Hiring your first fractional CFO

Scope first, person second

Most fractional CFO hires fail because the founder never wrote down the job. Before you talk to anyone, write a one-page scope: what needs to be true in 90 days, what's out of scope, who they'll work with.

Comp bands (2026)

• Seed: $6-9k/mo, 1 day/week
• Series A: $8-12k/mo, 1-2 days/week
• Series B: $12-18k/mo, 2 days/week

Expect 10-20% variance for geo and industry.

Interview questions that work

1. Walk me through a board deck you built for a company at our stage.
2. What's the fastest way to break your model?
3. How do you handle a founder who doesn't want to hear the numbers?