LEVELS OF SUPPORT
HOW TO READ THIS
You don’t need to know finance language to read this.
You don’t need to diagnose yourself.
You don’t need to know what kind of help you need yet.
Most founders don’t come to Ondara because they lack intelligence or effort.
They come because something feels heavy, unclear, misaligned, or unsustainable — and pushing harder isn’t fixing it.
This document is not a menu and it’s not a ladder.
It’s a set of containers, each designed to meet a founder at a different moment.
A few things to know before you keep reading:
- These tiers are not judgments about success or failure.
- Starting in a higher tier does not mean your business is “in trouble.”
- Starting in a lower tier does not mean your business is “small” or “early.”
Each engagement exists to answer a different question:
- Do I need clarity and an external perspective?
- Do I need help understanding what the numbers are actually saying?
- Does the structure no longer fit the reality of the business?
- Do decisions need to be made under time pressure?
You don’t have to answer those questions alone.
How selection actually works
Most founders arrive with symptoms, not diagnoses:
- mental load
- financial anxiety
- decision fatigue
- stalled momentum
- a sense that “something is off”
Part of the work is naming the real constraint together.
If you’re unsure which tier fits, that’s expected.
We decide collaboratively — with honesty, clarity, and no pressure to over-buy.
You’ll never be upsold silently or locked into something that doesn’t serve you.
This work is about alignment, not force.
MENTORSHIP
This coaching engagement is designed for founders who are navigating complexity, volatility, or transition and need a trusted strategic partner, not execution support.
- How decisions are being made
- What patterns are showing up across the business
- Where misalignment (financial, emotional, or structural) is creating drag
- How to sequence growth without adding unnecessary risk
This is thinking work, not doing work.
$500/month
SCOPE DETAILS
- 1–2 calls per month (60 minutes each)
- Founder-led agenda
- Space to:
- Pressure-test decisions
- Talk through uncertainty
- Identify blind spots
- Reframe fear-based choices into strategic ones
What this means for you:
You stop carrying the weight of decisions alone and gain clarity before committing time, money, or people.
- Discussion of existing financials as context, not analysis
- Identification of recurring patterns:
- Cash anxiety
- Pricing hesitation
- Over-responsibility
- Avoidance
- Misaligned incentives
- Verbal scenario thinking (no models, no spreadsheets)
What this means for you:
You understand what your business is signaling without getting buried in numbers or false precision.
- Monthly strategic CFO session (2x 60 minute calls or 1x 120 minute call)
- Ongoing email support for financial decisions
- Accountability around financial habits, leadership and avoidance patterns
- Founder to CEO transition support
- Guidance on financial communication with team or partners
- Clarifying what the business is asking of you as a leader
- Surfacing identity-level tension (founder vs CEO, creator vs operator)
- Supporting transitions without rushing structure
What this means for you:
You make decisions that align with your values and capacity — not just what feels urgent.
- Founders in early growth or volatility
- Leaders protecting cash while stabilizing
- Business owners who want clarity, not execution
- People who value reflection, honesty, and long-term thinking
- CFO Financial Report
- Rolling 13 week cash flow
- KPI Dashboard
- Priority tasks for each upcoming month
What this means for you:
You'll always know your 2-3 priorities for the month - no more spinning, no more overwhelm. Evey report turns into clear action steps, so you can move your business forward with confidence and stop losing energy wondering what you should focus on.
- Founders looking for someone to “handle the numbers”
- Businesses actively restructuring or adding entities
- Teams needing systems, dashboards, or operational support
- Anyone expecting hands-on work at this level
This section is intentional and non-negotiable.
This engagement does not include:
- Bookkeeping, accounting, or financial cleanup
- Financial modeling, forecasting, or budgeting
- Cash flow builds or KPI dashboards
- Pricing models or capacity math
- Division or entity design
- Equity, partner, or compensation modeling
- Board meeting prep or attendance
- Slack or email access between sessions
- Operational execution or task management
If any of the above becomes necessary, the work must be upgraded to a CFO engagement or scoped separately.
