How to choose a fractional cfo in dallas, texas

A guide for business owners running $1M to $20M companies.

The right fractional CFO has worked with businesses your size, prices in a way you can predict, and gives you forward-looking numbers within the first 30 days. This guide shows you how to test for all three.

Are you ready for a fractional CFO?

Most Dallas businesses are ready once revenue passes $1M and the owner can no longer answer basic money questions with confidence. Here is how to check.

Signs you're ready:

  • Revenue is growing, but cash is unpredictable from month to month.

  • You don't know your true margin by product, service, or location.

  • You're making a big decision soon, like hiring, opening a second location, taking on debt, or raising prices.

  • Your bookkeeper sends reports, but nobody tells you what they mean or what to do next.

  • A bank, investor, or buyer is asking for forecasts you can't produce.

  • You're the one holding all the financial knowledge, and it's wearing you out.

Signs you're not ready yet:

  • Revenue is under $1M and your main need is basic bookkeeping and tax filing.

  • You aren't open to changing how you run things, even when the numbers point to a better way.

  • You don't have time to meet with our team each month.

  • You aren't interested in what your numbers are telling you or in setting goals to guide your decisions.

If you're not ready yet, that's okay. Start by learning to read your own P&L and setting a few clear goals for the year. That foundation makes a CFO far more valuable when the time comes.

Bookkeeper, controller, fractional CFO, or full-time CFO?

A bookkeeper tells you what happened, a controller makes sure it's accurate, and a CFO tells you what to do next. Most $1M to $20M businesses need all three functions but can't afford three full-time hires, which is where a fractional CFO fits.

  • Bookkeeper: Records transactions and reconciles accounts. Looks backward. Every business needs one from day one.

  • Controller: Closes the books monthly, checks accuracy, and owns reporting. Best for businesses with growing transaction volume.

  • Fractional CFO: Cash flow forecasting, pricing, budgets, strategy, and capital decisions. Looks forward. Best for businesses that need strategy without a full-time salary.

  • Full-time CFO: All of the above, every day, plus leading a finance team. Usually for much larger companies.

A full-time CFO in Dallas typically costs well over $175,000 a year in salary alone. A fractional CFO gives you that level of thinking for a fraction of that cost.

What does a fractional CFO cost in Dallas?

In our experience, fractional CFO support for a $1M to $20M business runs $3,000 to $12,000 + a month, depending on how much support you need.

What moves the price:

Scope. Oversight and monthly reporting cost less than forecasting, scenario modeling, and strategy sessions.

Complexity. Multiple locations, entities, inventory, or payroll-heavy models take more time.

Book quality. If your books need cleanup first, expect a one-time project fee.

Pricing model. A flat monthly retainer is easier to budget than hourly billing, where every call adds up.

TFO Clarity charges a fixed monthly retainer starting at $3,000, with no surprises. I've seen other firms send bills that spike for no clear reason. A flat fee means you always know the impact on your cash flow. Your investment depends on the level of support you need.

TFO Clarity
Tier - What it includes

Clarity Foundation - Monthly close, reporting package, monthly review

Clarity Control - Everything in Foundation, plus rolling forecasts, budget to actual, and variance analysis

Clarity Command - Everything in Control, plus scenario models, quarterly strategy, and executive accountability

A useful rule: a good fractional CFO should find or protect more money than they cost, through better pricing, tighter cash management, or avoiding mistakes.

8 questions to ask before you hire

The best way to compare fractional CFOs is to ask every candidate the same questions and listen for specific answers, not polished ones.

1. Have you actually worked as a CFO? Some firms offer CFO services without ever holding the role. Ask which companies they served as CFO and what decisions they were responsible for. Keep in mind, a CFO who mostly serves $30M+ companies may not understand a $2M business where the owner still wears every hat.

2. Have you worked in my industry? Restaurants, salons, eCommerce, manufacturing, and service firms all have different margin drivers.

3. Who will actually do the work? Ask whether you'll work with the person you're meeting or be handed off to a junior team member.

4. How do you price, and what's included? Get the monthly fee, what it covers, and what costs extra in writing.

5. What will I have in the first 30 days? A clear answer sounds like a financial review and a cash flow forecast, not "we'll get to know your business."

6. How often will we meet, and what happens in those meetings? Monthly reviews should be about decisions ahead, not just last month's numbers.

7. What software do you work in? Make sure they're comfortable in your system, whether that's QuickBooks, Xero, or something else.

8. Can I talk to a current client? A confident CFO will connect you with someone who can speak to the results.

Red flags to watch for

Walk away, or at least slow down, if you notice any of these:

Vague pricing. If they can't tell you what it costs and what's included, expect surprises on the invoice.

