Case Study: Providing Strategic Financial Leadership as an Outsourced CFO

Opportunity

A fast-growing professional services firm was entering a critical expansion phase. While the company was recognized as an industry innovator, it lacked senior-level financial leadership and robust business management infrastructure.

Inadequate accounting controls led to cash flow instability, payroll challenges, and unresolved tax liabilities. Without accurate financial visibility, leadership was unable to assess profitability by employee, project, or discipline, creating risk at a time when disciplined growth was essential.

Solution

Paladin stepped in as the company’s outsourced CFO, implementing comprehensive accounting policies and financial reporting procedures to establish control and transparency. Payroll issues were resolved, and management gained access to reliable financial metrics that enabled data-driven decision-making.

With improved reporting in place, the firm could, for the first time, analyze profitability across employees, projects, and engineering disciplines. Tracking mechanisms were introduced to align labor, resources, and project requirements, providing leadership with a clear understanding of operational efficiency and cost drivers.

Beyond finance, Paladin strengthened the company’s people and risk infrastructure. Human resources policies were implemented to support hiring, retention, and terminations, along with the design and negotiation of competitive employee benefit packages, including health, life, and disability insurance.

To balance employee retention with long-term financial sustainability, Paladin introduced a 401(k) plan and successfully transitioned the company away from its defined benefit program, reducing future liabilities while preserving an attractive compensation structure.

Paladin also led capital management initiatives, negotiating working capital facilities and a line of credit to support expansion. Strong banking relationships were established and maintained across all credit facilities.

To ensure long-term stability, Paladin built and continues to manage an internal accounting team that reports directly to Paladin, providing continuity, oversight, and scalability as the business grows.

Results

With disciplined financial leadership in place, the firm expanded from a single location to five domestic offices and one international office. This growth created geographic diversification, strengthened revenue stability, and enabled expansion across multiple engineering disciplines.

Now in its twelfth year, the partnership between Paladin and the firm exemplifies the impact of embedded financial leadership, turning operational complexity into scalable, sustainable growth.

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