A great idea is the foundation of many businesses and startups. When an idea catches on and the products or services are in high demand, the firm finds itself in the course of a rapidly expanding business. Unless the entrepreneur is also a financial expert, the one thing they’d struggle with is financial management.
Hiring a or outsourcing CFO Uk is a crucial step forward in developing any business. You don’t want to approach the issue with a “one-size-fits-all” perspective because every business is different. When Outsourcing a CFO, it’s easy to get confused about whether to employ an in-house CFO or use Virtual CFO services for critical decisions.
The answer will likely depend on your company and what you want from your CFO. We will compare the two based on some of the fundamental differences.
Who is a CFO?
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the person in charge of a company’s finances. They are responsible for analysing financial data, reporting financial performance, and cost management, among other things.
A CFO for businesses is an essential part of any organisation, and their responsibilities are not limited to the management of the firm’s financial resources. They decide on the company’s capital structure and when and where to invest.
Virtual CFO is outsourcing the work that offers financial assistance to an organisation. It is more cost-effective and efficient than hiring an in-house CFO. As a result, by using Virtual CFO Services, you can access highly qualified financial specialists that can help you increase your cash flow and profitability without spending a fortune.
While all CFOs will assist your company’s financial management systems and processes, you should hire or contract with a CFO based on your specific needs.
Different types of CFO Hires
CFOs collaborate with businesses in a variety of ways, which includes the following:
Full-time CFO
When most people think of an in-house CFO, they imagine a full-time position. Companies will often hire full-time CFOs having annual revenues of $10 million or more to handle daily financial management and any situation that puts operations in instability.
Fractional CFO
A fractional CFO works part-time with numerous businesses to fill out their workweek. Organisations with annual revenues of less than $10 million that require constant CFO expertise may seek fractional assistance to meet their needs.
Interim CFO
Interim CFOs work with companies to manage their financial demands for a limited time. They provide part- or full-time services for specified periods, usually one to twelve months, instead of fractional CFOs who work part-time.
Virtual CFO
A virtual CFO is a cross between a fractional and interim CFO and frequently engages with your company through remote work, phone calls and web conferences. They are also known as outsourced CFOs.
It’s worth noting that these many CFO types overlap, and the titles are interchangeably used. For instance, a full-time remote CFO could be considered “virtual,” while any form of CFO who provides services from your office is regarded as “in-house.”
Choosing between in-house and virtual CFO services
1. Finance and accounting costs
A full-time or in-house CFO comes with a price tag including salaries, office space, software, and equipment. The expense of onboarding and training new CFO recruits, for example, is extraordinarily high. Furthermore, selecting and implementing an effective digital accounting platform is a significant expenditure for organisations in and of itself.
Businesses can save money by using an outsourced CFO service. This model accounts for all expenses associated with people, processes, consistent, and predictable systems.
2. Responsibilities
An in-house CFO oversees and manages the financial aspects of the company where they work. As a result, they are responsible to stakeholders, Board members, and employees. The accounting team assists the CFO in preparing a roadmap for the company’s future success.
VCFO extends all CFO functions; however, they are only provided when the company demands them. Financial planning, reporting, and strategic services are provided without hiring a CFO or accounting staff.
Furthermore, because the VCFO has its team, it can simultaneously handle many financial services for various businesses. You will only have to pay for the services you rendered to VCFO.
3. Expertise and strategic financial management
The organisation is closely associated with an in-house CFO. Such close involvement in the firm’s operations assists the in-house CFO in developing detailed financial strategies and proposals.
The in-house CFO may devise elaborate plans because they completely understand the firm and its activities. Making strategic plans, monitoring their implementation, and adjusting necessary modifications is simple for an in-house CFO, which is always beneficial to any firm.
A VCFO works with various clients and is exposed to different situations and issues. The VCFO can give intelligent solutions with a broad client base with excellent outcomes. Because of their overall vision, they know the right financial approach that works flawlessly in any case.
Such a wide range of financial management skills saves them time making trial-and-error decisions and guarantees their clients profit.
4. Security level
According to a survey, fraud costs the average corporation roughly 7% of its annual earnings. A regular business has a small team of finance professionals, say two or three. As a result, just a few financial professionals have complete authority over the finance department, and such companies are subject to fraud.
Small and medium-sized firms can benefit from an outsourced CFO service to help them overcome this obstacle. It has a dedicated team of accountants who work within a system of regulations and controls. The outsourced CFO services professionals are highly trustworthy, dependable, and reputable.
They give business executives consistent and accurate data reporting and data analysis. Furthermore, these people speed up the implementation of new processes and software. As a result, business executives profit from the company’s highly secure technology stack.
5. Revenues and size
The essential factor to consider before deciding between an on-site CFO and a virtual CFO is the size and revenue of your business. While this isn’t a rule of thumb or a guide, many companies don’t engage an on-site or in-house CFO if their assets or gross revenues are less than USD$10 million.
You’ll have to pay full-time salaries and benefits if you hire an on-site or in-house CFO. You’ll also need to provide benefits like paid time off. You should carefully consider whether paying for all of these costs is worthwhile.
Hiring an on-site or in-house CFO may be cost-effective if you have a lot of work to perform and accomplish in your financial management. If you have a lot of daily activities that need to be supervised by a CFO and many accounting statements and reports that need to be completed every week or month, you may need to hire an on-site CFO.
However, if the work that has to be done can be done remotely, you might want to think about hiring a virtual CFO.
6. Focus on core
Entrepreneurs lack the experience and knowledge required to perform specialised duties such as financial management. They lack the information and skills necessary to report and analyse the company’s economic activity.
As a result, businesses require the assistance of skilled financial professionals who can lead them to success. They need strategic counsel from CFOs competent at managing a company’s accounting difficulties.
Businesses can address this gap with the help of virtual or outsourced CFOs. They offer a business with a financial strategy and allow owners to focus on their primary businesses. They also set safeguards to guarantee that a company does not spend more than it is supposed to.
Providing such services offers business owners adequate time to concentrate on expansion. When it comes to hiring in-house CFOs, this is a difficult task as they have to keep a check on the whole team. To handle accounting and bookkeeping, business owners must collaborate with full-time VCFOs.
Final thoughts
While both in-house and Virtual CFOs offer advantages in certain situations, it’s worth noting that VCFOs are becoming more widespread in the business world. When deciding between an in-house vs a virtual CFO, consider the size of your company.
If your company has reached the point where it requires the services of a CFO, a VCFO might be an excellent choice because they offer significant cost advantages.