If and when the business reaches a point where:
- Financial modeling is required
- Structural decisions are imminent
- Additional entities or partners are being considered
We will pause and discuss whether a fractional CFO engagement is a better fit.
FAQS
If you’re overwhelmed by numbers → Translation CFO
If you’re stressed about cash → Triage CFO
If the business no longer works as designed → Turnaround CFO
If you’re unsure, we’ll decide together.
We pause, name it, and re-scope.
No surprise upgrades, no silent scope creep.
We want happy, healthy clients, not clients bound by a rigid contract.
Honesty, engagement, self-awareness and willingness to look at reality.
Ego containment. This work can be emotional, I understand the stakes of burnout, business ownership and the stresses that come with.
The precondition of knowledge - is ignorance. You won't know everything, and neither will I. That is ok. Vulnerability in this work will lead to faster results as there are less barriers to break down in the process.
This work only works if you’re willing to participate in it.
This is not therapy, not bookkeeping, not operational management, and not avoidance.
It’s strategic, grounded, and collaborative.
It's an outside perspective of your business with a CFO lens, that helps you focus on the most urgent financial needs of your business.
We do this always with you and your vision in mind.
Not eveyone has the same goals, cash is always first, and the rest should be aligned with your values.
I have direct CFO experience in retail, manufacturing, services, wholesale, non-profits, and financial firms. I have accounting, audit + review experience in banking, non-profits, SaaS, online retail, traditional retail, restaurants, food + beverage, construction, and financial services.
While I am a CFO - I am not a traditional CFO in all senses of the word. Everything we do comes with the backbone of the financial health of your business. But my astute pattern recongition abilities and breadth of knowledge across industries are hwo i am able to cross contaminate experiences from problems in industries that are traditionally unrelated.
The question you are really asking is, am I going to slow you down, will i understand you, and will i have to learn your industry. The work does require some learning, but it will not be from 0. All companies utilize an income statement for a reason. There are commonalities amongst all industries. This is what I bring. You are deeply knowledgeable in your industry and that is what you bring to the table. That is the collaboration between us. I do not expect your compliance, I expect you to stand in that knowledge so that together, we forge a path forward based on both of our expertise.
For all of my work history you can visit my LinkedIn here.
While I cannot always give out client information for direct referrals, I do have case studies from real businesses who have benefited from the work we do. Read More >>
FINANCIAL COACHING
Financial Clarity · Pattern Translation · Decision Support
The most common starting point for founders
This engagement is designed for founders who have financial data but lack clarity, confidence, or narrative around what the numbers actually mean.
- Translating financials into insight
- Identifying patterns before they become problems
- Supporting better, faster decisions
- Reducing financial overwhelm without adding complexity
This is interpretive CFO work, not execution-heavy finance. Most founders start here once they realize the numbers aren’t the problem—interpretation is.
$2,500 - $5,500/month
SCOPE DETAILS
- Monthly review of P&L, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow
- Pattern identification across revenue, payroll, margins, and volatility
- Variance discussion (what changed, why it matters)
- Financial narrative tied to real decisions
What this means for you:
You stop staring at reports without knowing what to do. You understand what the business is rewarding, where pressure is building, and what decisions actually matter next.
- Cash runway discussion
- Timing awareness around payroll, tax, and major expenses
What this means for you:
You’re no longer surprised by cash dips or forced into reactive decisions. You see pressure coming early and have time to respond intentionally.3. Founder Alignment & Leadership Support
- Clarifying what the business is asking of you as a leader
- Surfacing identity-level tension (founder vs CEO, creator vs operator)
- Supporting transitions without rushing structure
What this means for you:
You make decisions that align with your values and capacity — not just what feels urgent.
- 1–2 CFO calls per month (60 minutes each)
- Decision-focused agendas
- Guidance on pricing tension, hiring timing, and spending discipline
What this means for you:
You make decisions with context, not anxiety — and you stop second-guessing yourself after the fact.
- Founders with clean books but unclear insight
- Businesses past survival, not yet scaling
- Owners who want clarity before complexity
- Founders looking for someone to “handle the numbers”
- Businesses actively restructuring or adding entities
- Anyone expecting hands-on work at this level
This engagement does not include:
- Bookkeeping or accounting cleanup
- Financial modeling or long-term forecasting
- Budget builds or multi-scenario planning
- Entity restructuring or partner modeling
- Board participation
- Operational execution
If deeper modeling or structural work is required, the engagement must be upgraded or separately scoped.
