To replace or train? Inheriting a Finance team in your SMB acquisition doesn't mean you're stuck.

In talking with SMB owners as of late, there's been a recurring theme to the challenges they're facing. Bloated costs? Revenue mix? Nope. "Things are going ok but we think we need to make a change on the Finance team. I'm just not getting what I need." Look, I've inherited my share of Finance teams. There can be real challenges with that - especially in the SMB world where folks are asked to wear multiple hats rather than be a subject matter expert. And I get the gut reaction to default to hiring someone that fits the exact need. But… hiring is expensive 💰 , can carry other organizational implications, and (depending on the size of the business and how the transition is handled) threaten daily operations. ⚠️ By the way, that perfect hire, may or may not be out there and it takes time to find them. ⌛ Another approach? 💡 Consider investing in an engagement with a team that knows what good looks like in operational finance, assesses Finance talent from a depth of experience, and can build a Finance operating playbook for existing team members to follow and improve performance. 📈 You know those sexy buzzwords you hear about? Like "rigor" and "process"? Ok, clearly those aren't sexy, but those disciplined ideals are what improves a Finance team quickly and frees up time to move the function from reporting old news 📰 to proactively driving forward-looking decisions. Fractional CFO leadership can be a great way to establish and own those outcomes.