{"id":9708,"date":"2023-05-24T09:16:04","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:16:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/?p=9708"},"modified":"2026-01-15T11:31:46","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T16:31:46","slug":"hire-cfo-marketing-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/hire-cfo-marketing-agency\/","title":{"rendered":"5 reasons why you should hire a CFO for your marketing agency"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/category\/technology-innovation\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Technology &amp; Innovation<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 reasons why you should hire a CFO for your marketing agency\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-05-24T09:16:04-04:00\">May 24, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"5 reasons why you should hire a CFO for your marketing agency\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/hire-cfo-marketing-agency\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/author\/asavinwattanajantra\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/Asavin-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Asavin\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/Asavin-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/Asavin-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/Asavin-810x810.jpg 810w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/03\/Asavin.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Asavin Wattanajantra<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s face it, running a marketing, creative, or advertising agency can be hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clients expect results, and living up to those expectations isn\u2019t easy. You have a lot of competition, and it can be hard to differentiate your agency and find new ways to add value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a tricky balance between delivering on creativity and ensuring you stay on top of your business finances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Early on, you may not have people who speak the nuanced language of finance. That won\u2019t necessarily be a problem when you don\u2019t have many people to manage. Your finances may be simple to deal with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But as your agency grows, your finances will get more complex as you add more clients and services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With more clients to track, you will find it harder to keep a clear and accurate picture of your agency\u2019s financial health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why you may want to hire a chief financial officer (CFO) sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what we cover in this article:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#why\">Why your marketing agency may need a CFO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#cfo\">CFO vs bookkeeper vs accountant<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#when\">When you might want to hire a CFO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#reasons\">5 reasons to hire a CFO for your marketing agency<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#how\">How to hire a CFO for your marketing agency<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#final\">Final thoughts on hiring a CFO for your marketing agency<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Managing modern finance in a time of unprecedented change.<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Modern business requires speed and agility, starting with the finance and accounting systems<br \/>that underpin every facet of operations.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-133a4fc2-523d-47fd-a021-5799ff3e832d\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/Wordpress-BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_ProfServs_AA0349.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"people on laptops\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/Wordpress-BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_ProfServs_AA0349.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why\">Why your marketing agency may need a CFO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It can be problematic if monetary responsibility falls to creative people because they won\u2019t necessarily have the understanding to make good business decisions while keeping on a financially sound footing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kevin Barrington, commercial director at global media agency Wavemaker, says: \u201cEven from the start, financial discipline across any business is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf it\u2019s all falling on the shoulders of a founder, that\u2019s a lot of responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re looking to grow, you need to have that breadth of financial information and accompanying understanding to carry the business through.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chris Woodward is the UK group chief operating officer for Oliver, which builds in-house agencies for brands. He says: \u201cMost creative businesses neglect the operations of running their business. They are rightly very focused on the creative end-product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBut if you want to be a globally successful business that can support clients at an enterprise level, and you\u2019re not investing in your infrastructure in running a highly professional business, you\u2019re not going to be credible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou won\u2019t be a safe pair of hands for clients to trust their marketing efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for an agency figurehead who will be the captain overseeing your financial stability through uncertain waters, you\u2019ll want to bring in a CFO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cfo\">CFO vs bookkeeper vs accountant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You probably won\u2019t need a CFO at the beginning. Since all you want to do is keep simple financial records in order, you may opt for using a bookkeeper or even do the accounting yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As your agency grows and generates more revenue through a bigger roster of clients and services, it\u2019ll be time to bring in an accountant who could be more involved in tax preparation and compliance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019ll also be able to help you understand what\u2019s going on in your business so you can make good decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A CFO is a different kettle of fish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to understand that hiring one isn\u2019t simply a case of upgrading your accountant or bookkeeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a CFO, you have in place a key member of your agency\u2019s senior management team who handles the overall financial strategy with a broader set of responsibilities, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Forecasting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Risk management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Financial analysis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Decision-making.