With over 23 years of experience in the not-for-profit finance arena, I bring the skills that you need, as well as a deep and a heartfelt dedication to this work.
About CFO Consulting
Q: What are the advantages of working with a part-time or interim CFO consultant?
Susan Banes: Most non-profits have budgets that are too small to support a full-time high-level finance professional. By offering part-time CFO capacity, I can help you meet important needs that are going unmet. I offer project work, planning and budgeting, system design and implementation, and a wide range of expertise.
Sometimes, organizational leaders may not know when something is wrong; they just know that they want something different. That is where I come in. I can assess your existing systems and identify needs in the financial area. We will have a real conversation about them and find creative solutions that work for you.
The best reason for hiring me is that you will not pay for more than you need, and you will get far more than you expect.
Q: What other key services do you offer as a CFO consultant?
SB: My coaching and mentoring support give your current finance team an opportunity to talk about and look at how they are doing their job and how they are impacting other people in the organization. I often find that the conversation we have is the very first time finance team members have talked about these issues. I think it is essential as a finance professional to understand your role. And to the extent that you understand what you bring to work with you, you can change the ways you interact and impact those around you. Part of the coaching and mentoring piece is helping others to communicate about financial issues in a way that is non-threatening and more easily understood by non-financial people in the organization. It is about connecting finance staff to the mission by connecting them to the people they work with.
Most organizations do not invest staff development resources in their finance teams. Given the role the finance department plays in the success of the agency, I see it as an imperative investment in your staff, your organization, and your money culture.
Q: What do you mean by “money culture” or “financial culture”?
SB: Culture within an organization can be defined as a pattern of shared basic assumptions that is learned over time as problems of external adaptation and internal integration are solved. As individuals with assumptions, beliefs and values around money and financial issues bring these to work each day, these aspects of ‘financial culture’ are brought to bear on the organization as a whole. Therefore, financial leaders have direct impact on the money culture of the organization as a whole as well, whether they realize it or not.
The financial culture of an organization plays a key role in the way financial information flows between departments, programs, and to and from management to the Board of Directors, and even between the organization and its funders and donors. It also affects the ways financial decisions are made. Since so much of the money "energy" is held by financial leaders, decision-makers, and within the finance department, the culture of the finance department itself directly impacts its function, as well as its role and effectiveness in the agency as a whole. Financial problems or challenges may point directly to opportunities to improve systems and culture. Are you experiencing cash flow issues? Are you hearing complaints from funders, vendors, other customers or stakeholders of the finance department? Do you just have a sense that something is not right, or there is something more or better that could be done, but you don’t quite know how to put your finger on it or how to address it? I can help.
The finance department is one of the most important “hubs” of any organization. If it does not have a healthy culture, it ripples out to the rest of the organization. This can show up as avoiding behaviors on the part of program managers and other leaders that result in bad decisions because: 1) they do not have all the financial information they need to make good decisions, and/or 2) they do not feel comfortable or safe in their relationship with the finance department or leadership, which makes it difficult to obtain these pieces.
I understand how individual and collective financial personalities can affect the financial energy or culture of an organization. My job is to take the time to understand what is at play, and then to train, educate, and orient the key players. This helps everyone better understand the information they need, and for finance department staff, it stresses the importance of how that information is delivered from the customer service side of the equation.
Changing your “money culture” or “financial culture” is about creating meaningful shifts in the ways you look at your current financial systems. I will help you implement simple tools, systems, and philosophies that can help move your entire organization forward.
Q: What are your consulting fees?
SB: I offer a number of different fee options to meet your needs as well as your budget:
My job is to teach you as much as I can, support you as much as I can, and help enhance your organization as much as I can. My goal is to leave you in a better position to sustain and grow healthier systems on your own.
Q: What might happen during a consultation with a client?
SB: My first piece of advice is: do not be afraid to ask the questions. The solutions are usually very simple, and the conversations that I have with CEOs, executive directors, finance staff, board members, and individuals looking for personal financial coaching are always helpful. Many people are uncomfortable talking about money and financial issues, usually because they feel like they do not know “enough,” or because they have fear about uncertain or potential negative outcomes. Once we identify what is causing that discomfort or uncertainty, things begin to move quickly. We are going to spend time talking. My goal is to put people at ease, answer their questions, and help them discover new questions on their own.
We will work together to enhance your sense of empowerment around the issues that previously made you uncomfortable, and even develop new management and leadership skills in the financial area. Call or email me, and we will talk about how I can support you to accomplish your goals.
