businesses, identify potential issues before they become serious problems, and create financial plans that support both growth and profitability. The conversation also touches on a challenge many founders face but rarely discuss openly: the value of their own time. Business owners frequently make decisions without fully considering the opportunity cost of their involvement. Tasks that appear profitable on paper can become far less attractive when the founder's time is properly valued. Understanding this often changes how businesses think about delegation, recruitment, pricing and operational structure. Whether you're running a recruitment business, professional services firm, agency, consultancy, creative business or another founder-led organisation, the principles discussed throughout this episode are widely applicable. If you've ever wondered: • What does a Fractional CFO actually do? • When should I hire a Fractional CFO? • How can financial forecasting improve decision-making? • What financial KPIs should I be tracking? • How can I improve cash flow visibility? • How do I increase profitability without simply increasing sales? • How should I assess client profitability? • What does good financial leadership look like in practice? This episode provides practical, experience-led answers. The Fractional CFO Show is hosted by Adam Cooper, Founder of ACC Finance Solutions, where each week he speaks with founders, operators and business leaders about the financial, operational and strategic decisions that shape successful businesses. Subscribe for more conversations covering financial leadership, business growth, cash flow management, profitability improvement, financial forecasting, strategic finance, management reporting, founder decision-making and the realities of growing a business.

Building Without Funding: Control, Trade-offs, and Capital Discipline What if the best source of funding for your business isn't an investor? What if it's your customers? In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper sits down with Tayfun Bilsel, founder and CEO of Clinked, to explore the realities of building and scaling a technology business without relying on external investment. Over the last two decades, the startup world has become heavily associated with fundraising, venture capital, angel investors and rapid growth. Raising capital is often presented as the natural next step for ambitious founders. Tayfun's journey offers a different perspective. Since launching Clinked in 2008, Tayfun has grown the business into a leading client portal and business collaboration platform serving thousands of customers across more than 40 countries worldwide. Yet much of that growth has been achieved without the traditional venture-backed route. Instead, Clinked was built through customer revenue, careful resource allocation, financial discipline and a relentless focus on solving real customer problems. In this conversation, Adam and Tayfun discuss how operating without external funding changes the way founders think about growth, risk, profitability, customer acquisition and long-term decision making. One of the most interesting parts of the discussion centres around the concept of customer-funded growth. Rather than building products in isolation and hoping the market would eventually respond, Clinked's early development was heavily influenced by real customer feedback. In some cases, customers even helped fund specific product features, creating an additional layer of market validation before development resources were committed. The result was a business built around genuine customer demand rather than assumptions. The conversation explores how this approach helped create focus, prioritisation and commercial discipline during the early stages of growth. Topics covered include: • Why Tayfun initially chose not to pursue external investment • The realities of building a SaaS business during the 2008 financial crisis • Customer-funded growth and product validation • How early customers shaped Clinked's development • The importance of product-market fit • Financial discipline and capital efficiency • Managing cash flow without a financial safety net • Resource allocation when every investment decision matters • Customer acquisition versus customer retention • Why recurring revenue became a strategic advantage • Growth under constraint and the benefits of limited resources • Long-term thinking versus short-term investor expectations • Building sustainable growth models • The relationship between profitability and growth • Risk management for founder-led businesses • Scaling internationally without venture capital • Customer success as a growth strategy • Decision-making under uncertainty • The trade-offs between speed, ownership and control • When founders should consider raising investment • Common fundraising mistakes made by growing businesses Throughout the discussion, Tayfun shares practical lessons from nearly 18 years of building and growing Clinked through multiple economic cycles, changing technology trends and shifting market conditions. One recurring theme is the value of staying close to customers. As Clinked grew, the business continued to prioritise customer feedback, customer success and customer relationships. Tayfun explains how maintaining direct contact with customers helped the company make better decisions, identify opportunities faster and avoid many of the distractions that can come from chasing vanity metrics or short-term growth targets. The episode also explores the financial realities of building a company without access to large amounts of external capital. Without investor money acting as a buffer, cash flow management becomes critical. Every hiring decision, product investment, marketing initiative and growth opportunity must be assessed through the lens of sustainability and long-term value creation. For finance leaders, CFOs and operators, the discussion offers valuable insight into capital allocation, customer economics, resource prioritisation and strategic planning. For founders and entrepreneurs, it provides a candid look at the challenges and rewards of building a business where customer value, profitability and sustainable growth take priority over fundraising headlines. One particularly valuable section of the episode focuses on the question many founders face: "When should you actually raise capital?" Tayfun shares his view that investment should generally follow validation rather than precede it. Before raising money, founders should understand their market, prove customer demand, establish repeatable growth mechanisms and gain confidence that additional capital can generate a meaningful return. Rather than raising money simply because funding is available, he argues founders should have a clear understanding of how additional capital will accelerate an already functioning growth model. The conversation challenges many common assumptions around startup success and offers an alternative framework for thinking about growth, profitability and long-term business value. Whether you're building a SaaS company, professional services firm, consultancy, agency or founder-led business, there are practical lessons throughout this discussion that can be applied immediately. If you're interested in: • Bootstrapping • SaaS growth • Business strategy • Customer acquisition • Customer retention • Cash flow management • Financial planning • Capital efficiency • Business profitability • Scaling a business • Product-market fit • Founder-led growth • Customer success • Recurring revenue • Sustainable growth • Entrepreneurship • Strategic decision making then this episode is for you. Business Book Bonus Tayfun's recommendations: • The Lean Startup – Eric Ries • Predictable Revenue – Aaron Ross About Tayfun Bilsel Tayfun Bilsel is the Founder and CEO of Clinked, a leading client portal and collaboration platform used by organisations around the world to improve communication, project management, document sharing and client engagement. Since launching the business in 2008, he has successfully scaled Clinked internationally while remaining focused on customer-driven growth, financial discipline and long-term value creation. Connect with Tayfun: LinkedIn: Tayfun Bilsel Website: www.clinked.com About The Fractional CFO Show Hosted by Adam Cooper, Founder of ACC Finance Solutions, The Fractional CFO Show explores the commercial, financial and strategic decisions that drive business growth. Each episode features conversations with founders, CEOs and senior operators who share the lessons, challenges and decision-making frameworks that have shaped their businesses. The focus is on practical insight, real-world experience and the stories behind sustainable business success.

