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A poor valuation doesn’t just cost you thousands—it can cost you millions $$$, along with wasted time and stress. I help searchers, private equity groups, and business owners value private small to midsize businesses for investment, partner buyouts, tax, and litigation purposes. Unlike many finance freelancers on Upwork, I’ve personally invested in, operated, bought & sold, made and lost money on private acquisitions and investments. That real-world risk taught me the stakes of an inaccurate valuation. For the past 15 years, I’ve analyzed thousands of startups and small- and mid-sized businesses and have become certified across multiple SME appraisal and finance bodies. I am certified by the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) and the International Society of Business Appraisers (ISBA). I follow a structured process that documents every step, explains conclusions, and ensures credibility. Services Include: 🤝 Partner Buyouts - deliver certified, accurate and defensible valuations when an owner is considering selling to a business partner or related party. 📑 Business Acquisition Investment Review & LBO Analysis – get value of a private business you are considering acquiring or investing in. 🧾 Tax & Estate Valuation – independent certified business valuations for estate and gift tax reporting as required by the IRS. ⚖️ Litigation Valuation – lost profits and economic damage reports based on court-tested techniques that deliver accurate estimates of SME private business value. 🚀 Startup & Venture Capital Valuation – get an accurate and defensible pre-money value for your startup or investment. 📈 Strategic Planning – provides owners, leadership teams, and investors with a clear view of business value to guide growth strategies. 🚚 Equipment Valuation – Certified desktop appraisals for machinery, vehicles, and other equipment assets. 🧮 Quality of Earnings - assess the quality of reported EBITDA adjustments and discretionary earnings of the business 💵 Proof of Cash – our best defender against fraud and manipulation of financial statements 🔄 Working Capital – create accurate estimates for operating working capital needs and target PEG for negotiations. 💼 Acquisition CFO – support from post-acquisition accounting integration and cash flow forecasting. Why Work With Me: ✔️ Authoritative knowledge: thousands of businesses analyzed ✔️ Certified across multiple Institutes (CVA®, BCA®, CMEA®, FMVA®, and more) ✔️ Proven structured process that documents every step for credibility ✔️ Deliver fast turnaround (24–48 hours) when deadlines are tight ✔️ Top Rated on Upwork with 100% job satisfaction rating What Upwork Clients Say: 💬 “Josh is exceptional at what he does and provided the exact skills I needed for a potential business acquisition. Accountants might be able to review financials, but Josh knows exactly what to look for. 💬 "Josh is hands down one of the best consultants I’ve worked with on up work. He is perhaps the most professional person I’ve worked with, as well as the most talented business valuation expert I’ve ever worked with." 💬"Working with Josh has been one of the best decisions we've made. We're happy to recommend him to anyone looking to understand the value of their company." About Me: I’m Josh and 15 years ago when I got out of the military I wanted to buy a business. When I got the numbers from the business I wanted to buy, despite having a degree in finance, I could not come up with how they put the numbers together. I outsourced the analysis to different financial professionals but got conflicting information on the business’s value. The pressure mounted as I was about to put up a significant amount of my net worth, and I could not sleep. From that moment, I vowed to never be put in this position again and have been on a quest to know how these companies are valued. This past decade I’ve analyzed thousands of these businesses along with gaining multiple business appraisal institute certifications. To go along with my degrees and certifications, I have read over 400 books on private business valuation and transaction analysis. My credentials include: ✸ Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA)® ✸ Business Certified Appraiser (BCA)® ✸ Certified Machinery & Equipment Appraiser (CMEA)® ✸ Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA)® ✸ Professional Bookkeeper (PB)® ✸ QuickBooks Specialist (QS)® ✸ Profit and Growth Expert (PGE)® ✸ Certified Turnaround Analyst (CTA)® ✸ Accredited Small Business Consultant (ASBC)® ✸ M.S. in Applied Economics (MSAE) – Johns Hopkins University ✸ M.S. in Finance (MSF) – George Washington University ✸ B.B.A. in Finance—Radford University ✸ Certificate in Forecasting in Organizations—Johns Hopkins University ✸ Certificate in Real Estate Finance and Investment—New York University I’m new to Upwork and offering introductory pricing to build client relationships here. I offer a free consultation, so send me a message.

Profile * Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA), certified with the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA) since September of 2014. * I write well-written, accurate and thorough business valuation reports for gift tax, estate, mergers & acquisitions, divorce and other scenarios. I have experience with complex international/multi-jurisdictional valuations as well as relatively simple "what's my small business worth" engagements. * Much of my work -- gift tax, estate, charitable contributions of a business, etc. -- has been reviewed by the IRS and my work has yet to be challenged even once by the agency. * Expert witness on matters pertaining to business valuation (divorce, partnership disputes, etc.), IP valuation, IP infringement, business damages/lost profits, etc. * Past clients include Westinghouse, Honeywell and Alpine Global Partners. * Aside from U.S. clients, I have served clients in many other countries, including Mexico, Canada, Japan, France, Belgium, and Nigeria. * Bestselling author of The Einstein of Money (biography of the life and methods of value investing pioneer Benjamin Graham, for which I interviewed Warren Buffett and other renowned value investors), A Brief History of Entrepreneurship (endorsed by business guru Brian Tracy), and co-author of From Lifeguard to Sun King, the biography of the founder of the Banana Boat sun care brand.

