Outsourced CFO Services in Columbus, OH

Columbus businesses don’t struggle with ambition—they struggle with maintaining financial control as operations scale. Between rising labor costs, tighter margins, capital investments, and expansion into new markets, growth can outpace financial discipline quickly.


When that happens, decisions start relying on instinct instead of insight. Cash flow becomes harder to predict. Risk builds quietly.


Straight Talk CPAs provides fractional CFO leadership for Columbus companies that have outgrown reactive finance. We help leadership teams regain control, sharpen strategy, and make confident decisions as complexity increases.


This isn’t reporting.
This is CFO-level leadership built for real operations.

CFO Leadership for Businesses Scaling Through Execution

Financial Strategy Built Around Cash, Not Just Revenue

Revenue growth looks good on paper.
Cash discipline keeps the business alive.



Our CFO engagements focus on the metrics that actually matter in growing Midwest businesses—cash flow, margin durability, capital efficiency, and financial risk. We help leadership teams understand what growth truly costs and which levers actually improve outcomes.


This is how companies move from chasing growth to controlling it.

In growing Columbus businesses, decisions don’t slow down just because the numbers are unclear. Hiring, pricing, equipment purchases, and expansion still happen—often with incomplete information.


Our fractional CFO services give leadership teams clarity before decisions are made, not explanations after the fact.


Where we create immediate leverage:

  • Identifying cash leaks and margin erosion
  • Translating unit economics into pricing and growth decisions
  • Stabilizing cash flow as payroll and spend increase
  • Stress-testing scenarios before hiring or expansion



One Columbus-based services company improved operating margins by 14% within 90 days after we rebuilt their cost structure and forecasting model.

When Growth Outpaces Financial Control, CFO Insight Matters

In California, tax strategy is inseparable from financial strategy.


Equity compensation, R&D credits, multi-state exposure, sales tax risk, and entity structure all directly affect cash flow and valuation. We integrate tax intelligence directly into CFO planning so growth decisions don’t create downstream surprises.


We help you:

  • Align entity and ownership structures with growth plans
  • Design compensation strategies that protect cash
  • Capture credits and incentives often missed by internal teams
  • Build forward-looking tax projections that support fundraising and scale



This isn’t “looping tax in later.”
Tax is part of the decision model from day one.

Tax Intelligence Built Into Strategic Decisions

Case Study: From Financial Guesswork to Controlled Growth

A Columbus-based manufacturing company came to us as revenue climbed—but clarity didn’t. Margins varied by job, cash flow felt unpredictable, and leadership couldn’t confidently plan beyond the next quarter.


Our CFO engagement focused on control:

  • Rebuilt financial models around margins and cash flow
  • Implemented dashboards tied to production and labor
  • Smoothed cash cycles through AR and vendor timing changes
  • Introduced rolling forecasts linked to hiring and expansion


Results:

  • $82,000 in annualized cost savings identified
  • Predictable cash flow for the first time
  • A clear financial roadmap supporting expansion decisions



Once leadership understood the story behind the numbers, growth became deliberate instead of stressful.

Why Columbus Leaders Choose

Straight Talk CPAs

Executives don’t need more spreadsheets.
They need insight that supports real decisions.

Columbus businesses work with us because we provide:

  • Licensed CPAs with Ohio and multi-state expertise
  • A fractional CFO model built for speed and strategic depth
  • Transparent pricing without confusing retainers
  • Clear, proactive communication that keeps leadership aligned

We don’t operate as an outside vendor.
We operate as part of your leadership layer.

Who Our Fractional CFO Services Are Built For

Our CFO services aren’t for early experimentation.
They’re for Columbus businesses ready for discipline.

We typically work with companies that are:

  • Managing meaningful revenue, spend, or multi-entity complexity
  • Preparing for expansion, acquisition, or financing
  • Operating in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, or professional services
  • Ready to replace reactive finance with structured execution

If growth is accelerating but clarity is lagging, that’s the signal.

Ready for CFO-Level Insight Without Full-Time Overhead?

If decisions feel riskier than they should and cash flow feels harder to predict, it’s time for CFO leadership that matches your pace.

We’ll help you:

  • Understand what’s really driving performance
  • Stabilize cash and margins
  • Make high-stakes decisions with confidence

FAQs

  • What does a fractional CFO actually help with?

    We help with forecasting, cash-flow planning, margin analysis, pricing decisions, KPIs, and decision support—without the cost of a full-time CFO.


  • Is this only for large or venture-backed companies?

    No. We work with growing, privately held businesses that need stronger financial control as complexity increases.


  • Can you help with expansion or acquisition planning?

    Yes. We help model scenarios, assess risk, and prepare financials so leadership can move forward with confidence.


  • How quickly do businesses see value from CFO services?

    Most clients gain meaningful clarity within the first 30–60 days once financial drivers and reporting are rebuilt.


  • How do I know if I’m ready for a fractional CFO?

    If growth decisions feel stressful, cash flow is unpredictable, or financial clarity lags behind operations—that’s usually the sign.