Why is revenue forecasting so difficult in agencies and project-based businesses? In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper speaks with Julia Longo, Group Finance Director at SAENTYS, about the operational and financial realities of forecasting revenue in a fast-moving creative consultancy environment. SAENTYS operates across the UK, France and Switzerland, supporting clients in the real estate, hospitality and destination sectors. Julia oversees finance across multiple entities and shares a practical, experience-led view of how forecasting, reporting and operational planning work inside an international agency business. The discussion explores the difference between billing forecasting and revenue forecasting, and why many businesses have strong visibility over invoicing and pipeline activity but still struggle to understand future profitability and utilisation properly. Adam and Julia discuss the challenges of managing constantly shifting project scopes, changing client deadlines, freelancer requirements and resource allocation, all while trying to maintain accurate financial reporting and forward-looking visibility. The episode also covers the importance of management accounts, KPI reporting, operational finance processes and cross-functional collaboration between finance, client services, operations and creative teams. Other topics covered include: Revenue forecasting vs billing forecasting Financial planning in project-based businesses Profitability management for agencies Cash flow forecasting and pipeline visibility Resource planning and utilisation management PSA systems and operational reporting Finance leadership in creative businesses International reporting and multi-entity finance operations Forecasting challenges in professional services firms Improving financial visibility through better systems and processes Time tracking, project profitability and operational accountability Management reporting for growing agencies Finance transformation and process improvement Forecasting uncertainty and decision-making with incomplete data The role of finance in supporting operational performance Julia also shares insights from her non-traditional route into finance leadership, moving from a background in chemistry and operations into senior finance roles within the agency world. The conversation highlights why strong finance leaders in creative and professional services businesses need commercial awareness, operational understanding and the ability to work closely with non-finance teams. This is a practical conversation for agency founders, finance directors, COOs, management accountants, project-based businesses and professional services firms looking to improve forecasting accuracy, profitability, financial visibility and operational decision-making. Guest: Julia Longo - Group Finance Director at SAENTYS Hosted by: Adam Cooper - ACC Finance Solutions Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast platforms. #FinancialForecasting #RevenueForecasting #ManagementAccounts #CashFlowForecasting #Profitability #AgencyFinance #FinanceLeadership #OperationalFinance #ProfessionalServices #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show , Adam Cooper is joined by Callum Lockwood (Re:signal) to explore how SEO and marketing decisions translate into real commercial outcomes. Too many businesses still measure success through traffic, rankings, and vanity metrics. But as Callum explains, those numbers don’t always lead to what actually matters, revenue growth, profitability, and cash flow. This conversation takes a more commercial and CFO-led view of SEO, reframing it as a long-term growth investment rather than a standalone marketing channel. Together, Adam and Callum break down how founders and operators should think about return on investment (ROI), payback periods, and contribution margin when evaluating SEO and digital marketing spend. They also explore how AI is changing the economics of marketing in 2026, from reducing the cost of content production to increasing competition and shifting where real value is created. Key themes from the episode include: Why traffic alone is a poor indicator of business performance How to connect SEO activity to revenue, margin, and commercial outcomes The role of SEO within a broader growth strategy and marketing mix Common areas where businesses misallocate marketing budget and resources Why many “SEO problems” are actually issues with pricing, positioning, or conversion How to think about SEO in terms of customer acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV) The impact of AI on search, content, and digital competition What CFOs and founders should be asking before investing further in marketing This is a practical, experience-led discussion designed to help founders, CEOs, and operators make better decisions about where to invest for sustainable growth. If you’re spending on marketing, or questioning whether your current strategy is really delivering a return, this episode will help you rethink how SEO fits into your wider commercial model.

