In a startup or small business, most of the accounting and finance roles are filled by the owners or the operations team. This takes away significant focus and attention aways from core function for gowing the business, prodcut development and customer acquisition. One of biggest challenge in Starting and Growing businesses is to prioritize and channel your core competence to the areas where it maximize growth.
Further, as the business grows your business will need qualified and experience people to manage your Accounting and Finace functions, with the required due deligence. Who you may need at each stage? - A bookkeeper, a controller or a chief financial officer (CFO)? What role does each one fill and when do you need them?
We are keen to learn more about your company and goals. Allow us to better understand your needs and match our Unified Services that is a best fit for your business needs. Give us a call at (818) 641-1215.
How our Unified service will solve your business needs cost Effectively.
With limited resources, you can’t do it all by yourself and neither hiring a full time professional like controller/CFO is affordable.
That’s where we bring in our most effective and affordable full time CFO / Controller services delivering the Effective and Unified way to manage your business needs.
Our Unified service brings a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) on board your team and works with your teams in a seamless way guide you at every step of your business success.
UNIFIED SERVICE SOLUTIONS
>> Unified Bookkeeper (UBS)
Enter accounting transactions
Reconcile accounts, prepare financial statements
Prepare federal and state income tax returns (Optional)
Prepare property tax return, 1099s
Prepare sales tax return
Reply to tax notices
Representation for tax audit at agent level* (Optional)
Personal income tax - form 1040 prep (Optional)
Unlimited consultation at our office or by phone
Business Formation (Optional)
Monthly Charges (10% Discount for full year payment in advance)
Analyzing the financial data for decision making. Liaising with external bankers, Vendor, accountants and lawyers
Accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll
Owner compensation planning and guidance
Building the accounting policies and procedures
Tax planning advisory
Implementing proper internal controls
Workers compensation and benefit plans
Creating meaningful financial and operational reporting for management
Payroll Services (Optional)
Monthly Charges (10% Discount for full year payment in advance)
$500-$1000
>> Unified CFO(UCFO)
Include Bookkeeping and Controller services
Comprehensive consulting with specific emphasis on Small and Medium Business solutions.
All financial reports and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Inventory Structure and Control
Management Reporting
Cash Flow management
Budgeting and Forecasting
Management focused Analytical Reviews
Implementation and Training
Accounting System Evaluation
Systems and resource planning analysis
CRM and ERP analysis
Marketing & Web solutions advisory, E-commerce analysis
Automated office systems
Accounting and Point-of-sale solutions
Disaster Recovery planning
Business and Market Research
Strategies in for increasing profits and competitiveness
Succession planning for family-owned businesses
Review and optimize business contracts.
Assistance in defining long-range plans and the quantification of goals
Working closely with bankers, attorneys, vendors, insurance agents, etc.
Development of company financial policies and accounting procedure.
Monthly Charges (10% Discount for full year payment in advance)
$1000-2500
Bookkeeper
A bookkeeper can be an employee of the company, or a contractor. The bookkeeper is responsible for recording the financial transactions of a business (sales, receipts, purchases and disbursements). They ensure the accuracy of the journals and ledgers, calculate and prepare government remittances, and create internal financial statements for the company’s owners.
Most companies will require a bookkeeper from their inception. The volume of transactions or activities will dictate whether the position is part time or full time.
Controller
A controller manages and oversees the financial accounting and reporting of an organization. Depending on the size of the company, the controller typically has one or more accounting clerks reporting to them. The controller is involved in monitoring internal controls, analyzing the financial data for decision making, and liaising with external bankers, accountants and lawyers.
The decision to engage a controller will be based on the following two factors:
1. Volume of accounting transactions: As your company expands, you may need to hire multiple bookkeepers/clerks to record the accounting information. At this stage, a controller is typically hired to create a segregation of duties (for example, pertaining to the financial statements, accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll). The controller then oversees the accounting function: building the accounting policies and procedures, implementing proper internal controls and creating meaningful financial and operational reporting for management and external users of the financial statements.
2. Complexity of the business and its accounting transactions: A controller generally has greater experience than a bookkeeper in dealing with complex transactions such as foreign exchange, importing and exporting products, tax credit programs, stock option plans, and other tax issues.
Chief financial officer (CFO)
The chief financial officer, or CFO, holds a strategic position, working directly with owners and their management teams to effect change in an organization. They actively assess and manage the financial risks of a corporation by looking at their current and future financial compliance and growth opportunities (e.g., markets, cost-benefit analyses, forecasting, and corporate financing). Companies who cannot afford to hire a full-time CFO but need access to this type of expertise can hire a “virtual” or contract CFO as needed.
As the company continues to grow and become more complex, it may require a strategic partner at the management table. This partner, the chief financial officer, will bring the knowledge, leadership skills and expertise to advance the business (e.g., acquisition strategies, market expansion) or to prepare it for transition (e.g., IPO, succession, sale). A CFO will know the business’ financials and will use this information to optimize its performance and potential.
Key differences: Bookkeeper, controller and CFO
Bookkeepers tend to focus on a company’s historical results. Bookkeepers record past transactions and have very little influence on decision making or future transactions. Their breadth of experience is typically “transactional.”
Controllers focus on both the past and the future. They create accounting policies and procedures, oversee the financial reporting and interpret the data to create meaningful operational reports for the owners. Unlike bookkeepers, controllers have some influence over future transactions, provided they are given the authority to initiate expenses and set up internal controls.
Chief financial officers are forward thinkers. They work closely with owners and senior management to assess the business risk as well as the opportunities and threats in their market. CFOs provide oversight for accounting as well as tax and other regulatory compliance issues. They play a role in operations, research and development, contract negotiation, human resources, and sales and marketing.
Clients are well served only when their accounting firm understands their needs and meets them competently and efficiently. At RSSM, our extensive experience in diverse industries allows us to offer tax, accounting, auditing and financial advisory services that meet each client's particular needs.
A representative list of industries served includes:
Bookkeeper
