Growing a business is exciting. Building a profitable, financially resilient business is where I can help. I'm an AI-Powered Fractional CFO with more than 30 years of international CFO and senior finance experience, helping startups and growing businesses transform financial information into practical business decisions. By combining traditional CFO expertise with modern AI-powered finance solutions, I help business owners improve cash flow, increase profitability, automate reporting, strengthen financial systems, and confidently plan for sustainable growth. Whether you're launching a startup, scaling an established business, preparing for investment, applying for funding, improving your finance function, or planning an exit strategy, I provide executive-level financial leadership—without the cost of employing a full-time CFO. Clients typically hire me to: ✔ Improve cash flow and working capital ✔ Build investor-ready financial models and business plans ✔ Create budgets, forecasts and strategic financial plans ✔ Develop KPI dashboards and board reporting packs ✔ Implement AI-powered finance systems using Xero and QuickBooks Online ✔ Improve profitability and business performance ✔ Secure investment, grants and business finance ✔ Prepare businesses for acquisitions, mergers or exit My Services Fractional CFO Services * Strategic financial leadership * Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) * Board reporting and executive decision support * Business performance improvement * Risk management and financial governance Financial Modelling & Forecasting * Three-way financial models * Cash flow forecasting * Budgeting and forecasting * Scenario and sensitivity analysis * Financial dashboards and KPI reporting Business Growth & Funding * Investor-ready business plans * Financial models for investors and lenders * Pitch deck financial support * Capital raising strategy * Grant funding support * Feasibility studies AI, Xero & QuickBooks Online * AI-powered finance workflow automation * Xero implementation and optimisation * QuickBooks Online advisory * Automated management reporting * Finance process improvement * Internal systems design Why Clients Choose Me ✔ More than 30 years of CFO and executive finance leadership ✔ Helped clients secure over US$50 million in investment funding ✔ Assisted clients in obtaining more than US$12 million in grant funding ✔ Hundreds of business plans, financial models and strategic reports delivered across multiple industries ✔ Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) ✔ Xero Certified Advisor ✔ QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor ✔ Top Rated freelancer with a reputation for delivering high-quality work on time Industries I Support I have worked with businesses across manufacturing, technology, SaaS, healthcare, hospitality, food and beverage, professional services, logistics, retail, e-commerce, education, construction, agriculture, franchising, renewable energy, and not-for-profit organisations. My Approach I don't simply prepare spreadsheets or financial reports. I work alongside business owners as a trusted financial partner—helping them understand what the numbers mean, what risks lie ahead, and what actions will improve business performance. My goal is simple: to provide practical financial leadership that gives you clarity, confidence and measurable results. If you're looking for an experienced AI-Powered Fractional CFO who combines commercial judgement, modern technology and hands-on financial expertise to help your business grow, I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss your project and how I can help.

I help founders and startups create investor-ready business plans backed by clear, credible financial projections. A strong business plan is not just a document; it’s a strategic story supported by numbers that investors can understand and trust. I combine both to deliver structured, professional, and actionable business plans that guide growth and secure funding. Whether you’re raising capital, launching a venture, or scaling operations, I ensure your business plan and financials work together seamlessly as one complete package. Here’s what clients say: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The financial model completely changed how we presented to investors clear, structured, and credible.” — Ahmad A., CEO ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “He didn’t just build a model, he helped us truly understand our business.” — Manoj J., Founder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Our projections finally made sense, and that gave us real confidence during fundraising.” — Ahmed K., Startup Founder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Professional, detail-oriented, and very easy to work with. Highly recommended.” — Nadeem T., Project Manager Services 📝 Business Plan Writing – Investor-ready, structured, and professionally written 📊 Financial Projections – P&L, Cash Flow, and Balance Sheet forecasts 📈 Financial Modeling – Dynamic, scenario-based models for decision-making 💰 Startup & Business Valuation 🏢 Real Estate Business Plans & Financial Models 📉 Revenue Models, Cost Structures & Market Strategy Experience ✔ Built 1000+ Business Plans & Pitch Decks ✔ Developed 300+ Financial Models ✔ Supported $30M+ in successful fundraising How I Work I integrate business strategy with financial clarity to ensure every project is: Structured – Easy to read, professional format Credible – Numbers support your story Actionable – Investors and stakeholders can make decisions confidently The result is a complete, investor-ready package that’s more than a plan; it’s a tool for growth and funding. If you’re looking for a professional who can handle both your business plan and financial projections, send me a message. I’ll help you structure everything from start to finish.