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper is joined by Elliott King, agency founder, digital marketing expert, and Managing Partner at FINN Partners, to explore the real journey from startup to exit. Elliott shares honest insights on managing cash flow through growth, the shift from project to retainer revenue, and the financial discipline required to build a sellable agency. They also dive into the realities of M&A, including due diligence, valuation drivers, and what actually changes after a sale. Plus, a look at how AI, SEO, and owned media are reshaping digital marketing, and what agency founders should be doing now to stay competitive. A must-listen for agency owners focused on growth, profitability, and long-term exit strategy.

Thinking about raising debt finance for growth, refinancing, acquisitions or working capital? In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper speaks with Steve Cockell, Founder of Obica Business Funding and experienced commercial debt advisor, about how the SME funding landscape has changed, and what founders must do before approaching lenders. They discuss: The decline of traditional relationship banking The SME funding gap between £500k - £2m Invoice finance vs unsecured cash flow lending vs asset-backed facilities How to craft a compelling funding narrative When to use a debt advisor What lenders really look for in today’s credit environment If you’re planning business growth and want to use debt finance strategically, this episode will help you approach funding with clarity and confidence.

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, we explore a question many agency founders quietly wrestle with: What would actually change in your business if you freed up just 10 hours a week? I’m joined by Jesse P. Gilmore, Founder of Niche in Control and host of the Leverage for Growth podcast. Jesse works closely with agency owners who have built successful businesses, but find themselves trapped in delivery, decisions, and day-to-day firefighting. This is a practical, grounded conversation about escaping founder-dependence without losing control. We unpack how agency owners can: Diagnose where their time is really going using Jesse’s Time Audit framework Move away from trading hours for revenue and towards value-led pricing and profitability Build systems and delegation that support scale, not complexity Use AI deliberately as a leverage tool, not a distraction Reframe metrics like utilisation, average client value, and earned standard hours to support better decisions From a CFO perspective, this episode sits right at the intersection of time, money, and leadership capacity. Because reclaiming time isn’t about working less, it’s about building a business that no longer relies on the founder to function. If you’re an agency founder or service-based business owner feeling stretched, stuck in the weeds, or unsure how to create headroom without risking performance, this episode will help you think more clearly about what needs to change, and in what order. A thoughtful, practical listen for anyone serious about building a scalable agency with stronger margins, better systems, and more intentional leadership.

