Steffen Parratt, CFO Advisor

Steffen Parratt

CFO advisor providing hands-on finance and strategy leadership to high-growth and venture-backed companies. Most engagements are referrals from investors and former colleagues.

Advisory Areas

Early-Stage Companies

Establishing the financial and operational foundation required for growth. Covers company formation, financial systems, reporting infrastructure, payroll and benefits, equity management, and the processes required to build a scalable finance function.

Fundraising & Financing

Preparing a company to raise capital — from venture rounds to debt financing to structured transactions. Includes market analysis, competitive positioning, unit economics, key drivers of performance, cash flow planning, valuation, and the materials that sophisticated investors expect to see.

Building Finance Organizations

Building and scaling the finance function as a company grows — defining roles, hiring, developing talent, and designing the organizational structure and culture appropriate to each stage. Includes working directly with CFOs and senior finance leaders on judgment, team development, and the demands of operating at the edge of their experience. Particularly relevant at inflection points: post-fundraise, pre-IPO, or following a significant acquisition.

Financial Management

The ongoing discipline of managing capital, performance, and organizational decision-making as a company scales. Covers budgeting, investment analysis, performance measurement, incentive design, board communication, and the operating processes required to maintain financial discipline during growth.

Financial Design, Analytics & Reporting

Identifying the metrics that actually drive a business — and building them into reporting that management can act on. Covers FP&A, financial statements, management reporting, and the data infrastructure required for reliable decision-making. The goal is clarity, not volume.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Advisory on the full range of M&A activity — buy-side and sell-side. Covers financial due diligence, valuation, deal structuring, debt and equity financings, integration planning, and the management of complex transactions from initial analysis through close.

Reengineering

Restructuring financial operations, systems, and organizational processes to improve efficiency, reduce complexity, and support the next stage of growth. Draws on experience leading large-scale transformation efforts at institutional scale.

Public Markets & Regulatory Readiness

Preparing a company to operate in public and regulated markets — SEC filings, audited financial statements, SPAC transactions, Sarbanes-Oxley implementation, fintech licensing, and the internal controls that regulators and auditors expect. Draws on direct experience as CFO of a public company through a major capital transaction and sale.

Recent Projects

Strategy & Business Model

Strategy and business model development for several colleges and EdTech companies navigating shifts in how education is delivered and monetized.

Financial Design

Designed the financial reporting framework and key performance metrics for an East Coast fixed income software provider.

CFO Mentoring

Mentored and advised a high-potential CFO of a West Coast machine learning-enabled consumer finance firm.

Finance Team Scaling

Built and scaled the finance team for a digital financial infrastructure company, including systems, processes, and organizational design.

Financial Management

Advised an international payments company on financial management, reporting, and operational metrics.

Public Offering

Prepared a West Coast aerospace company for a public offering via SPAC, including SEC filings and financial statement requirements.

Financial Strategy

Advised a West Coast digital wealth management company on financial infrastructure, strategy, and fundraising.

Reengineering

Reengineered the financial processes and systems of an East Coast asset management firm.

Finance Team & ERP

Built the finance team, designed reporting, and recommended financial systems for an NYC financial infrastructure company.

Selected Thoughts