Making a high-stakes market or product decision? My goal is to make sure you don’t invest in the wrong direction. Top 1% Market Intelligence and Research Consultant (Expert Vetted), former Big-4, Insights250 Award Winner. I combine primary research and strategic analysis to help founders, product leaders, and executives make confident decisions around market entry, positioning, product direction, and investment. Over the last 5+ years, I’ve delivered 600+ strategic engagements and 1000+ research projects overall, maintaining a 100% client success score. My work is focused on delivering decision clarity. Most teams come to me when they are entering a new market, scaling a product, or committing significant budget, where the cost of getting it wrong is high. Where I Add the Most Value Should you enter this market and where to play • TAM, SAM, SOM sizing grounded in defensible methodology • Market attractiveness assessment and opportunity modeling • Segment prioritization based on revenue potential and adoption friction • Market entry and expansion strategy How to position and win against competitors • Deep competitor analysis including pricing, packaging, and go to market strategy • Positioning whitespace identification • Category mapping and differentiation strategy • Messaging and narrative validation Will this product or feature actually convert • Feature prioritization based on structured market signals • Customer drivers and barrier analysis • Concept, pricing, and positioning testing • Validation before scaling or fundraising Primary Research, Qualitative and Quantitative. I design and lead decision-grade research that directly informs business outcomes. Qualitative research • In-depth interviews with customers, users, and industry experts • Expert interviews including niche and licensed professionals • Focus groups across B2B and B2C audiences • Concept, messaging, and usability testing • Social listening and perception studies Quantitative research • Advanced survey design built to minimize bias • Identification of features, pricing, and positioning that drive conversion • Segmentation and clustering analysis • Feature prioritization models • Conjoint and trade-off analysis • Statistical analysis with clear business interpretation I work with both verified respondent panels and custom recruiting, including senior executives and hard-to-reach audiences. Investor and Executive-Level Outputs • Market models and evidence-backed narratives • Board-ready and investor-grade materials • Strategic decision frameworks and risk assessment • Clear recommendations on what to do next and why Selected Clients Indeed, Shopify, Johnson and Johnson, Sherpany, Velvet Suite, Nova Media, Apprize360, and multiple venture-backed SaaS companies. Selected Outcomes • Helped a US data platform reposition, resulting in +25% revenue growth after stagnation • Supported an edtech SaaS in securing $200K pre-seed through structured market validation • Drove 43,000+ customers in 3 months through positioning refinement • Research featured in Fortune and Forbes • Built and validated a US market entry strategy for a B2B SaaS company Tools and Analytical Stack SPSS, Excel, Power BI, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Typeform, advanced statistical modeling and data visualization tools. How I Work Every project is structured around: • Clear business questions • Decision frameworks • Evidence-backed insights • Prioritized action plans Each engagement is designed to answer one core question: what should you do next, and why? Best Fit SaaS, tech, and growth-stage companies making product, market, or investment decisions. Please note that my minimum engagement is 10 hours or $650. I focus on high-impact, decision-critical work where research directly informs business outcomes. Keywords to help you find me: Market Research, Market Analysis, Market Sizing, TAM SAM SOM, Competitive Analysis, Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Business Intelligence, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Analysis, Data Science, Customer Discovery, Consumer Research, Customer Experience Research, Audience Segmentation & Targeting, Company Research, Research Methods, Topic Research, Online Research, Go To Market Strategy, Product Market Fit, Feasibility Study, Survey Design, Statistical Analysis, Research Papers, Marketing Strategy, Microsoft Excel, Brand Research, Research Papers, Content Writing, Internet Survey

