How Healthy Are Your
Business Finances?

What This Financial Health Assessment Actually Measures

Most business owners know something is off with their finances. They just can't point to what. This financial health assessment scores your business across 25 questions in 5 categories. It takes about 4 minutes. You get a number. That number tells you where you stand — and where you're bleeding money.

No fluff. No sales pitch disguised as a quiz. Just a business financial health check built from patterns we've seen across hundreds of SMB engagements.

The 5 Categories We Score

Your CFO readiness scorecard breaks down into five areas. Each one maps to a real operational risk:

• Financial Reporting & Close Process. How fast do you close your books each month? Businesses that close within 5 days of month-end grow 2.3x faster than those that take 3+ weeks. If you're still waiting until the 20th to see last month's numbers, you're flying blind.
• Cash Flow Management. 67% of businesses that fail cite cash flow problems as the primary cause. Not revenue. Not margins. Cash flow. This section checks whether you actually know your cash position — or just guess.
• Financial Planning & Forecasting. A budget is not a forecast. We measure whether you have rolling forecasts, scenario models, and variance analysis. Companies with 13-week cash flow forecasts are 4x less likely to face a liquidity crisis.
• Controls & Compliance. Segregation of duties. Bank reconciliations. Approval workflows. These aren't bureaucracy — they're the difference between catching a $50,000 error in week one and discovering it at year-end audit.
• Strategic Finance & KPIs. Do you track metrics that actually drive decisions? Revenue per employee. Customer acquisition cost. Gross margin by service line. If your monthly reporting is just a P&L and balance sheet, you're missing 80% of the picture.

What Your Score Means

Your financial reporting assessment produces a score from 0 to 100. Here's how to read it:

• 80–100: Strong. Your financial operations are solid. You likely have a controller or CFO already. Focus on optimization — tighter forecasts, better KPI dashboards, board-ready reporting.
• 60–79: Moderate. The foundation exists but gaps are showing. You're probably making some decisions on gut feel when data should be driving them. A fractional controller engagement closes these gaps in 60–90 days.
• 40–59: At Risk. Significant blind spots. Cash flow surprises are likely. Your month-end close is slow or inconsistent. This is where most businesses are when they first reach out to us.
• Below 40: Critical. You're operating without the financial infrastructure your business needs. Every month without action increases your exposure. The good news: the biggest improvements come in the first 90 days.

Why Financial Health Matters for SMBs

Here's the thing about small and mid-size businesses: you don't have a margin for error. Enterprise companies can absorb a bad quarter. A $2M–$20M business can't.

82% of small businesses fail due to cash flow mismanagement. Not because the product was bad. Not because the team was wrong. Because nobody was watching the numbers closely enough.

A proper financial health assessment catches problems early. It identifies where your reporting lags, where your controls are weak, and where you're spending money you shouldn't be. It's the difference between a surprise and a forecast.

When to Bring in a Fractional CFO or Controller

Not every business needs a full-time CFO. Most businesses between $1M and $20M in revenue need about 20–40 hours per month of senior financial leadership. That's a fractional engagement.

You should consider a fractional controller or CFO when:

• Your books aren't closed until the 15th of the following month (or later)
• You can't answer "what's our cash position in 90 days?" within 30 seconds
• You're preparing for a raise, acquisition, or major growth phase
• Your bookkeeper is doing work above their skill level
• You scored below 60 on this assessment

The cost of a fractional CFO typically runs $3,000–$8,000 per month. The cost of not having one? Ask any founder who's had a cash crisis. It's always more.

Financial Health Assessment FAQ

How long does this financial health assessment take?

About 4 minutes. There are 25 questions across 5 categories. You don't need any documents in front of you — just honest answers about how your business operates today. Your results are instant.

Is my assessment data kept confidential?

Yes. Your responses are processed in your browser and are not stored on our servers. Your score and category breakdown stay on your screen until you close the page. If you choose to book a discovery call, we'll discuss your results together — but nothing is saved or shared without your permission.

What's the difference between a controller and a CFO?

A controller owns the accuracy of your numbers. Month-end close, reconciliations, financial statements, compliance. A CFO owns the strategy built on top of those numbers. Forecasting, fundraising, pricing strategy, board reporting. Most businesses need controller-level work first. You can't build strategy on bad data. If your score is below 60, start with a controller. Above 60, you're ready for CFO-level advisory.

Can I retake the assessment later?

Yes. In fact, we recommend retaking it every 90 days. Financial health isn't static. As you implement changes — faster closes, better forecasting, tighter controls — your score should climb. Businesses that work with us typically improve their score by 15–25 points in the first quarter.