Founders bring me in when a meaningful decision is approaching and the numbers are not yet ready. That usually means one of five things: ▶ a capital raise is coming ▶ debt or lender conversations need stronger support ▶ cash visibility is weak ▶ the forecast cannot be trusted ▶ investor, buyer, or diligence scrutiny is getting closer I work with founder-led companies that need decision-grade finance, not bookkeeping-only support. My core engagements include: 🔹 CFO Reviewed Financials™ A structured financial diagnostic that identifies the most important reporting, margin, liquidity, and control issues affecting decision quality. 🔹 CFO Reviewed Financial Model™ A diligence-grade review of an existing model to pressure-test assumptions, logic integrity, capital needs, and investor-readiness. 🔹 Comprehensive Financial Model™ A dynamic, driver-based model built for fundraising, debt, hiring decisions, expansion planning, or exit preparation. 🔹 Investor-Ready / Lender-Ready / Buyer-Ready Sprints Structured, time-boxed engagements for companies preparing for investor conversations, lender or credit discussions, buyer diligence, or exit-readiness planning. 🔹 Ongoing CFO Advisory Financial leadership for founders who need stronger forecasting, KPI discipline, reporting cadence, and strategic finance judgment. Published rate reflects initial advisory and diagnostic work. Larger readiness, modeling, and CFO engagements are scoped separately based on decision context, complexity, and timeline. Selected outcomes include: ✔ $29.3M raised across four VC rounds ✔ $20M expansion funding secured ✔ support for a $22.0M acquisition completed ahead of plan ✔ a $5M telehealth startup sale ✔ a turnaround from a $1.5M loss to a $0.5M profit I am a fit when the business has a real financial decision in front of it. I am not the right fit for bookkeeping-only, tax-return-only, or cosmetic spreadsheet work. If you are preparing for capital, debt, diligence, cash restructuring, or a strategic exit, send a message with the decision you need to make and the timeline you are working against.

As a seasoned Mergers & Acquisitions and Finance Professional with ~20 years of i) investment banking (analyst to managing partner); ii) valuation consulting; iii) equity research; and iv) private equity experience, I am your go-to expert for comprehensive and accurate M&A work and Business Valuations. My services are tailored for M&A, shareholder buy-outs, carve-outs, fundraising, and any other business owner need. Why choose me? Proven Expertise: CFA Charterholder with a deep understanding of financial markets and valuation techniques. Comprehensive Services: From independent business valuations to financial modeling and investor pitch decks, I offer a full suite of services to meet your needs. Track Record of Success: With a strong academic background and professional certifications, I deliver high-quality, reliable results. Let's work together to unlock the true value of your business. Contact me today to discuss how I can assist with your valuation needs. Licenses/Certifications/Achievements Include: -CFA Charterholder -Series 7, 63, 79, 87 -3.98/4.00 GPA from University of Florida Primary Services Include: -Certified Business Valuations (for M&A, shareholder buy-outs, banks, fundraising, etc.) -Financial Modeling (Professional LBO, DCF, M&A models in excel) -Investor / Pitch Decks (Full PowerPoint-based memorandum for business plans and/or investments) -Equity Research Reports (Research reports on a specific equity or an entire industry) -Portfolio Advisory (investment selection, portfolio management) -Capital Markets Advisory -Fundamental Finance & Capital Markets Education Expertise Includes: -Mergers & Acquisitions -Valuation -Financial Modeling -CFA Examinations -Equity Investments -Fixed Income -Equity Analysis -Derivative Trading -Industry & Competitive Analysis -Bloomerberg, Cap IQ, Pitchbook, Apollo.ai, ZoomInfo, Placer.ai, Thompson One, Factset -Microsoft Excel/PowerPoint/Word