Took a DTC health brand from a $2.9M annual loss to beating a cash-positive plan in two years. When their dashboards said CAC had tripled to $900, I went into the raw data and proved the real number was $472, which saved the channel and the year. I'm a fractional CFO for DTC, subscription, and Amazon brands doing $3M–$25M. My edge: I don't sit on top of dashboards. I go into the raw data myself (Shopify exports, ad platforms, 3PL invoices, cohort tables) and find where your numbers have drifted from reality. Every brand has at least one number that's lying to it. Finding it is usually worth multiples of my fee. What I do: 1. Growth and marketing finance. Channel-level unit economics, blended LTV-to-CAC ceilings, marketing mix modeling, Amazon vs DTC spend allocation, retention cohorts. I sit between you and your media buyers and make sure every dollar can be defended on the P&L. 2. Subscription economics. Most subscription brands are SaaS businesses measured with e-commerce math. Rebuilding one brand's finances around cohorts, LTV payback, and retention is what turned that $2.9M loss around and cut blended CAC roughly 25%. 3. Ecom-native FP&A. 13-week cash forecasting tied to inventory cycles and ad spend, scenario modeling for launches and peak season, KPI dashboards your team will actually use, clean monthly close. 4. Investor readiness. Board materials, valuation analysis, deal structuring. I led due diligence at a UK investment agency that took equity on my recommendations: 22 calls, publicly scored, including the one I got wrong. I know what investors will dig into because I was the one digging. 5. AI-native by design. I build Claude-based agents for transaction categorization, anomaly flagging, and forecast updates. You get senior CFO judgment plus automation, at the cost of neither. Background: MBA from IESE Business School, engineering by training. 120+ early-stage companies on the fundraising side through TribeFirst due diligence and Bitcoin Startup Lab pitch coaching. I've run finance for brands selling on Amazon and own-channel DTC, so I understand the tradeoffs between the two. If your finance function can't give you a straight answer to "is this growth profitable and can we afford it," let's talk. 30 minutes, I'll look at your numbers and tell you where I'd start.

-Degree in Business Economics from Brown University -Former investment banker and entrepreneur -Advised and executed on over USD4.0 billion of transactions across capital markets and mergers and acquisitions -Extensive experience building financial models, industry/market overviews, and buy/sell-side investment opportunity presentations -Currently managing an angel fund with $10 mm aum with investments in bombas.com, cleancult.com, hatchcollection.com, trygatsby.com, donegood.com, littlechonk.com, spacex.com, lightshiprv.com -Have helped startups raise over $12 mm across pre-seed through Series B

🏆 Get 10X more investor meetings🏆 $𝟗𝟎𝟎𝐌+ 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐕𝐂𝐬: 𝐒𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐢𝐚, 𝐚𝟏𝟔𝐳, 𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐠 & 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲, 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥, 𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐳 🌟+10 years capital markets experience 🥇 Top 1% on Upwork worldwide. 🟢 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬? Let's keep it real here. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, one wrong move in this process, and poof! All your hard work and time? Down the drain. 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥-𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭: 📢 Gets you 𝟏𝟎𝐗 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 investor meetings 📢 Saves your TIME by raising 𝟒𝐗 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 📢 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐆𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐒 and allows you to focus on your core business My clients have a LOT to say about me: ✅ 𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑮𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒖𝒔 - AI founder with $200M raised + 3 exits + 1 IPO ✅ 𝑴𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝑮𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆𝒅 -Series A founder who raised $12M in 10 weeks ✅ 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒏! - Lead investor of a Fintech business (ex-JP Morgan) ✅ 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚! 𝑮𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄! - $20M raised with multiple VC backing in 8 weeks (Oversubscribed) Sound like a fit? Next steps: 📺 Watch the video on my profile and check out my portfolio 🟢 Press '...' button then ‘Send Message’ button in the top right-hand corner

The truth is business growth does not happen by chance. It happens when strategy, market understanding, financial insight, and execution are aligned. Growth is not about doing more. It is about doing the right things with clarity. Welcome to my profile where all your business worries are gone. Many founders know what they want to do, but struggle to translate ideas into clear plans, sound financial decisions, or documents that actually work in the real world. That gap between vision and execution is where businesses stall. That is where I come in. I provide strategic business guidance supported by financial analysis and modeling to help businesses move from uncertainty to clarity and informed execution. I work with founders, startups, and growing businesses to evaluate decisions, assess opportunities, and structure plans that are practical, defensible, and aligned with real objectives. My work focuses on helping leaders think through strategy, growth direction, and financial implications by asking the right questions and translating answers into clear, actionable outcomes. This includes business planning, financial analysis, modeling support, and documentation that supports decision making rather than guesswork. My approach sits at the intersection of strategy, execution, and legal style precision. Every engagement is designed to answer the questions decision makers actually ask. - How should this business be structured to support growth? - What do the numbers say about feasibility, risk, and opportunity? - What should be included in a business plan or pitch narrative to make it credible? - How can ideas be translated into a clear execution roadmap? - What systems and documents are needed to operate professionally and reduce risk? - How should this business be positioned for investors, partners, or internal alignment? I do not just prepare documents or models. I help businesses think clearly, present confidently, and operate with structure and intent. What I help clients with ◇ Business plans and growth strategies grounded in market logic and financial analysis. ◇ Financial analysis and modeling to support decision making, planning, and feasibility. ◇ Pitch narrative and content that communicates a clear, credible story. ◇ SOPs that turn day to day operations into scalable systems. ◇ Contracts, policies, and internal documents written with clarity, structure, and risk awareness. I work best with clients who want things done properly. Not rushed. Not generic. Not copied from the internet. If you already have ideas, notes, drafts, or financials, I will refine and structure them. If you are starting from zero, I will help you build the foundation the right way. Let’s create clarity, structure, and decisions that actually move your business forward. ___________ © Best regards, Keh...

