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How a Series A SaaS founder got a CFO, CHRO and COO for less than the cost of one executive.
The company had outgrown its founder doing every senior job. Instead of a six-month search for three full-time executives, Skillfi placed a fractional leadership bench in three weeks that worked as one team. It's how our fractional leadership works: senior people, the right hours, real results.
Seventy people, and one founder doing three senior jobs.
After its Series A, the company grew from 25 to 70 people in 14 months. The founder was still the de facto CFO, head of HR and operations lead, on top of product and sales.
Board packs arrived three weeks after month-end. Hiring had no plan, no levels and no consistent pay. Good people were leaving, and there was no operating rhythm to keep teams aligned. An executive search firm quoted six months and more than $750,000 a year to hire a full-time CFO, CHRO and COO, money the company needed for its Series B runway.
I needed three senior leaders yesterday, and I couldn't afford to wait six months or burn our runway on salaries.
Founder & CEO, client
The right senior people, for the hours the business needed.
We matched three experienced leaders to the company's stage and placed them in three weeks. They ran as one leadership team with the founder, not three separate contractors.
Fundraise-ready finance, 2 days a week
Our fractional CFO built a financial model investors trusted, a monthly board pack and a cash plan to reach Series B.
People foundations, 1.5 days a week
Our fractional CHRO put in a hiring plan, job levels, fair compensation bands and the first performance reviews.
An operating rhythm, 2 days a week
Our fractional COO set up quarterly planning, operating metrics and coached team leads to run their areas.
Ten months, step by step
From a founder stretched across every senior role to a leadership team that got the company funded. Here's how the engagement unfolded.
- Week 13 roles scoped
Leadership gap review
Finance, people and operations gaps mapped with the founder, and the right hours set for each role.
- Week 2–3Live in 3 weeks
Bench placed
A CFO, CHRO and COO matched to the company's stage, met by the founder and started within the same week.
- Month 1–2Weekly rhythm
Foundations
Financial model rebuilt, hiring plan and job levels agreed, and a weekly leadership meeting started.
- Month 3–6Board pack in 5 days
Running the business
Monthly board packs, compensation bands, first performance reviews and quarterly plans for every team.
- Month 9Clean handover
VP Finance hired
The fractional CFO hired a full-time VP Finance and handed the role over with a full transition plan.
- Month 10Series B raised
Series B closed
Investors backed a company with clean numbers, a real leadership team and a plan for the next stage.
Three leaders, one team
Five and a half days a week of senior leadership, working together with the founder as one team.
Numbers investors trust
- Fundraise-ready model
- Monthly board pack
- Cash & runway plan
People who stay
- Hiring plan & job levels
- Compensation bands
- Performance reviews
A business that runs itself
- Quarterly planning
- Operating metrics
- Team leads coached
One leadership team
- Weekly leadership meeting
- Shared priorities & metrics
- One plan for the board
Ten months with a fractional bench
Annual cost of a CFO, CHRO and COO
$540K saved, less than the cost of one full-time executive.
I got three senior leaders who worked as a real team for less than one executive salary. I went back to building the product, and we closed our Series B with numbers investors trusted.
Founder & CEO, clientStill doing every senior job yourself?
We'll find the gaps, place the right fractional leaders for the hours you need and have them working as one team within weeks. When a role is ready to go full-time, we hire your successor and hand over.
- A leadership gap review
- Senior leaders placed in weeks
- One team with a weekly rhythm
- A clean path to full-time hires
30 minutes. No obligation.
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