Your Strategic CFO Partner. Financial Clarity That Fuels Your Next Big Move
For founders ready to scale fast. We build investor-ready models, streamlined systems, and the financial story that wins capital and drives growth.
Johnson Strategic Advisory is your strategic CFO partner — a fractional CFO firm for tech startups and growth-stage businesses. Whether you need affordable fractional CFO services, financial consulting for your startup, or a seasoned finance leader to get you raise-ready, we bring the strategic firepower of a full-time CFO at a fraction of the cost. Based in New York, serving founders nationwide and across Latin America.
- ✓ You’re prepping a seed or Series A raise
- ✓ Revenue is growing — the back office isn’t
- ✓ You’ve outgrown DIY books and spreadsheets
- ✓ Bootstrapped and eyeing exit or acquisition
- ✓ Expanding across the U.S. and Latin America
Built by a Founder, for Founders
We didn't learn business from a textbook. We learned it by building companies from scratch. Wearing every hat, making payroll, closing deals, and navigating the chaos that comes before the clarity. After multiple successful exits, we turned that experience into a mission: helping other founders build with the financial backbone we wish we'd had from day one. Led by Bryan Johnson, a serial founder turned strategic advisor.
Operator Speed
No corporate lag. No billable-hour games. Flat-rate pricing, startup pace.
Full-Stack Thinking
Finance that connects to sales, ops, and product, not siloed spreadsheets
Skin in the Game
Your success is our reputation. We treat your business like it's ours
Outcomes We Drive
Four measurable outcomes we deliver, regardless of stage or engagement type.
Raise Capital With Confidence
Investor-ready models, clean cap tables, and diligence-proof data rooms that shorten time-to-close.
Extend Runway, Cut Burn
Unit-economics visibility, cash-flow forecasting, and spend discipline without killing growth.
Build Finance Infrastructure
Books, systems, SOPs, and dashboards that scale from seed through Series B without rebuilding every round.
Expand Across Borders
U.S. and LATAM market entry, entity formation, and cross-border tax and banking handled end-to-end.
We Partner With Founders Building It Right
Whether you're pre-revenue or scaling past eight figures, if you're serious about building something lasting, we're your people.
We partner with founders who are serious about building something lasting. Whether you're pre-revenue with a prototype, scaling past eight figures, or profitable and positioning for an exit, we bring the financial leadership and investor-grade systems your business needs to move faster with fewer surprises. Our clients are tech-forward, capital-efficient operators who want a CFO who has actually built, scaled, and exited companies, not one who has only read about it.
Early-Stage Founders
You've got traction and a vision, but the financial side is held together with duct tape. You need clean books, a real model, and a plan that investors will take seriously.
- ✓ Pre-seed to Series A
- ✓ Getting investor-ready
- ✓ First-time and repeat founders
Growth-Stage Companies
Revenue is moving but the back office can't keep up. You're hiring fast, burning cash, and need financial leadership that can scale with you, without the full-time price tag.
- ✓ $1M–$50M in revenue
- ✓ Series A through Series B
- ✓ Building finance infrastructure to scale
Bootstrapped Operators
You've built something profitable on your own terms. Now you want sharper financial systems, smarter cash management, and a strategic partner who respects the grind.
- ✓ Profitable and self-funded
- ✓ Optimizing margins and cash flow
- ✓ Positioning for exit or acquisition
Industries We Know
We focus on tech-forward, capital-efficient businesses. If your model involves recurring revenue, paid acquisition, or cross-border operations between the U.S. and Latin America, we have probably built, scaled, or exited something that looks a lot like it.
SaaS
ARR mechanics, NRR, churn, magic number, Rule of 40.
Marketplaces
Two-sided GMV, take rate, liquidity, supply-side payout flows.
E-commerce & DTC
CAC, LTV, contribution margin, inventory turns, returns reserve.
Fintech
Compliance posture, capital efficiency, treasury, interchange economics.
AI & Tech-Enabled Services
Hybrid revenue, gross-margin engineering, model cost economics.