As a corporate CFO, Wall Street banker, Director of Equity Research and senior bank lender who has worked in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America, I have extensive experience with creating the various funding and corporate planning documents required for innovative companies in a wide variety of industries worldwide. I know what a serious investor, commercial bank or other funder will require in a complete investor presentation or business plan before they will even consider providing you with the money you need to build your business. In close collaboration with you I will create these documents and the financial forecasting/budgeting tools you, your investors or your banker require. (A due diligence review by an angel investor group of a recent client's application package said it was "...one of the few combinations of documents that we reviewed from a potential client where all components of a well-thought out business model were present.") Whether you need only a detailed financial model or both a model and full business plan or investor presentation package (including pitch deck, cap table, etc.), you can see samples of previous projects in my Upwork profile. I will build your Microsoft Excel-based financial model using my very robust and fully customizable proprietary templates. These templates, developed over many years of real world use, helps assure your own forecast's accuracy while also saving you significant time and money in development. (If you don't have access to Excel, let me know and I'll arrange access for you while we work together.) When your financial projections are complete, you will be able to change any assumption in the Model and the effects of that change will instantly flow throughout all elements of the Model. Any user can easily test all of the financial effects of any assumptions about revenue, profit margins, unit sales, pricing, operating expenses, fixed assets, equity and debt. You or your investor/banker can use the model to easily do unlimited "What If?" testing, sensitivity analysis or breakeven analysis. (Let me know if you will require inventory tracking or a balance sheet. Most companies I work with do not and it is not included in my project pricing unless you specifically request it.) For the text and graphics (charts, pictures, tables, etc.) in your plan, presentation or pitch deck I will use Microsoft Office software. (If you need specific advanced graphic skills for your document(s), I can help you find the right specialist graphics person.) Typically, the time needed to complete a detailed corporate financial model for one product in one market is about 15 - 18 work hours (add about 10% - 15% for a start-up, subscription-style revenue, a balance sheet or inventory management). A full business plan or investor presentation comprising 15 – 25 pages of text and graphics typically requires 15 - 25 hours of work over two to six weeks to create, depending on how quickly you can respond to my frequent questions during the project, the complexity of your business, how much text you add to the business plan versus how much original text I have to create, etc. If you are planning to create a new company whose industry you have no experience in, the time required for completion will typically be greater than for an established company with existing operations. I can begin work on your project as soon as you wish once your payment method is verified by Upwork. If you would like me to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), that is not a problem. If you need a pitch deck, that will flow quickly once your business plan or investor presentation is complete. My basic average hourly rate is $69 - $89/hr., depending on the complexity of the work required. Minimum Charges: Per Project - 4.0 hours; Per Work Session: 10 minutes. Premium for urgent completion (8 calendar days or less): 30%, 48-hour Rush Projects: 100% premium. All of my work time, including all phone conversations with you regarding your project once an Upwork contract is in place, will be tracked by Upwork's TimeTracker software and automatically reported to you by Upwork each Monday. If you are not well-versed in finance or accounting, I will be happy to explain everything to you as we go. That will be very important to your effort to raise money, as your banker or investor(s) will require that you fully understand all of the details of your business. I am committed to your complete satisfaction and will gladly make minor changes to my work within 14 calendar days of completion and closure of the project on Upwork at no additional cost to you. So, let's talk! I am usually in the US Eastern time zone and available to discuss your project at your convenience. I'm happy to have an initial consultation at no cost to you. Will Lyons

CFO＋𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀! 💪 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭%; 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝘀 ✅ 500 + Million raised by my models | $300k+ earned on Upwork | Most models delivered in 1 week My models are built to withstand investor diligence. 🛠𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹. 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.💰 Im a CFO who helps SaaS and AI startups optimize their business model by designing pricing, packaging, and revenue models that actually scale. 🔥Invite me to your job and book a 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 20 min 💸𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡📞 𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿: • What should we charge? • How do we structure tiers or usage pricing? • Will this be profitable at scale? • What numbers do investors expect to see? • How do we translate strategy into a real financial model? ✨ I specialize in monetization, pricing, and revenue architecture, the decisions that directly impact ARR, margins, and valuation for: • SaaS / B2B software • AI tools & platforms • Marketplaces • Subscription businesses • Fintech • Health tech • Vertical SaaS companies.✨ ✅ Typical outcomes my clients get ✔ Clear pricing & packaging strategy ✔ Higher ARPU and better margins ✔ Investor-ready financial model ✔ Faster fundraising ✔ Shorter sales cycles ✔ Confident launch plan Many clients see 𝟭𝟬𝘅–𝟯𝟱𝘅 𝗥𝗢𝗜 from pricing & revenue improvements alone. 🥇 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲 • Top Rated Plus & Expert Vetted (Top 1% on Upwork) • Featured on Forbes, Nasdaq, CEO Weekly • Advised 150+ tech startups • Helped clients raise $500M+ • MBA (Finance), MS Economics, 15+ years operating experience But more importantly: I explain finance clearly and turn complex strategy into practical decisions founders can act on immediately. 💼 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 ? 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 Clients need a clear outcome, So I offer structured sprints: ✅ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 (𝟭-𝟮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸) • Pricing tiers + packaging • Subscription/usage strategy • Discount & sales guardrails • Enterprise level pricing framework • Competitor benchmark • ICP & value positioning check • Action plan memo ✅𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 (𝟮 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀) • Financial model & forecast • Unit economics & break-even • Investor-ready projections ✅ 𝗢𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿 (𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗹𝘆) • Pricing experiments • New feature/add-on pricing • Deal support & custom pricing • Board/investor metrics • Continuous optimization • Async Slack/email access 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗲? 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙀𝙊( 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙥) 𝟱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟱 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ““The financial expert for non-financial founders. Zahra helped us build our pricing and financial model and made our fundraising dramatically easier. Worth every dollar.” 📞 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 Invite me to your job and we’ll start with a quick call to understand your goals and see if there’s a fit. If I’m not the right person, I’ll tell you directly.