The success of a start-up or scale-up often depends on the quality of financial decisions made at crucial points in a company’s development. As a founder or CEO, you might find yourself in the challenging position of determining when to bring on a full-time or plural financial director (FD) to help manage those decisions. The right time will vary depending on your company’s growth stage, financial needs and budget. With this article, I hope to help you understand the importance of a dedicated FD and the benefits they can bring to your company, especially within the context of Mercia’s portfolio.
Finance & accounting:
Early-stage businesses don’t generally launch with a finance and accounting team in place, but whether bootstrapping or seeking external funding, these functions are crucial to business survival. In the early days, finance and accounting duties may be a collateral duty of another founder, but as the business grows, it becomes increasingly important to bring on a dedicated person or team to manage the function, which includes:
Fundraising: Start-ups and scale-ups can benefit from an FD’s expertise in navigating the financial landscape to identify and secure suitable funding opportunities. They can manage relationships with investors, banks and other stakeholders, ensuring that the business has the necessary capital to fuel growth and expansion.
Financial planning and analysis: An FD has the expertise and experience to guide the strategic financial planning and analysis process. They can identify areas for growth, develop financial models and provide insights to help the business make well-informed decisions. They work closely with the leadership team to create budgets, forecast revenue and expenses and evaluate investment opportunities.
Cash flow management: Small businesses often face cash flow challenges that require active monitoring and management of cash flow to ensure the company’s solvency. A dedicated FD can implement robust financial systems and processes to manage cash flow, budgeting, and forecasting.
Compliance and risk management: A full-time FD can help ensure the business complies with relevant financial regulations, tax laws and reporting requirements. They could also identify potential financial risks and implement strategies to mitigate them.
Cost control and efficiency: A dedicated FD can help identify inefficiencies and cost-saving opportunities. They establish processes and controls to optimise resource allocation.
Decision-making support: FDs provide data-driven insights and recommendations to help the leadership team make informed decisions about the company’s strategic growth and direction.
The importance of an FD in growing businesses:
A dedicated FD is a key player in a company’s financial viability, responsible for managing cash flow, overseeing financial planning and ensuring regulatory compliance. As your business scales, the complexity of financial management increases, eventually requiring expertise beyond the capabilities of most nonfinance executives. At this point, hiring an FD becomes critical for strategic financial planning and growth.
Benefits of a full-time financial director:
Dedicated attention: A full-time FD can devote their full attention to your company’s financial matters, ensuring timely decision-making and efficient execution of financial strategies.
Industry knowledge: An experienced FD brings industry-specific knowledge that can help guide your business through the competitive landscape.
Financial leadership: A full-time FD can build and lead a finance team that can scale with your business as it grows.
Strategic partnerships: An FD’s network and connections can lead to valuable partnerships, investment opportunities, and potential acquisitions.
The decision to hire a full-time or plural FD is crucial if you are seeking financial stability and growth, especially within the context of fast growth. Of course, you have to look at the most cost-effective solution, and a plural FD that is supported by strong accounting staff might be the immediate solution. But careful evaluation is required, bearing in mind what is ultimately required by your business and accelerated your ambitions are to grow and exit.