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Accountants are unlikely to have the leadership and communication skills of a CFO because their focus may be more on numbers rather than people management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Deepa Shah, CFO at LAB Group, says: \u201cWhat a CFO does is not what your accountant or bookkeeper is going to do. They\u2019re going to be helping you deliver your strategic growth ambitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when\">When you might want to hire a CFO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lewis Maleh, founder and CEO of executive search firm Bentley Lewis, says agencies may start thinking about CFOs when they reach a stage of significant growth and financial complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says: \u201cThis is when revenues and financial responsibilities become too complex for your current financial team to handle efficiently, or they are outsourced, and you want to bring them in-house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe need for a CFO may also arise when you require access to more capital, or you need to improve financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUltimately, the decision to hire a CFO should be based on your specific needs and growth trajectory, and carefully thought through because they will form a pivotal part of the senior team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Managing modern finance in a time of unprecedented change.<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Modern business requires speed and agility, starting with the finance and accounting systems<br \/>that underpin every facet of operations.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-133a4fc2-523d-47fd-a021-5799ff3e832d\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/Wordpress-BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_ProfServs_AA0349.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"people on laptops\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/Wordpress-BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_ProfServs_AA0349.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"reasons\">5 reasons to hire a CFO for your marketing agency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s examine why you might want to bring in a CFO to offer financial leadership within your agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Strategic planning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With a good CFO, you get strategic financial planning and guidance to help your agency achieve its growth targets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because they are part of the senior management team, your CFO will understand the big picture, ensuring the agency makes good operational decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ideally, you want a CFO with a unique insight into financial trends that will affect your future success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Suppose you\u2019re considering expanding into new markets and diversifying into new services. In that case, your CFO can supply valuable insights into how that will affect your bottom line and how much revenue you should expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for a CFO that can help your agency create plans to meet your wider business goals. They should help you understand your most important metrics and focus on what truly matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Todd Davison, managing director of Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance, says: \u201cA CFO can also provide data insight into non-performing services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOr they can look at investment opportunities with tax concessions, such as research and development investment. This can have a positive impact on margins and profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNon-performing services can be scaled down, with resources reallocated to those offerings that provide better margin and return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A CFO\u2019s responsibility is to be the bridge between the sales side of the agency and the delivery side, according to Peter Hoole, founding partner at Cact.us, as they understand what kind of resource levels you need moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Peter remembers: \u201cI would sit in the sales meetings, understand what projects were coming up next, how much they\u2019d been priced at, what the credit risk on those clients was, what the payment terms were, and whether there was any legal stuff we needed to go through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI could take that understanding into delivery meetings, speak to project managers, go through schedules with them, look at some key accounts, see where we were overservicing and underservicing, and help them to make the right decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Business development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Business development is particularly important if you\u2019re running an agency, as your business model could rely on winning more clients to service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Product-based companies may have more stable revenue streams and do not necessarily need to focus so much on business development initiatives to stand out in their market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to build and keep strong client relationships to generate revenue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A CFO can help you seek new business opportunities, expanding your client base for financial stability, expansion, and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Financial modelling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If a CFO builds a financial model for your agency, they can give you a mathematical representation of your financial performance, which can be used to forecast future performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can input data such as revenue, expenses, and financial activities to the model, which can make calculations, generating projected financial statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Financial modelling is a key skill for a CFO and critical for forecasting, budgeting, and making informed business decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An accountant may not necessarily have that level of ability, or the broad strategic focus, to create models of the right quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a financial model, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Benchmark the agency against competitors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Find potential growth opportunities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assess the risk of future scenarios<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Control and watch spending<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prepare for funding bids.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Todd Davison believes a qualified CFO should be able to accurately build financial models and forecast complex forward projections based on internal and external factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says: \u201cFinancial modelling helps underpin the agency\u2019s strategy, identifying growth opportunities or keeping things on an even keel in market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHaving the ability to forecast accurately provides direction for the agency and provides a greater level of certainty on the prospects for the business, which helps future planning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Cash management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You would charge a good CFO to lead your agency\u2019s finances, developing and implementing cash-management strategies to ensure you have the necessary resources to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say you want to hire more employees for a particular service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A CFO can supply much-needed support in understanding how much money your agency would require for this type of expansion and whether it\u2019s possible within your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David Wenn, CEO at Fiora, says setting your pricing model versus the cost of skilled resources is a moving target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says: \u201cPlanning and looking