Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to the questions owners ask us most. Still have one? Email gergo@wayfinderconsult.net and we reply within 24 to 48 hours.
Which service do I need?
- Are your books behind or wrong? Start with a books clean-up.
- Need someone to record and reconcile every month? That's bookkeeping.
- Need bills paid, invoices chased and a month-end close you can trust? That's a fractional controller.
- Need forecasts and help with pricing, financing or growth decisions? That's a fractional CFO.
- Want to automate repetitive work in your business? That's AI implementation.
- Need a website? That's a website build.
- Need taxes filed or payroll run? That's your CPA and your payroll provider. We work alongside both.
Not sure? The first call is free, and we'll tell you what fits.
Getting started
What does the first call cover?
It is free. We diagnose what is going on with your books, get to know your business, and work out what you need from us.
I'm a year or more behind. Is that too far gone?
No. Catching up books that are a year or more behind is routine work for us. A clean-up is priced by the months of records: 10 to 12 months costs $3,000, and each additional three months adds $750.
Will you judge me for the state of my books?
No. Falling behind is common, because most owners do their own books on top of running the business. Our job is to get you current, not to look back.
What is the difference between bookkeeping, a controller and a CFO?
Bookkeeping records your transactions and reconciles your accounts. A controller pays your bills on time, chases your invoices, closes each month and explains your numbers. A CFO uses those numbers to forecast your cash and plan your next decisions. Most businesses need clean books before they need a CFO.
Who do you work with?
Businesses of 1 to 50 people with $300K to $10M in annual revenue, in any industry, anywhere in the United States. We work with businesses only, not individuals.
Do you work outside Utah?
Yes. We work remotely with businesses anywhere in the United States.
Working with us
Who will actually work on my books?
Gergo Szikszai and Bryant Solomon, the two partners, lead every client and are your contacts. You meet with the same people every week or month.
How fast do you reply?
We reply to messages within 24 to 48 hours.
How do you work with clients?
Remotely. We meet weekly or monthly and do the work inside your own accounting software, such as QuickBooks.
Do you use AI, and who checks it?
Yes, where it saves time. A person reviews the work every single time.
Your software and your data
Do I have to switch accounting software?
No. We work inside the software you already use, including QuickBooks Online, ControlQore, Sage and other ERP systems.
What happens to my books if we stop working together?
They stay where they are. Your books live in your own software and your own accounts, so there is nothing to export and nothing held back.
Prices and contracts
How does billing work?
We invoice on the first of each month, with payment due within 5 days (net 5). In most cases there is no setup or onboarding fee.
Do I have to pay a year up front?
No. We invoice monthly, on the first of each month.
Is there a contract or a minimum term?
There is no minimum term. Our standard agreement runs 12 months, and you can cancel with 30 days' notice.
How is a books clean-up priced?
$1,500 covers up to six months of records. Each additional three months costs $750, rounded up. So 7 to 9 months of records costs $2,250, and 10 to 12 months costs $3,000.
Does a clean-up cost more if I have more transactions or accounts?
No. A clean-up is priced only by the months of records that need it, whatever the number of transactions, bank accounts or employees. Each price covers one business entity, so a company with several entities pays for each one separately.
Do I need your bookkeeping to use the controller or CFO service?
No. Bookkeeping, fractional controller and fractional CFO are priced and sold separately.
Is a fractional CFO worth it at my size?
It usually is once you are growing fast, borrowing, raising money or tight on cash, and your books are already accurate. Our fractional CFO service starts at $1,500 a month and includes a monthly decisions meeting, a 13-week cash flow forecast, a budget tracked against actual and a 12-month forecast.
What we do and don't do
Do you do taxes, payroll or HR?
No. We do not provide tax preparation, tax filing, tax advice, payroll or HR services. We work alongside your CPA and payroll provider, and your CPA gets clean books to work from.
Are you a CPA firm?
No. Wayfinder Consulting is not a CPA firm, and neither of us is a CPA. We do not do audits, reviews or compilations. Both partners hold a Master of Science in Finance from the University of Utah.
Doesn't my CPA already check my books?
Not always. Many CPAs mainly prepare your taxes from the books you give them. We keep your books accurate every month, so your CPA starts from clean numbers.
What do clean books mean?
Every month caught up and every transaction reconciled against your actual bank statements, so your books and your bank agree.
Industries and other services
Do you work with construction companies?
Yes. We provide bookkeeping, fractional controller and fractional CFO services to construction companies, and every case study on this site is a construction business.
What does AI implementation include?
We find the bottlenecks in your business, work out where AI can help, implement it and train your team on repeatable processes, measuring results against KPIs agreed at the start. It is quoted per company.
Who owns the website?
You do. The domain, the website code and every account we set up are in your name.
How long does a website build take?
From kickoff to launch takes two weeks.
Can you update the site after launch?
Yes. We offer edits and maintenance after launch on a monthly retainer, quoted per company.