Controller Services for Scaling Businesses
FTBCG's controller services provide hands-on financial management for growing businesses — covering GAAP/IFRS compliance, cash flow forecasting, budget analysis, and KPI reporting. This is proactive financial oversight, not reactive bookkeeping. We manage your month-end close, catch issues before they escalate, and give you the reporting infrastructure that turns raw data into decisions.
Book a Discovery CallEverything in Bookkeeping, Plus Strategic Oversight
Controller services build on a solid bookkeeping foundation and add the financial rigor, analysis, and process discipline that scaling businesses need.
GAAP/IFRS Compliance
Proper revenue recognition, accrual accounting, and audit-ready documentation. Whether you report under US GAAP or IFRS, your financials meet the standard — not an approximation of it.
Cash Flow Forecasting
Rolling cash flow forecasts so you see shortfalls weeks in advance — not when the bank balance hits zero. We model scenarios, flag risks, and help you time major decisions around real liquidity data.
Budget vs. Actual Analysis
Monthly variance reports that show where you're ahead, where you're behind, and why. No more guessing whether that overspend is a one-time hit or a trend. We quantify it and recommend action.
KPI Tracking & Reporting
Custom dashboards and monthly management reports tied to the metrics that actually drive your business — gross margin, customer acquisition cost, burn rate, revenue per employee, or whatever matters most to your model.
Process & System Improvements
We audit your financial workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and build repeatable processes — from month-end close procedures to approval workflows. The goal: a finance function that runs cleanly whether we're watching or not.
Revenue Recognition
Proper treatment of deferred revenue, milestone-based recognition, and multi-element arrangements under ASC 606 or IFRS 15. Critical for SaaS, subscription, and project-based businesses where timing recognition wrong distorts your entire P&L.
Payroll Oversight
Beyond processing pay runs, we review payroll compliance, monitor liability accounts, and reconcile payroll taxes across periods. For multi-state or multi-entity businesses, we ensure each jurisdiction's requirements are met and nothing falls through the cracks.
Inventory Controls
We implement proper inventory valuation methods, monitor shrinkage and write-offs, and ensure your COGS flows through correctly to margin reporting. For product businesses scaling fast, this is the difference between knowing your margins and guessing at them.
Built for Businesses That Have Outgrown Basic Bookkeeping
Controller services are designed for companies in the $1M to $10M revenue range that are scaling fast and starting to feel the strain of financial operations that haven't kept pace with growth. If any of these sound familiar, you're in the right place.
You're growing quickly but your financial reporting still looks like it did at $200K in revenue.
Your bookkeeper does good work, but nobody is reviewing it, analyzing it, or catching errors before they compound.
You need financial processes and controls in place — before an audit, a fundraise, or a potential acquisition forces you to scramble.
Cash flow surprises keep happening because nobody is forecasting, and budget conversations are based on gut feel instead of data.
You want the financial oversight of a full-time controller without the $120K+ salary and benefits commitment.
The Sweet Spot Between Bookkeeping and CFO
Controller services sit precisely where most growing businesses need the most help — past the point of basic record-keeping, but before the strategic altitude of a CFO.
Bookkeeping
Reactive- Records transactions after they happen
- Reconciles bank and credit card accounts
- Produces financial statements
- Tracks AP/AR balances
- Prepares books for tax time
Focus: Accuracy of historical records
Learn about bookkeeping →Controller
Proactive- Reviews and validates bookkeeping work
- Ensures GAAP/IFRS compliance
- Builds and manages cash flow forecasts
- Runs budget vs. actual analysis
- Designs financial processes and controls
- Delivers KPI dashboards and management reports
Focus: Operational financial management
Fractional CFO
Strategic- Sets long-range financial strategy
- Models scenarios for growth and risk
- Leads fundraising and M&A preparation
- Manages investor and board reporting
- Advises on pricing, margins, and capital allocation
Focus: Strategic financial leadership
Learn about fractional CFO →Flat Monthly Fee
No hourly billing, no surprise invoices. One predictable monthly cost that scales with complexity, not hours worked.
Controller Services
Final pricing depends on transaction volume, entity complexity, and reporting requirements. We'll scope it on the discovery call.
Get a Custom QuoteController Services FAQ
What's the difference between a controller and a CFO?
A controller focuses on operational finance — making sure your books are accurate, compliant, and producing useful reports every month. A CFO focuses on strategy — fundraising, M&A, long-range planning, and board-level decisions. Think of the controller as the person who builds the financial engine; the CFO decides where to drive it. Most businesses between $1M and $10M need a controller long before they need a CFO.
Do I need a controller if I already have a bookkeeper?
A bookkeeper records transactions and reconciles accounts. A controller reviews those books for accuracy, ensures compliance with GAAP or IFRS, builds forecasts, tracks KPIs, and catches problems before they become expensive. If your bookkeeper is doing great work but you still don't feel confident in your financial picture, that gap is exactly what a controller fills.
How do you handle GAAP and IFRS compliance?
We work with both US GAAP and IFRS, applying whichever standard fits your jurisdiction and reporting needs. This includes proper revenue recognition, accrual accounting, lease treatment, and audit-ready documentation. If you're preparing for a fundraise, acquisition, or audit, we make sure your financials hold up under scrutiny.
What reports will I receive each month?
At minimum: a reviewed Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Statement, budget vs. actual analysis, and a KPI dashboard tailored to your business. Depending on your needs, we also produce cash flow forecasts, AR/AP aging reports, and custom management reports. Every deliverable comes with a brief narrative explaining what the numbers mean and what to watch.
Are you a CPA or chartered accountancy firm?
No — we do not provide tax filing, tax advisory, or audit/assurance services. Our expertise is in financial operations: GAAP/IFRS compliance, management reporting, cash flow forecasting, and process design. We hold Xero Certified Advisor credentials and work alongside your tax advisor, delivering audit-ready books and organized schedules so their work is faster and your tax prep bill is lower.
Can you work alongside my existing accounting team?
Absolutely — that's how most engagements work. We slot in above your bookkeeper and below your CFO (if you have one). We review and approve your bookkeeper's work, manage the month-end close, and handle the reporting and analysis layer. Your team keeps doing what they're good at; we add the oversight and strategic lens they don't have time for.
How often will we meet?
Controller clients typically meet with us weekly or biweekly, depending on complexity. In addition to scheduled calls, you have ad-hoc access for urgent questions — cash flow surprises, unexpected vendor issues, or anything that needs a fast answer. We also deliver a monthly reporting package with a written narrative so you have context even between calls.
Have a question that's not here?
Let's talk →Ready for Financial Oversight That Actually Keeps Pace with Your Growth?
30-minute discovery call. No pressure, no sales pitch — just a straightforward conversation about where your finances are and what's holding them back.
Book Your Discovery CallFree · No obligation · 30 minutes