Media & Content
IP licensing, royalties, ad revenue, subscriber economics.
Cross-Border U.S. / LATAM
Entity formation, FX, transfer pricing, intercompany flows, banking on both sides.
Don’t see yours?
If you’re tech-forward and capital-efficient, we probably know it. Let’s talk →
How We Partner With You
Three ways to work together, matched to what your business actually needs.
Ongoing Retainer
Ongoing senior finance leadership, half- or full-time, month-to-month with a 5% discount for 6-month terms.
Project / Sprint
Fixed-scope, flat-fee engagements (raise prep, stack setup, market entry) delivered in weeks, not quarters.
Advisory on Demand
$250/hr ad-hoc support for founders who already have a finance team but need a senior voice in the room.
Build, Scale, and Raise With Confidence
Choose a path that fits your stage, or mix and match to fit your roadmap.
Strategic CFO Plans
- Half-Time: $12,500/mo (20 hrs/wk)
- Full-Time: $20,000/mo (40 hrs/wk)
- Ad-hoc projects: $250/hr
- Save 5% with 6+ month commitment
Raise-Ready Sprint
- Custom model + scenario planning
- Cap table cleanup
- Pitch support + data room setup
- Finance SOPs + async support
Lean Finance Stack Setup
- QuickBooks/Xero setup
- Ramp/Gusto implementation
- ROAS, CAC, burn dashboards
- Finance SOPs + async support
Scale-Ready Reporting Partner
- Weekly performance reports
- Channel-level P&Ls
- Live dashboards
- Investor update support
- Async Slack + biweekly calls
LATAM Market Entry
- Full market entry strategy + roadmap
- Entity formation + legal introductions
- Cross-border banking + tax compliance
- On-the-ground vendor + partner network
U.S. Market Entry
- Entity formation (Delaware C-Corp, LLC)
- EIN, U.S. banking + tax compliance
- Legal + accounting introductions
- Ongoing advisory + operational support
Already have a CFO? We also partner with growth-stage finance teams on complex fundraising engagements.
Talk to Us →Tools We Know Inside and Out
We’ve worked hands-on with the platforms that power modern startups. Whatever your stack looks like, we can plug in and hit the ground running.
Banking & Spend
Accounting & ERP
Payroll & HR
Cap Table & Fundraising
FP&A & Dashboards
Automation & Custom
This is a snapshot of our most-used platforms, not an exhaustive list. If you use it, we probably know it.
Built for Founders. Ready to Use.
Free to use, instant on-screen results. PDF reports download after submitting your email.
For informational purposes only — not personalized financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult qualified professionals (CFO, accountant, attorney) before making business decisions.
Professional CFO Toolkit
The financial calculators every founder needs, built for speed, clarity, and real decision-making.
- ✓ Burn Rate, Break-Even, Unit Economics
- ✓ Cash Flow Forecast & Health Score
- ✓ Scenario Planning
- ✓ Monthly Tracking & Auto-Save
- ✓ Exportable PDF Report
Raise-Ready Scorecard
Find out where you stand before you pitch. A data-driven readiness check across six critical dimensions.
- ✓ 18-Question Assessment
- ✓ Stage-Weighted Scoring
- ✓ Category Benchmarks
- ✓ Priority Action Plan
- ✓ Exportable PDF Report
From First Call to Full Momentum
Free Discovery Call
A 30-minute conversation to understand your business, your challenges, and what you actually need. No pitch, just clarity.
Custom Proposal
Based on what we learn, we send a tailored proposal with scope, deliverables, and transparent pricing. Our flat-fee packages are starting estimates. Your proposal reflects your actual needs.
Onboarding & Access
Once agreements and NDAs are signed, we get embedded into your systems and bring our team up to speed, typically within a week depending on complexity.
Full Diagnostic & Execution
With full access in place, we run a comprehensive financial diagnostic and audit, then move straight into building the systems, models, and strategy to drive your business forward.
Fractional CFO FAQ
What founders ask most before hiring a fractional CFO.
