For many SMEs, the pressure of scaling without the right financial leadership, for example, quickly turns opportunity into overwhelm. It’s a pattern seen regularly by Sara Daw, CEO of The CFO Centre, which specialises in providing fractional CFOs who work with businesses on a part-time – but usually long-term – basis to help them achieve specific business goals. The fractional model means having a senior-level expert who sits on the board, without the full-time overhead. 

Daw comments: “We have seen a significant increase in the number of CEOs recognising the need to bolster their team when it comes to scaling up their business. Let’s be clear, growing and scaling are not the same thing. Growth often means ‘more’ – more sales, more staff and often more stress. Scaling, on the other hand, is about doing more with less. It’s about increasing revenue efficiently and sustainably, without your cost base or operational complexity rising at the same pace.

“To scale successfully, you need structure, clarity, and a financial strategy that supports the pace of your ambition. For many small and medium-sized businesses, that kind of expertise is not always in-house so a fractional CFO can be the perfect solution.

“We work with SME leaders every day who are brilliant at running their business but find themselves stuck in a whirlwind as they grow. In short, they’re growing before they’re truly ready, without the infrastructure, insight or leadership required to scale.”

The CFO Centre works with over 800 businesses in the UK and Ireland and Sara says there are some common missteps that they see when it comes to scaling up.

She continues: “The critical success factor is clarity on where the business is now. All too often we see unclear financial reporting, a lack of cash management, which is being stretched by rising demand, and no visibility on funding needs. It can be incredibly hard for leaders to have the time and head space to plan beyond the day-to-day, and that’s often the trigger for bringing in a fractional CFO.”

Like any successful building project, scaling needs solid foundations. In business, that means the right processes, systems, leadership, and a business model that is fit for the future. At this stage, says Daw, experience is one of the best investments a founder can make.

“CEOs need more than just ’the numbers person’, they need a strategic partner who can help business owners test growth scenarios, understand where value is being created (or lost), and identify gaps in systems, people, or structure before they become roadblocks.

“An experienced CFO can build integrated financial models that provide the clarity needed to make informed decisions. They’ll improve your visibility of profit at a product or customer level, tighten reporting, and prepare your business for future investment.”

“Scaling often means investing in people, infrastructure, or equipment so businesses need to raise the right funds, at the right time, and on the right terms. That might mean preparing for bank lending, securing private investment, or restructuring existing finance arrangements to support your future goals.”

Sara says that one of the biggest benefits of a fractional CFO is the flexibility it offers. “You gain access to high-level expertise without the commitment or cost of a full-time hire, which is a major advantage when you’re scaling fast and need to invest your resources wisely,” she says. “And more than just technical capability, fractional CFOs bring something just as valuable: perspective. They’ve seen businesses scale, stall and soar – and they know what it takes to navigate each stage successfully.”

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