What We've Done for Our Clients
Numbers and outcomes from businesses we've worked with.
Construction Firm Flying Blind on Project Profitability
The Problem
A general contractor in central New Jersey was bringing in over $2 million a year but had no idea which projects were actually making money. His books were five months behind, and he was bidding on new work based entirely on gut feel. He had recently completed a large commercial renovation that he thought would be his most profitable job of the year. It wasn't. He lost money on it and couldn't explain why.
Cash flow was a constant stress. He was waiting 60 to 90 days for payment from general contractors while paying his subs and suppliers out of pocket. He had been denied a line of credit twice because he couldn't produce clean financials.
What We Did
We started by catching up the five-month backlog and getting his books current. Then we set up job costing in QuickBooks so every expense, labor hour, and subcontractor payment was tied to a specific project. We built a monthly report showing gross profit by job.
Beyond the books, we stepped in as his fractional CFO. We created a 12-month cash flow forecast so he could see the gaps coming before they hit. We reviewed his financials with him monthly and helped him understand what the numbers actually meant for his business.
The Result
Within six weeks, he could see exactly which jobs made money and which bled cash. The commercial renovation that lost money? The problem was change orders he never billed for and material cost overruns he didn't catch until it was too late. He built both into his contracts and bidding process going forward.
He stopped taking residential projects under a certain size because the numbers showed they consistently lost money once overhead was factored in. His gross margins improved by about 11% over the next two quarters.
With clean books and a solid cash flow forecast, we helped him apply for a $150,000 line of credit. The bank approved it within three weeks. He now uses it to bridge payment gaps instead of floating expenses on personal credit cards.
Healthcare Staffing Agency Struggling With Cash Flow Gaps
The Problem
A healthcare staffing agency was placing nurses and aides at facilities across the state, but the business was constantly cash-strapped. They had over 50 workers on weekly payroll, each with different pay rates and assignments. Payroll was their single largest expense, and they were paying it out every Friday. But the facilities they billed were taking 45 to 60 days to pay.
The owner was covering the gap with personal loans and credit cards. She had no clear view of her margins by client or even whether certain placements were profitable after factoring in payroll taxes and workers' comp.
What We Did
We took over the entire financial operation. We cleaned up the books, took over payroll processing, and set up a system to track margins by client. We calculated the true cost of each worker including taxes, insurance, and admin time so she could see her actual spread on every placement.
We built a rolling cash flow forecast that projected payroll needs against expected client payments. We also reworked her invoicing process to send invoices immediately after shifts instead of waiting until the end of the month.
The Result
Average collection time dropped from 52 days to 34 days. That alone took massive pressure off her cash flow. She stopped covering payroll gaps with personal funds.
More importantly, she discovered that two of her largest clients were barely profitable once workers' comp and admin costs were factored in. She renegotiated rates with one and dropped the other. Her overall margin improved by over 4 percentage points.
She now gets a monthly financial review with us where we go through the numbers together. She can see exactly where the money is going and make decisions based on real data instead of stress and guesswork.
HVAC Contractor Stuck in Seasonal Survival Mode
The Problem
An HVAC contractor had built a solid business over ten years, but every winter felt like survival mode. Revenue dropped dramatically between heating season and cooling season, and he never had enough cash to cover the slow months. He had been turned down for equipment financing twice because his books were disorganized and he couldn't show the bank a clear picture of his business.
He was also bidding jobs without knowing his true costs. He knew he was profitable overall, but couldn't say which jobs made money and which ones he should have walked away from.
What We Did
We started with a full catch-up to get his books current. Then we set up job costing so he could see labor, materials, and subcontractor costs tied to each project. We built a seasonal cash flow model that projected his revenue and expenses month by month, showing exactly when the gaps would hit.
We also worked with him on his pricing. Using the job cost data, we calculated his actual cost per job type so he could bid with real numbers instead of rough estimates.
The Result
He could finally see his business clearly. Service calls were more profitable than he thought. Install jobs were tighter than he expected, especially when callbacks were factored in. He adjusted his pricing on installs and started charging for certain service call add-ons he had been giving away.
The seasonal cash flow model let him plan ahead. He started setting aside cash during peak months to cover the winter gap instead of scrambling. The stress of the slow season dropped significantly.
With clean financials and a solid forecast, we helped him put together a loan package for new equipment. The bank approved $80,000 in financing. He told us it was the first time a bank had said yes.
Law Firm With Trust Account Anxiety
The Problem
A small law firm with three attorneys was terrified of their trust account. They knew IOLTA compliance was serious, but they had never set up proper tracking. Client funds were mixed up in their records, and the partner who handled the books spent hours every month trying to reconcile everything manually. She was never confident the numbers were right.
They also had no clear view of firm profitability. They didn't know which practice areas were making money or which attorneys were bringing in the most revenue. They were growing but had no idea if they could afford to hire another associate.
What We Did
We rebuilt their entire bookkeeping system with proper trust accounting. We separated IOLTA funds completely from operating funds and set up tracking so every client retainer deposit and disbursement was documented correctly. Monthly reconciliation became straightforward instead of a nightmare.
For the operating side, we set up revenue tracking by practice area and by attorney. We provided monthly financial reports showing exactly where the firm stood and met with the partners quarterly to review the numbers and discuss strategy.
