Cash and runway
These guides cover cash flow forecasting, runway and burn: how to see where cash is headed, how long it lasts and which levers extend it. They are written for founders and operators who need a reliable cash view before a raise, a big hire or a slow quarter. For an ongoing cash forecast built and run for you, see Decipher's fractional CFO services.
Fractional CFO vs controller: which one a company needs
A controller makes the numbers right; a fractional CFO decides what to do with them. How to tell which gap to fill first, and how the two roles split the work when a company has both.
Burn multiple: formula, worked example and what moves it
How to calculate the burn multiple consistently, with a four quarter worked example built from an ARR waterfall, what moves it, and the distortions investors look for.
Outsourced CFO services: what's included and when they fit
Outsourced CFO services cover the forward-looking finance work: cash, planning, reporting, board materials and decisions. What a typical engagement includes and excludes, the two main delivery models, and how to scope one.
Investor update template: what to send investors monthly
A monthly investor update template founders can copy: the eight sections in order, a small metrics table, how long it should be, what to send in a bad month, and how investors actually read it.
Monthly cash flow forecast example, filled in line by line
A fully filled-in six month cash flow forecast for an illustrative services company, with every line explained: opening cash, collections by timing, payroll, taxes, debt service, capex, financing, the minimum cash check and a downside case.
Series A financial model: what investors expect to see
What a Series A financial model for a SaaS company should contain, how it ties to actuals and the deck, how to show what the raise buys, and the mistakes investors spot first.
What a fractional CFO for agencies fixes, client by client
A fractional CFO for agencies works on client and project profitability, retainer and project revenue mix, cash timing, hiring against the pipeline, pricing, owner pay and sale readiness. A worked client profitability example shows where the margin really goes.
When to hire a CFO: the signals and which kind of help fits
The milestones that mean a company needs CFO-level help, and how to decide between a bookkeeper or controller, a fractional CFO and a full-time CFO.
Cash flow forecasting: methods, templates and an example
What a cash flow forecast is, how it differs from a budget and a cash flow statement, which horizon to use when, direct vs indirect methods, a step-by-step build, a worked example, what to look for in a template, and how investors and lenders read the result.
How to build a 13-week cash flow forecast, step by step
A step-by-step guide to building a 13 week cash flow model from open invoices, pay dates and bills, running a downside case, and keeping it current every Monday. Includes a free 13 week cash flow template.
Burn rate and cash runway: how to calculate them properly
How to calculate gross burn, net burn, cash runway and burn multiple from cash rather than the income statement, with a worked example, a downside case, and how investors read the numbers.
Headcount planning: a hiring plan your cash can survive
How to build a startup hiring plan that ties to the cash forecast: fully loaded cost, start dates and ramp time, hiring triggers, base, accelerated and hold scenarios, and how an investor reads the plan.
How much does a fractional CFO cost? Pricing explained
What a fractional CFO costs depends on scope and stage. How fractional CFOs price their work, what drives the number up or down, how it compares with a full-time hire, and how to tell whether a proposal is worth it.
Rolling forecast vs annual budget: how to run each one
The annual budget is the commitment; the rolling forecast is the best current view. How the two work together, how to choose a horizon and cadence, how driver-based forecasting works, and a step-by-step monthly process with a worked example.
Venture debt for startups: how it works and when it fits
What venture debt is, how the common structures and covenants work, how it compares with equity, when it helps and when it hurts, and how to model debt service and covenant headroom before signing.
What is a fractional CFO? Role, work and when to hire one
A fractional CFO is a senior finance leader who works with a company part time. What the role covers, how it differs from an interim CFO, a full-time CFO or a controller, what it costs, and the signs it is time to bring one in.