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show , Adam Cooper sits down with Dean McKenna, Co-Founder of Cassia Digital Agency, to unpack how digital strategy should actually connect to business performance, not just aesthetics. This is a practical, experience-led conversation for founders, operators, and business owners who know their online presence matters, but aren’t always clear on where to invest, what good looks like, or how to make it pay back. Dean brings a refreshing, structured perspective to a space that often feels vague or overly technical. He talks through his GROW model, a simple but powerful way of linking business goals to digital execution, and explains why so many companies end up spending money on websites, SEO, or marketing activity that never really delivers a return. A big theme throughout the conversation is credibility. Many businesses build strong reputations offline through relationships, referrals, and delivery, but lose momentum when a prospective client checks them out online and the website doesn’t reflect that same level of quality. That gap, what Dean describes as “website shame”, can quietly erode trust and cost real opportunities. We also get into the numbers behind digital performance. Not vanity metrics, but the ones that actually matter from a commercial perspective, traffic quality, conversion rates, SEO visibility, and cost of acquisition, and how these link back to revenue, profitability, and long-term business value. Along the way, we explore: Why a strong offline business can still lose deals due to poor digital credibility The hidden cost of misaligned messaging, branding, and user experience How to approach website and digital investment with a clear ROI mindset Why strategy should always come before design, development, or paid traffic The role of structure and accountability when founders are spinning multiple plates How AI is starting to reshape search, discoverability, and how customers find businesses The difference between a “brochure website” and a revenue-generating digital asset Practical ways to sense-check whether your current website is helping or hurting growth This isn’t a technical deep dive, it’s a grounded conversation about making better decisions, avoiding wasted spend, and treating your digital presence as a core part of your business strategy. If you’re thinking about investing in your website, improving your online presence, or simply trying to understand what “good” looks like in 2026, this episode will give you a clearer, more commercial way of looking at it.

This week I’m joined by Michael Henderson , Founder of RiskBox Ltd , a man on a mission to help creative businesses understand what insurance they really need. Michael brings a refreshingly honest take on one of the more confusing of running a businesses. He shares real stories, practical guidance, and insights that could save your business time, money and headaches when things go wrong. 🌟 Some of my favourite parts of our conversation include: ✅ Legal must-haves vs. nice-to-haves: What’s actually required when starting out. ✅ Overinsured or underinsured? Why many founders get this balance wrong. ✅ Contracts and cover: How to handle insurance clauses in big client agreements. ✅ Cyber and ransomware: What protection looks like in a digital-first world. ✅ “Mitigation of loss”: The little-known insurance clause that could save you thousands.

On this week’s episode, I had a brilliant conversation with Harv Nagra , Head of Brand Communications at Scoro and host of The Handbook: The Operations Podcast. Harv brings a unique mix of insight from marketing, operations, and systems design, particularly for growing agencies and professional service firms. If you’ve ever felt like your business is spinning too many plates, this one’s for you. 🌟 Some of the highlights we dig into: ✅ Collaborating with finance: How operations + CFOs can lead smarter system rollouts. ✅ The Business Maturity Model: 5 stages of growth from “chaotic era” to “innovation era.” ✅ Burnout warning signs: Why broken internal systems silently sabotage leadership teams. ✅ The reality of accidental founders: Growing beyond creative chaos without losing identity. ✅ Infrastructure for scale: Getting the right tech, people and processes in place to grow cleanly.

This week, I’m joined by Oliver Tuffney , Founder & Head Coach at Sales Velocity , a framework designed to bring discipline, structure, and predictability to SME sales teams. Some of my favourite takeaways from our conversation: ✅ How to avoid sales teams getting stuck in boom and bust cycles; ✅ How EOS can guide sales, but why Ollie feels it still needs a deeper “sales layer”; ✅ What great compensation plans actually look like, and how to build them without risking your cashflow; ✅ Why sales and finance leaders must collaborate on modelling if growth is going to be sustainable; ✅ And, the Charlie Munger quote that Ollie swears by when building out sales compensation structures.

