Outsourced Finance Director for Creative Agencies
You need strategic financial guidance but cannot justify a full-time FD. We give you the financial leadership your agency needs, at a fraction of the cost.
Sound familiar?
These are the challenges we hear from agency founders every week.
You are making big decisions without financial clarity
Should you hire another team member? Take on that retainer at a lower margin? Move to a bigger office? Without proper financial modelling, these decisions are guesswork.
A full-time FD costs £80k-£120k+ per year
Most agencies under £3m turnover cannot justify a full-time finance director. But the strategic gap between a bookkeeper and an FD is where expensive mistakes happen.
Your accountant does not understand your business model
Generalist accountants process transactions. They do not understand utilisation rates, project margins, or how to price retainers. You need someone who speaks agency.
Cash flow surprises keep happening
A big client pays late, a project overruns, or a tax bill lands you were not expecting. Without forecasting and scenario planning, you are always reacting instead of preparing.
What's included
Everything you need, handled by accountants who specialise in agencies.
Monthly FD meetings
Regular strategy sessions to review performance, discuss challenges, and plan ahead. We come prepared with analysis and recommendations, not just numbers.
Cash flow forecasting and scenario planning
We build rolling cash flow forecasts so you can see what is coming. We model different scenarios — what if you lose a client, what if you hire, what if you win that pitch.
KPI dashboards and management reporting
Board-ready reports that track the metrics that actually matter for agencies: utilisation, project margins, revenue per head, and cash runway.
Pricing and profitability analysis
We help you understand which clients and projects are genuinely profitable and which are draining your resources. Data to back up pricing conversations.
Growth planning and funding support
Whether you are planning to hire, acquire, or raise investment, we build the financial models and projections that give you and your stakeholders confidence.
Annual budget setting
We work with you to build a realistic annual budget based on your pipeline, capacity, and growth targets — then track performance against it throughout the year.
Frequently asked questions
It varies depending on your needs and stage. Most agencies start with one day per month and increase as they grow. We flex the time based on what is happening — more during fundraising or year-end planning, less during quieter periods.
An accountant looks backwards — recording what happened, filing returns, and ensuring compliance. An FD looks forwards — forecasting, planning, and helping you make better commercial decisions. We offer both, but the FD service is where the real value lies for growing agencies.
Generally, outsourced FD services become most valuable once you are past £500k in revenue and have a team of 5 or more. Below that, good bookkeeping and tax planning may be all you need. We will be honest about what you actually require.
Ready to get started?
Get strategic financial guidance — book a free discovery call
Free Financial Health CheckNo obligation. No hard sell. Just a genuine conversation about your agency's finances.