When the business is about to or is going through shifts:
- Structural decisions
- Capacity modeling
- Growth or contraction scenarios
- Cash flow struggles
- Looking for funding (Investors, crowdfunding, partnerships, joint ventures, grants, loans, etc.)
We will pause and discuss whether a Triage CFO or Turnaround CFO engagement is appropriate.
These are lightweight, interpretive artifacts, not heavy reporting packages.
- Monthly CFO Financial Summary (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow — interpreted, not prepared)
- 13-week cash flow overview (reviewed and updated monthly)
- Monthly written CFO narrative:
- What changed
- Why it matters
- What to pay attention to next
- Identified KPIs and financial pressure points
- Clear monthly priority focus (2–3 decisions that actually matter)
This is the tier where founders stop feeling stuck or behind.
- Reduced financial overwhelm and second-guessing
- Confidence in pricing, hiring timing, and spending decisions
- Ability to explain the business clearly to partners, team, or advisors
- Relief from feeling like you “should understand this better by now”
- A shift from reactive decision-making to intentional leadership
FAQS
No.
Bookkeeping and accounting record what already happened. This engagement is about interpreting those numbers so you can make better decisions going forward.
No.
I don’t touch transactions or manage your books. I work from your existing financials and translate what they’re telling us.
They don’t need to be perfect — they need to be directionally reliable.
If accuracy issues are blocking insight, we’ll name that clearly and discuss next steps.
Your accountant ensures compliance.
I help you understand how the business is actually behaving and what decisions the numbers are pointing to.
You should expect less second-guessing, fewer “Am I missing something?” moments, and more confidence in everyday decisions like pricing, spending, and timing.
No.
This tier is designed to bring clarity without forcing complexity or long commitments.
You can upgrade or pause as your needs change.
FRACTIONAL CFO
When the business has outgrown its current design
This engagement is designed for businesses experiencing financial pressure, volatility, or instability that requires immediate attention.
The goal is not growth — it is stability, control, and clarity.
This is hands-on CFO work focused on stopping financial bleeding, restoring predictability, and buying the business time.
$5,500 - $7,500/month
SCOPE DETAILS
- Rapid review of cash position and obligations
- 13-week cash flow rebuilt and actively managed
- Identification of urgent risks (payroll, taxes, vendors)
What this means for you:
You know exactly how much time and flexibility you have — no guessing, no denial, no panic.
- Payroll analysis relative to revenue reality
- Expense containment recommendations
- Identification of non-negotiables vs flexible costs
What this means for you:
You stop bleeding quietly and start making intentional tradeoffs instead of hoping things improve.
- Rapid decision support
- Clear prioritization: what matters now vs later
What this means for you:
You regain control in moments that normally lead to avoidance or burnout.Who This Is For
- Founders with clean books but unclear insight
- Businesses past survival, not yet scaling
- Owners who want clarity before complexity
- Businesses under financial stress
- Founders losing sleep over cash
- Teams who need containment before vision
This engagement does not include:
- Long-term growth planning
- Expansion modeling
- New entity design
- Partner or equity structuring
Those only happen after stability is restored.
Once stability is achieved, the engagement can shift into Translation CFO or Turnaround CFO, depending on next goals.
These deliverables are time-sensitive and protective, not polished.
- Rebuilt and actively manage 13-week cash flow
- Cash runway assessment (how much time you actually have)
- Pricing, customer acquisition costs, conversion rate, retention rate, client diversity and risk analysis
- Payroll and fixed-cost pressure analysis
- Expense containment recommendations (what can move vs what can’t)
- Short-term financial action plan (what must happen now, next, and later)
- Increased meeting cadence and documented decision checkpoints
This is the tier where panic turns into clarity.
- Relief from constant financial anxiety and mental load
- Ability to sleep, think, and lead again
- Confidence that you are no longer “missing something big”
- Regaining agency instead of avoiding the numbers
- Emotional containment during a stressful phase
FAQS
Not necessarily.