This week, I sat down with @Kat Wellum-Kent, Founder & CEO of @The Fractionals Group who left Practice to launch her business with just one client and a plan. Some of my favourite takeaways from our conversation were: ✅ Recruiting “on the curve” vs hiring ahead of the work ✅ Building something that’s more than just you as a solo operator ✅ Making use of EOS and managing her own utilisation as a founder ✅ Why not every startup needs a full-time CFO, and how to spot when they do ✅ And growing a team without losing sight of what made the work fun in the first place Kat’s honest about the challenges as well as the opportunities that she faced and is still facing, and I think anyone building a business, or just trying to shift towards having a more entrepreneurial mindset in business, will get something from this.

This week, I caught up with Paul Bevington , Partner & General Counsel at EMW Law LLP | B Corp . He's been helping clients buy and sell companies since joining the firm back in the 90s and has seen just about everything when it comes to business sales. Some of my favourite moments from the chat: ✅ Why sellers underestimate just how long (and emotional) the legal process really is; ✅ What “buyer verification” actually means and why it can feel like Groundhog Day; ✅ Why shareholder alignment is essential before you go to market; ✅ The legal housekeeping you’ll wish you’d done earlier; ✅ And how a 40-year old cricket book can teach you a thing or two about leadership!

This week, I sat down with Stephen Knight , Founder and CEO of Pimento , to unpack how business can turn marketing from a cost into a profit driver. Some of my favourite takeaways from our conversation: ✅ The #1 mistake SMEs make when hiring marketing help, and how to avoid it. ✅ Why cutting brand spend in a downturn is often a strategic mistake. ✅ How to find the right marketing partner in a sea of thousands of agencies. ✅ How PE-backed businesses can still build brand equity without losing performance focus. ✅ And, what happened when a FTSE30 firm spent just 17p per customer per year on marketing.

This week, I sat down with the brilliant @Sarah Lamontagne, Founder of @Montagne Motion Consulting, to dive into what really matters when founders make those all-important first hires. Sarah’s seen it all, from prisons to AI scaleups, and brings some refreshing honesty, and tonnes of experience to bear hiring, culture, and building the foundations for a people-first business. Some personal highlights from our conversation: ✅ Why founders waste time (and budget) trying to DIY their early hires. ✅ The real cost of a 5-stage interview process (and why it needs to die). ✅ How finance and HR should actually collaborate (hint: start with muffins). ✅ What culture really is, and why Slack emojis don’t count. ✅ Why every founder needs to think about succession planning before they think they’re ready.

This week, I sat down with Peter Charalambides, CEO of The Upper Room and former Property CEO, for a powerful conversation on how to run a charity with a business mindest. Some of my favourite moments from our chat include: ✅ What Peter learned from starting-up a business and how that shapes his charity leadership today. ✅ Why charities must diversify income streams and the impact of local community. ✅ Financial lessons from the business world on cash flow, benchmarking salaries, and tech that Peter took to the third sector. ✅ How Peter uses mindfulness (and a beard net) to help out with The Upper Room’s meal service. ✅ And his call to action for younger donors, and those who can help reach them. If you're leading a purpose-driven business or want to hear what financial leadership looks like in the charity sector, this one’s for you. Big thanks to Peter for being generous with his story, and for the Doctor Who name drop too 👀

In this week’s episode, I sat down with Dan DeGolier , CEO of Ascent CFO Solutions , to dig into the world of metrics, and how small businesses can start to think about this subject. Some of the highlights from our conversation included: ✅ Why “cash is king” still matters – regardless of your growth stage. ✅ The biggest mistake small businesses make with dashboards – think noise vs. insight! ✅ How to make KPIs work best across teams – tip: link them to bonus schemes. ✅ The difference between tracking leads... and tracking the right ones. ✅ Power BI vs Excel – when to upgrade and when to keep it simple. If you’ve ever looked at a spreadsheet and didn’t know where to start, then this one’s for you. Business Book Bonus: Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business: https://amzn.eu/d/8Mlexvz Blue Ocean Strategy: How To Create Uncontested Market Space And Make The Competition Irrelevant: https://amzn.eu/d/hOKTFT7