at the average salaries, expected pay increases, and overhead increases are more important each year as outside conditions now affect our business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBudget planning to ensure efficiency by buying new equipment or software to speed up the delivery of your service, without the need to recruit, would always be my first objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou need to know what\u2019s profitable and what isn\u2019t with the cost of resources to deliver for your client. Knowing your numbers has never been so important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your CFO should have a deep understanding of your data and business drivers, and they can use this knowledge to use cash effectively and support your agency goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can make informed decisions because they should have a strong understanding of financial markets, capital management and investment planning, market trends, and industry benchmarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A CFO can help you stay close to your agency\u2019s cash flow and understand what kind of surplus you have for investment or opportunity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re dedicated to liquidity within the agency, helping to strengthen the balance sheet and provide foundations for future growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your CFO can help your agency raise finance, which can boost cash flow. For example, you can provide cash to invest in revenue-generating initiatives by releasing value within invoices or assets (invoice finance).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can also support you to build operational and cash flow buffers to help during downturns in trade or broader market sentiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Performance tracking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>CFOs can help track and measure financial performance, supplying valuable insights into areas you can improve to drive growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This can be a complicated task with an agency, as it involves tracking financial and non-financial metrics and comparing them with other agencies to see how yours stack up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A CFO can carry out this task more effectively than an accountant as part of the senior management team because they can access all necessary data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Accountants may not have enough visibility of what\u2019s happening throughout an agency, while a CFO should have access to all relevant information from different departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Todd Davison says a CFO keeping close to the actuals versus budgets can ensure your agency has a close eye on financial performance to decide how it\u2019s tracking and trending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says: \u201cIf there are potential trading difficulties, this process can help signpost issues and allows the CFO and senior management to adjust business, putting in place mitigations to keep the business performing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Managing modern finance in a time of unprecedented change.<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>Modern business requires speed and agility, starting with the finance and accounting systems<br \/>that underpin every facet of operations.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-133a4fc2-523d-47fd-a021-5799ff3e832d\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Download now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/Wordpress-BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_ProfServs_AA0349.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"people on laptops\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/07\/Wordpress-BrandShootLDN_Dec2021_ProfServs_AA0349.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how\">How to hire a CFO for your marketing agency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lewis Maleh highlights three considerations when hiring a CFO for an agency:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Use a personalized approach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Since relationships are so important at the C-suite level, recruiting for a CFO requires a tailored, personalized approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Understand the culture of your agency, as well as the technical requirements for the role you\u2019re advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Be clear on what type of CFO you need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider what type of CFO you\u2019re looking for, and take the time to ensure the fit is right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it\u2019s a first CFO appointment, you\u2019ll need someone with experience in formalizing and setting up the finance function. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to expand into new territories, someone with global expansion experience would be most useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Make sure CEO and CFO values are aligned<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The relationship between the CFO and the CEO is critical, and often their tenures are intricately linked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s essential that your CFO is not only experienced but has personal and professional values aligned with the CEO and agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the foundation for a strong relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The wider team will look to the C-suite for guidance, so you need to be aligned and pushing in the same direction on a values level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final\">Final thoughts on hiring a CFO for your marketing agency<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hiring a CFO for your agency can be a momentous change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can bring a wealth of financial ability, strategic vision, and management skills, allowing you to make data-driven decisions and drive growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When choosing a CFO, look for someone who aligns with your agency\u2019s values and mission, has a record of accomplishment, and can effectively communicate with your team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the right CFO in place, your agency will be well-positioned for long-term success and growth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cta-content__title\">Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-8949a954-88b2-43bb-8b8a-77c53eb34350\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As your agency grows, your finances will get more complex. Discover why and how a chief financial officer can help you stay on top of things.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":356,"featured_media":9740,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[258],"business_type":[99],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[112],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[],"coauthors":[312],"class_list":["post-9708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology-innovation","tag-cloud-financial-management","business_type-medium-business","industry-technology"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ca","author_name":"Asavin Wattanajantra","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/05\/GettyImages-740534235-768x432-1.jpg","imagine_tags":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Canada English","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9708","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/356"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9740"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=9708"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}