Susan Banes: Most non-profits have budgets that are too small to support a full-time high-level finance professional. By offering part-time CFO capacity, I can help you meet important needs that are going unmet. I offer project work, planning and budgeting, system design and implementation, and a wide range of expertise.
Sometimes, organizational leaders may not know when something is wrong; they just know that they want something different. That is where I come in. I can assess your existing systems and identify needs in the financial area. We will have a real conversation about them and find creative solutions that work for you.
The best reason for hiring me is that you will not pay for more than you need, and you will get far more than you expect.
Q: What other key services do you offer as a CFO consultant?
SB: My coaching and mentoring support give your current finance team an opportunity to talk about and look at how they are doing their job and how they are impacting other people in the organization. I often find that the conversation we have is the very first time finance team members have talked about these issues. I think it is essential as a finance professional to understand your role. And to the extent that you understand what you bring to work with you, you can change the ways you interact and impact those around you. Part of the coaching and mentoring piece is helping others to communicate about financial issues in a way that is non-threatening and more easily understood by non-financial people in the organization. It is about connecting finance staff to the mission by connecting them to the people they work with.
Most organizations do not invest staff development resources in their finance teams. Given the role the finance department plays in the success of the agency, I see it as an imperative investment in your staff, your organization, and your money culture.
Q: What do you mean by “money culture” or “financial culture”?
SB: Culture within an organization can be defined as a pattern of shared basic assumptions that is learned over time as problems of external adaptation and internal integration are solved. As individuals with assumptions, beliefs and values around money and financial issues bring these to work each day, these aspects of ‘financial culture’ are brought to bear on the organization as a whole. Therefore, financial leaders have direct impact on the money culture of the organization as a whole as well, whether they realize it or not.
The financial culture of an organization plays a key role in the way financial information flows between departments, programs, and to and from management to the Board of Directors, and even between the organization and its funders and donors. It also affects the ways financial decisions are made. Since so much of the money "energy" is held by financial leaders, decision-makers, and within the finance department, the culture of the finance department itself directly impacts its function, as well as its role and effectiveness in the agency as a whole. Financial problems or challenges may point directly to opportunities to improve systems and culture. Are you experiencing cash flow issues? Are you hearing complaints from funders, vendors, other customers or stakeholders of the finance department? Do you just have a sense that something is not right, or there is something more or better that could be done, but you don’t quite know how to put your finger on it or how to address it? I can help.
The finance department is one of the most important “hubs” of any organization. If it does not have a healthy culture, it ripples out to the rest of the organization. This can show up as avoiding behaviors on the part of program managers and other leaders that result in bad decisions because: 1) they do not have all the financial information they need to make good decisions, and/or 2) they do not feel comfortable or safe in their relationship with the finance department or leadership, which makes it difficult to obtain these pieces.
I understand how individual and collective financial personalities can affect the financial energy or culture of an organization. My job is to take the time to understand what is at play, and then to train, educate, and orient the key players. This helps everyone better understand the information they need, and for finance department staff, it stresses the importance of how that information is delivered from the customer service side of the equation.
Changing your “money culture” or “financial culture” is about creating meaningful shifts in the ways you look at your current financial systems. I will help you implement simple tools, systems, and philosophies that can help move your entire organization forward.
Q: What are your consulting fees?
SB: I offer a number of different fee options to meet your needs as well as your budget:
- Project-based pricing for a specific project such as analysis, system design, or a workshop;
- Hourly consultation packages for a 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month agreement that includes flexible hours; and
- Interim CFO consultation with negotiable terms.
My job is to teach you as much as I can, support you as much as I can, and help enhance your organization as much as I can. My goal is to leave you in a better position to sustain and grow healthier systems on your own.
Q: What might happen during a consultation with a client?
SB: My first piece of advice is: do not be afraid to ask the questions. The solutions are usually very simple, and the conversations that I have with CEOs, executive directors, finance staff, board members, and individuals looking for personal financial coaching are always helpful. Many people are uncomfortable talking about money and financial issues, usually because they feel like they do not know “enough,” or because they have fear about uncertain or potential negative outcomes. Once we identify what is causing that discomfort or uncertainty, things begin to move quickly. We are going to spend time talking. My goal is to put people at ease, answer their questions, and help them discover new questions on their own.
We will work together to enhance your sense of empowerment around the issues that previously made you uncomfortable, and even develop new management and leadership skills in the financial area. Call or email me, and we will talk about how I can support you to accomplish your goals.