The Result
Trust account anxiety disappeared. The managing partner told us she actually sleeps better now. Reconciliation takes minutes instead of hours, and they have complete confidence in their compliance.
On the business side, they discovered their personal injury practice was significantly more profitable than their family law work. They made a strategic decision to shift their marketing focus and take fewer family law cases. Revenue per attorney improved.
When they decided to hire a fourth attorney, they had the financial data to support the decision. They knew exactly how much revenue they needed to cover the additional salary and when the hire would pay for itself.
Physical Therapy Practice Buried in Insurance Payments
The Problem
A physical therapy practice with two locations and six therapists was struggling to track their money. Revenue came through insurance reimbursements, copays, and some cash-pay patients, but the owner had no system for matching payments to claims. She knew insurance companies were slow, but she didn't know how slow or how much was outstanding at any given time.
Her CPA had warned her that her books were unreliable. She had no idea if the practice was actually profitable or just busy.
What We Did
We cleaned up two years of disorganized records and set up a proper accounts receivable system to track insurance claims from submission to payment. We categorized revenue by payer type and location so she could see where the money was actually coming from.
We took over the monthly bookkeeping and provided financial reports that made sense for a healthcare practice. We also stepped in as fractional CFO, meeting with her monthly to review the numbers and help with business decisions.
The Result
She finally knew what she was owed. The AR cleanup revealed over $40,000 in outstanding claims, some more than six months old. She was able to follow up on the oldest ones and recover about $28,000 that would have otherwise been written off.
She also discovered that one of her insurance contracts was reimbursing at rates that barely covered her costs. With the data in hand, she renegotiated the contract and got a 12% rate increase.
When she considered opening a third location, we built a financial model to project the costs and break-even timeline. She made the decision with confidence and opened the new location the following year. It hit profitability faster than projected.
Engineering Firm Ready to Grow But Flying Blind
The Problem
A civil engineering firm was doing solid work and keeping busy, but the owner had no idea which projects were profitable. He billed hourly and by milestone, but his bookkeeping was just deposits and expenses. He couldn't see how much each project actually cost once he factored in the hours his team spent.
He wanted to hire another engineer and maybe a project manager, but he wasn't sure the business could support it. His gut said yes, but he didn't have the numbers to back it up.
What We Did
We set up project-based accounting so every hour of labor and every direct cost was tied to a specific project. We built a simple report that showed revenue, cost, and margin for each job. We also created a monthly financial package with a P&L, balance sheet, and project profitability summary.
Beyond the bookkeeping, we provided CFO-level support. We built a hiring model showing the revenue needed to cover new staff and how long it would take to see a return. We reviewed his pipeline and helped him think through pricing strategy.
The Result
The project profitability data was eye-opening. His public sector work had much tighter margins than he thought, while his private commercial work was more profitable. He started being more selective about which RFPs he pursued and raised his rates on private work.
Within three months, he had the confidence to hire another engineer. Six months later, he added a project manager. Both hires paid for themselves within the year because he knew exactly what utilization rates he needed to hit.
He now reviews the numbers with us monthly. He told us it was the first time in twelve years of running the firm that he felt like he actually understood the finances. He's on track for his best year ever.
What Clients Say
Here's what clients share about working with us.
"Vin saved my business! No joke. When I started contracting Vin to handle my business' books in 2012 he clearly opened my eyes to the issues in our financial picture and helped create a budget and plan to become profitable. Money was coming in but I had no idea we were losing thousands of dollars per month. Things weren't as good as I thought at that time.
Finance is my least favorite thing about being self employed and running a business, and to be honest I still don't completely understand how to "do the books" right. But that's what Vin excels at and he does an excellent job for a very reasonable price. I trust his work 100% — and our accountant does too.
In business, saving money is just as important as making money, so having Vin reconcile our books quarterly saves my business over $2000 a year as opposed to having our accountant do it. We always have a clear picture of our financial situation and our accountant actually comments how easy he makes their job. Thanks Vin, I don't know where I'd be without you!"
Brian Gagliana
Greenlight Surf Supply
"I am at the end of my career but have had my own business for over a decade. Without any financial experience I was lost at how to keep track of my income and expenses to see when and where I was for each project and how much I would make, or in some cases lose.
Vin helped put together spreadsheets so I could easily track each project and gave great insight on how to budget for each project and the business overall. He handles all of my books now and the finance part of my business is not something I need to be concerned with. Everything is easy to see and I can communicate with him any time with very quick responses. I don't know how I did my job without someone like Vin as a part of the business."
Joe Handoga
Handoga Built Homes
"I can't emphasize enough how much Vin has helped me and my company. He's incredibly reliable and honest! I recommend him all the time because he has so much experience and can assist businesses of any size."
Julie Cardoso
Universal Ultrasound
"I'm a small business owner in New Jersey, and Vin has been a huge asset to me with the bookkeeping side. I even brought him on to do extra financial work for me as I grow my business. He always has my P/L done early in the month, is very easy to get in touch with, and my accountant has linked up with him and sent him many clients as well because he is so on it."
Shane Capone
Activate Physical Therapy
New Jersey's Fractional CFO Firm
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