Only backward-looking reports. If everything they show you is about last month, you're hiring a bookkeeper at CFO rates.

No questions about your goals. A good CFO asks where you want the business to be in three to five years before they talk about numbers.

Jargon instead of answers. You should leave every meeting understanding your numbers better, not feeling lost.

No way out. A fair agreement lets you cancel with reasonable written notice. A confident firm keeps clients with results, not fine print.

No clear owner. If you can't tell who is responsible for your financial strategy, nobody is.

How TFO Clarity approaches it

30+ Years of Financial Experience. Real CFO Leadership. Proven Business Perspective.

TFO Clarity (The Financial Office) is a Dallas, Texas-based fractional CFO and accounting advisory firm founded in 2019 by Tina O'Banion, MBA, a financial executive with more than 30 years of experience in accounting, financial management, and strategic business leadership.

Before founding TFO Clarity, Tina spent more than a decade serving in CFO leadership roles, gaining firsthand experience navigating the financial complexities, operational challenges, and critical decisions that come with running and growing a business.

Today, Tina and the TFO Clarity team serve established businesses with annual revenues generally ranging from $1 million to $20 million, providing financial oversight, accounting expertise, cash flow management, forecasting, and strategic CFO guidance.

Every engagement follows the Financial C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Method, a seven-step system I developed and wrote about in The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Code:

Calculate where you stand today.

List goals for the business and for you.

Assemble a plan to get there.

Review and budget so every dollar has a job.

Identify profit leaks and opportunities.

Track progress every month.

Yield results you can measure.

We're the best fit if you:

Own and run a business, whether you started it or bought it, with revenue between $1M and $20M, especially in eCommerce, retail, salons, event venues, manufacturing, or consumer products.

Are profitable or close to it, but feel the strain of growth.

Want a partner who will explain the numbers in plain language and hold you accountable.

Case in point: One client came to us in the middle of a sales tax audit. As we worked through it, we found they had been paying sales tax on something that should never have been taxed. We recovered more than $100,000 in overpaid sales tax from the past four years. That's the kind of money that hides in plain sight until someone looks.

Our office is at 13612 Midway Rd, Suite 601, near Addison in Farmers Branch, and we work with business owners across Dallas-Fort Worth and nationwide.

Frequently asked questions

What does a fractional CFO do?

A fractional CFO is a part-time chief financial officer who handles cash flow forecasting, budgeting, pricing, and financial strategy for a monthly fee, without the cost of a full-time hire.

How much does a fractional CFO cost in Dallas?

For a $1M to $20M business, fractional CFO support typically runs $3,000 to $12,000 a month, depending on scope and complexity. TFO Clarity starts at a flat $3,000 a month.

What revenue should my business have before hiring one?

Most businesses benefit once they pass about $1M in annual revenue and are facing bigger decisions about growth, hiring, or cash.

Is a fractional CFO the same as a bookkeeper?

No. A bookkeeper records what already happened. A fractional CFO uses those numbers to plan what happens next.

Do fractional CFO firms provide accounting services?

Many don't, but at TFO Clarity we believe accurate numbers lead to better decisions. Our team of accountants and controllers keeps your books accurate, so every decision is built on numbers you can trust.

Do I need to be in Dallas to work with a Dallas fractional CFO?

No. Many firms, including TFO Clarity, work with clients virtually across the country, and we sometimes travel to meet clients in person.

How long does a typical engagement last?

At TFO Clarity, agreements run for one year, with the option to cancel with 60 days' written notice. Most of our clients stay three years or more, because the value grows as forecasting and monthly reviews become a habit.

What sets TFO Clarity Apart?

Unlike advisory firms that focus exclusively on financial strategy, TFO Clarity combines experienced CFO leadership with a team of accounting and controller professionals. This integrated approach helps ensure that financial decisions are supported by accurate, reliable information.

Tina is also the author of the Amazon bestselling The C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Code and its companion workbook, which introduce her proprietary seven-step Financial C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Method for building stronger financial foundations and making more informed business decisions.

TFO Clarity works with businesses throughout Dallas-Fort Worth and nationwide, helping owners move beyond simply reviewing financial statements to understanding what their numbers mean for the future.

Because financial clarity isn't just about knowing your numbers. It's about knowing what to do with them. you're a Dallas business owner doing $1M to $20M and your numbers aren't keeping up with your growth, let's talk.

Take the Financial C.L.A.R.I.T.Y. Assessment to see your biggest financial priority. It's free, and you'll get your results instantly.

Schedule a Clarity Call to talk through whether a fractional CFO is right for you now.

Clarity Changes Everything.