What is a fractional CFO?
A fractional CFO is an experienced chief financial officer who works with your company on a part-time or project basis instead of full-time. This model gives startups and growth-stage businesses access to senior-level financial strategy, fundraising support, and financial modeling without the $300K+ commitment of a full-time hire. Fractional CFOs typically work with multiple clients, bringing cross-industry insight to every engagement.
How much do fractional CFO services cost for a startup?
Fractional CFO pricing varies based on scope and engagement type. At Johnson Strategic Advisory, our ad-hoc rate starts at $250/hour, with half-time and full-time monthly packages available for ongoing engagements. Project-based work like our Raise-Ready Sprint is a $10,000 flat fee, and our Lean Finance Stack Setup starts at $5,000. This makes fractional CFO services significantly more affordable than hiring a full-time CFO.
What are the benefits of hiring a fractional CFO for a startup?
The key benefits of hiring a fractional CFO include: getting investor-ready financial models and clean books without a full-time salary, strategic guidance from someone who has been through fundraising and exits, improved cash flow management and burn rate optimization, and credibility with investors who expect professional financial infrastructure. For tech startups especially, a fractional CFO bridges the gap between scrappy bookkeeping and the financial rigor that Series A+ investors demand. See the full list of outcomes we drive.
What's the difference between a fractional CFO and a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records transactions and keeps your books accurate. A fractional CFO uses that financial data to drive strategy: building financial models, managing cash flow forecasting, preparing for fundraising, negotiating with investors, and advising on business decisions. Think of it this way: your bookkeeper tells you where the money went, your fractional CFO tells you where it should go next.
When should a tech startup hire a fractional CFO?
Most tech startups benefit from fractional CFO services once they've found product-market fit and are preparing to raise capital, scale operations, or need to professionalize their financial systems. Common triggers include: preparing for a seed or Series A raise, outgrowing DIY bookkeeping, needing board-ready financial reporting, or planning to expand into new markets. If you're spending more time wrestling with spreadsheets than building your product, it's time to bring in a fractional CFO.
Do you work with pre-revenue startups?
Yes. We regularly work with pre-seed and seed-stage founders who need investor-ready models, clean cap tables, and a credible financial story before their first institutional round. Engagements are typically project-based at this stage (Raise-Ready Sprint or Lean Finance Stack Setup) so founders get senior CFO output without a monthly retainer.
How is a fractional CFO different from an outsourced accounting firm?
Accounting firms close your books and file your taxes. A fractional CFO owns financial strategy: modeling, fundraising support, board reporting, unit-economics, and capital planning. We'll work alongside your accountant or bookkeeper, and we can recommend partners if you don't have one yet.
Can you help us raise a seed or Series A round?
Yes. Raise support is one of our core engagements. We build the financial model, scenario analysis, cap table, and data room, and we coach founders through investor diligence questions. Most founders engage us 60 to 120 days before they plan to open a round. See Raise-Ready Sprint for scope and pricing.
Do you support companies expanding between the U.S. and Latin America?
Yes. We run dedicated LATAM Market Entry and U.S. Market Entry engagements out of our NYC and CDMX offices, covering entity formation, cross-border banking, tax compliance, and on-the-ground vendor networks. All engagements are fully bilingual.
Do you replace our existing bookkeeper or accountant?
No. We layer on top of your existing finance stack. If you don't have a bookkeeper or accountant, we'll introduce you to partners we trust. Our job is strategy, systems, and investor readiness, not transaction entry.
How quickly can you start?
Most engagements kick off within a week of a signed agreement. Project-based sprints (like Raise-Ready) can start same-week if timing is critical. See engagement models for ways we partner.
Do you offer equity-based or deferred-fee engagements?
In select cases, yes. For early-stage founders with strong signal but limited cash, we'll consider blended cash + equity or deferred-fee structures. This is case-by-case and decided on the Discovery Call.
Ready to Clean Up the Chaos?
Tell us what you're building, and we'll help back it with clarity, control, and clean financial infrastructure.