Plan the year, then ask “what if?” before you commit.
The planning side of what owners often hire a fractional CFO for: a budget you actually use, forecasts that update as the year unfolds, and scenarios for the big decisions, without paying for board-level CFO work you don’t need.
This fits when you…
A plan built from your real numbers, not a template.
Most budgets get made once and forgotten. This one is built from your actual books, tied to what you want the money to do, and checked against reality every month.
Start from the last 12 months
Your plan begins with what actually happened: revenue by offer or service, costs by category, and the seasonal pattern of your year.
Decide what the money is for
Owner pay, taxes and reserves are set aside first, then the rest is planned for the areas you want to grow, like marketing, staff or equipment.
Month by month, not one big number
The year is planned month by month, so a slow season or a big annual bill is part of the plan instead of a surprise.
Fixed vs. flexible costs
Costs you’re locked into are separated from the ones you can adjust, so you know which levers you really have.
Plan vs. actual, every month
Each month, actual results are compared with the plan, with the gaps that matter called out in plain English.
Re-forecast every quarter
When the year changes, the forecast changes with it, so you’re always steering by the latest picture.
From a yearly plan to the next big decision.
Kellcat brings the numbers and the insight. You make the call.
Your yearly plan
Revenue, costs and profit planned for the year ahead, built from your actual books, not a template.
Budget vs. actual
Plan vs. actual for every area of the business, so you see where money is going against where you planned it to go.
Rolling cash forecast
A 13-week cash forecast updated every week, so a tight month shows up while there’s still time to act.
Quarterly forecast
Revenue, costs and profit re-forecast each quarter as the year unfolds.
Scenario planning
Side-by-side “what if” versions of your numbers: hire now or in six months, raise prices 5% or 10%, buy or lease.
Regular planning calls
Calls to review the numbers and decide next steps, with a quarterly review to set the next quarter’s targets.
“What if” questions worth running.
- Hire now, or wait six months?
- Raise prices 5% or 10%, and what happens if a few customers leave?
- Buy the truck or equipment, lease it, or wait?
- Open a second location or add a new service line
- Lose your largest customer: how long could you cover it?
- Buy your next property this year or next
Each scenario shows the effect on profit and cash, month by month, side by side.
What Kellcat needs from you.
- At least 12 months of clean, reconciled books (or a cleanup first)
- Your goals for the year: revenue, profit and owner pay
- The big decisions coming up, with rough costs and timing
- Payroll, pricing and any loan or lease details
- An hour for the kickoff call, then regular planning calls
Planning, not board-level CFO work
This covers the planning many owners hire a fractional CFO for: budgeting, forecasting and scenario planning. It doesn’t include board meetings, fundraising or investor relations. For a week-by-week view of cash, see cash flow forecasting.
How planning starts.
- Step 1 · Free
Discovery Call
Talk through your goals and the decisions coming up this year.
- Step 2 · In writing
Proposal
Scope and fees in writing within a week of your call.
- Step 3 · Build
Plan and forecasts
Clean books confirmed, your yearly plan built, and forecasts set up with you.
- Step 4 · Ongoing
Review and decide
Budget vs. actual, updated forecasts, and scenarios run before each big decision.
Budgeting and forecasting questions.
Is this a fractional CFO service?
It covers the planning work many owners hire a fractional CFO for: budgeting, forecasting and scenario planning. It doesn’t include board meetings, fundraising, investor relations or managing a finance team.
What is scenario planning?
Building side-by-side versions of your forecast to see what a decision would do before you make it, such as hiring now versus later, or a 5% versus 10% price increase.
How is this different from cash flow forecasting?
Cash flow forecasting looks at cash week by week over the next 13 weeks. Budgeting and scenario planning look at the whole year and test bigger decisions. They work together, and both rely on clean books.
Do I need clean books first?
Yes. Plans and forecasts are only as good as the books behind them. Kellcat can keep your books or bring them current, or your current bookkeeper can stay on.
What’s the difference between a budget and a forecast?
A budget is the plan you set at the start of the year. A forecast is your best current estimate of how the year will actually end, updated as results come in. You need both: the budget shows where you meant to go, the forecast shows where you’re headed.
How often is the plan updated?
Plan vs. actual is reviewed every month, and the full forecast is updated every quarter, or sooner when something big changes.
What does a scenario look like?
Side-by-side versions of your plan, for example hiring in March versus September, showing revenue, costs, profit and cash for each month so you can compare them at a glance.
How much does it cost?
Scope and fees depend on your business and how often you want to plan and review. Both are confirmed in writing after your free Discovery Call.
Where this fits in the three layers.
Local in-person meetings across the south Denver metro: Littleton & south Denver · Highlands Ranch · Centennial · all service areas. Remote service nationwide.
Make the next big decision with the numbers in front of you.
Book a free Discovery Call to talk through your plans for the year.