Financial leadership without a full-time appointment.
Your business may have good bookkeeping and an annual set of accounts, yet still need help deciding what comes next. Can you afford to recruit? Will a new contract put pressure on cash? Which activities contribute most to profit? Our virtual CFO services help you approach those questions with better financial information.
J. Sowden provides flexible, outsourced CFO support to growing UK businesses. James Sowden combines management accounting with an understanding of your commercial goals, helping you connect financial performance with practical decisions. We work online with companies throughout the UK and with UK business owners based in Cyprus.
What our virtual CFO services can cover.
Budgeting & forecasting
Build budgets and forecasts that reflect your plans, costs and expected business activity.
Cash flow management
Understand the timing of receipts and payments and identify where cash may come under pressure.
Financial reporting & analysis
Turn financial and operational information into a clearer view of performance.
Strategic business planning
Consider the financial implications of growth, expenditure, pricing and changes in direction.
Business insight
Use relevant measures to understand trends, investigate differences and focus attention.
Financial systems
Review how digital tools support record keeping, reporting and collaboration.
The service is tailored to your requirements. We agree what is included, the information needed from your team and the way we will work together before the engagement begins.
Cash flow forecasting for better business decisions.
Profit and cash are connected, but they do not move in the same way. A growing business can commit to stock, staff or suppliers before customers pay. Looking only at the bank balance today can leave future pressures hidden.
Our cash flow and forecasting support helps you examine assumptions and the effect of different decisions. That might mean considering a slower payment cycle, a planned investment or the costs of expansion. The aim is to make the forecast useful in management conversations and keep it grounded in how your business trades.
Combine this support with regular management accounts to connect the recent results with your forward plans.
When outsourced CFO support can help.
- Your company has grown beyond the financial information you currently receive.
- You want a clearer connection between turnover, profitability and cash.
- You are planning recruitment, investment or a change in business direction.
- You need financial insight alongside the work of your existing accountant.
- You want senior finance support without committing to a full-time CFO role.
A personal relationship, delivered remotely.
We start by understanding your business, the quality of its existing records and the issues you want to address. From there, we shape a practical scope and agree how information will be shared and reviewed.
Virtual delivery gives UK companies access to support wherever their owners work. We cover the whole UK and support owners and teams in Cyprus. Read more about working with us across the UK and Cyprus.
Virtual CFO questions, answered.
What does a virtual CFO do?
A virtual CFO provides financial leadership remotely. The work can include budgets, forecasts, cash flow management, performance analysis and advice on business decisions. Your proposal defines the services and level of involvement.
Is a virtual CFO the same as a fractional CFO?
The terms often overlap. Virtual describes remote delivery, while fractional describes working with a business for part of the time. We agree the practical scope rather than relying on the label.
Do I still need my existing accountant?
You may do. A virtual CFO focuses on management information and business decisions. We can discuss how that fits alongside your existing bookkeeping, year-end and tax arrangements.
How much do virtual CFO services cost?
Fees depend on the complexity of your business, the condition of your financial information and the support you need. We offer an initial consultation and a tailored proposal rather than publishing a price that may not fit your requirements.
Can you support my UK company while I am in Cyprus?
Yes. Our virtual service supports UK-based companies whose owners or teams work from Cyprus. We use digital information and agreed review arrangements to keep you connected to the UK business.