This is for businesses experiencing stress, volatility, or loss of control — even if they’re still generating revenue.
We immediately focus on cash, payroll, and obligations.
The goal is to understand how much flexibility you actually have and remove uncertainty quickly.
I won’t force decisions — but I won’t avoid reality either.
If hard choices are necessary, we’ll talk through them clearly and thoughtfully.
More frequently than other tiers.
When a business is under pressure, waiting a month between conversations isn’t appropriate.
No.
This phase is about stability, control, and buying the business time. Growth comes later — if and when it makes sense.
You should feel less panicked, less alone, and more grounded.
This is the phase where founders usually sleep better and stop avoiding their numbers.
TIME-BOUND RESTRUCTURE
Structural change under real constraints
This engagement is for businesses that are fundamentally misaligned — structurally, financially, or operationally — and require a deliberate reset within a short time period.
This is rebuilding the business so it actually works.
$7,500 and up
SCOPE DETAILS
- Deep review of revenue model, pricing, payroll, and capacity
- Identification of root causes (not symptoms)
- Honest assessment of what is viable vs unsustainable
What this means for you:
You stop trying to fix the wrong problems and finally understand what actually needs to change.
- Capacity and utilization modeling
- Role and payroll realignment
- Scenario planning for different futures
What this means for you:
The business stops fighting you. The math starts supporting reality instead of contradicting it.
- Support through difficult decisions
- Clear sequencing of change
- Accountability through implementation phases
What this means for you:
You regain agency and stop carrying a business that no longer fits.
- Businesses that grew without structure
- Founders at a breaking point
- Companies that need redesign, not advice
- Cash reserves has fallen below 90 DCOH and something must change ASAP
This engagement does not include:
- Passive oversight
- Cosmetic fixes
- Avoidance of hard truths
This is not comfortable work — it is necessary work.
Once the business is stabilized and redesigned, ongoing support may shift to Translation CFO or Growth CFO (future tier).
These are foundational artifacts — the math behind a different future.
- Full financial and structural diagnosis (what is actually broken vs symptomatic)
- Redesigned pricing and revenue logic
- Capacity and utilization model aligned with reality
- Scenario models for different future paths (not just one plan)
- Payroll and role realignment recommendations
- Sequenced roadmap for structural change
- Clear “stop / start / continue” guidance
This is the tier where founders stop forcing reality and start rebuilding with flow + integrity.
- Acceptance of hard truths without shame or paralysis
- Relief from carrying a business that no longer fits
- Clarity on what is viable vs what needs to be let go
- Reclaiming leadership authority and self-trust
- The sense that the business is finally working with you, not against you
The tangible deliverables support the work. The real value is the clarity, relief, and confidence that allow you to lead the business forward.
FAQS
Triage stabilizes the business.
Turnaround redesigns it.
This work addresses root causes, not just symptoms.
Not necessarily.
It means the structure no longer matches the vision — or the business outgrew its original design.
Yes.
This work requires honesty, accountability, and a willingness to let go of what isn’t working.
It’s not cosmetic.
That’s normal.
We’ll move at a pace that’s firm but humane.
The goal is alignment, not shock therapy.
Clear direction, a redesigned financial foundation, and a business that can realistically support you — not drain you.
No.
This work has a beginning, middle, and end.
Once the business is stable and redesigned, support typically shifts to a different tier.
CASE STUDIES
This founder had clean books, a strong skillset, and enough time — but no momentum. What looked like an operational problem was actually avoidance wrapped in intelligence. Once we named the pattern and replaced perfectionism with micro-execution, they began taking consistent action for the first time in years.
Learn more → Full Case Study
This organization feared a financial collapse, but the real issue was structural opacity. Once we rebuilt visibility and created the first true program-level financials in 20 years, the entire leadership posture shifted from fear to strategy. They regained clarity, stability, and emotional margin — and the organization finally aligned with its size.
Learn more → Full Case Study
CURIOUS ABOUT ONDARA?
You can read the founder dossier here, about how + why the business was founded and the guiding principals used in business practice.