Need a bulletproof, USCIS-compliant business plan that satisfies strict 'Matter of Ho' requirements? With a 95%+ E-2 visa approval rate and over $100M+ in funding secured for clients, I bridge the gap between your entrepreneurial vision and strict immigration/lender standards. Whether you are an entrepreneur chasing an SBA loan or an investor applying for a U.S. Visa (E-2, EB2-NIW, EB-5, L-1), your success depends on more than just a document—it depends on a bulletproof financial and strategic narrative. With over 500+ successful business plans and a Top Rated track record, I bridge the gap between your business vision and the rigorous standards of lenders and USCIS officers. As a Fractional CFO and MBA, I don’t just "write plans"; I build investor-ready financial models and strategic roadmaps that get results. Why Clients Partner With Me: SBA & Bank Specialist: Deep experience in crafting plans that satisfy SBA 7(a) and 504 loan requirements. USCIS Expertise: Specialized in E-2, EB2-NIW, and L-1 plans designed to meet the strict "Matter of Ho" requirements. Financial Authority: I provide institutional-grade financial modeling, not just basic spreadsheets. Military Veteran Verified: I bring a unique level of discipline, integrity, and precision to every project. Core Consulting Services: Immigration Business Plans: (E-2, EB2-NIW, L-1, C-11) Fractional CFO Support: Cash flow forecasting, burn rate analysis, and KPI tracking. Investor Materials: Pitch Decks and Feasibility Studies that speak the language of VCs. The Zamurd H. Advantage: I combine my background in Accounting and Finance with real-world experience at firms like Fatima Group to deliver corporate-grade consulting at a freelancer’s pace. Ready to move forward? Let’s discuss your project goals. Click the 'Message' or 'Invite' button to start the conversation.

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

Are you looking for a skilled Grant Writer, Business Plan Expert, or Funding Consultant who understands exactly what banks, investors, and grant funders want to see? My name is Ajayi Stephen, a Top Rated professional writer and consultant with over 10 years of experience helping startups, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and growing businesses secure funding, improve strategy, and launch successfully. I have completed 1,000+ successful projects both on Upwork and offline, delivering high quality work that gets results. I do not deliver generic templates. Every project is customized, research driven, professional, and tailored to your goals. What I Help Clients With Funding & Business Growth Services • Investor Ready Business Plans • SBA Loan Business Plans • Grant Writing & Grant Applications • Nonprofit Grants & Government Funding • Pitch Deck Writing & Investor Presentations • Financial Projections & Forecasting • Market Research & Competitor Analysis • Startup Strategy & Growth Planning • Funding Readiness Review • RFP, RFQ, and RFI Proposal Writing Additional Professional Services • Academic Research Assistance • Business Consultation • Editing & Proofreading • Proposal Review & Refinement • Strategic Planning Why Clients Hire Me • Top Rated Professional on Upwork • Fast Response Time • High Quality Work • Attention to Detail • Strong Business Knowledge • Confidential and Professional Service • Clear Communication • On Time Delivery • Client Satisfaction Focused Results Driven Approach I turn ideas into clear, persuasive, investor ready, and fundable documents that decision makers trust. Whether you need funding, a winning business plan, or expert guidance to grow your business, I am ready to help. Let’s Work Together Send me a message today and let us discuss your project goals. Keywords Grant Writer, Grant Writing, Business Plan Writer, SBA Business Plan, Loan Business Plan, Startup Consultant, Financial Projections, Pitch Deck Writer, Nonprofit Grants, Government Grants, Proposal Writer, RFP Writer, Market Research, Academic Research, Business Consultant, Funding Consultant