• Summary
A Melbourne plumbing business was bleeding cash despite strong revenue. Here is how a fractional CFO identified the leaks and built a system that gave the owner clarity and control.
When Jake started his plumbing business in 2018, the work was steady and the revenue looked healthy. But every quarter felt like a scramble. Invoices went out late, supplier payments piled up, and the bank balance never seemed to match the profit on paper.
After engaging a fractional CFO through SavvyKai, Jake discovered three critical cash leaks: inconsistent invoicing cycles, over-ordering of materials, and a pricing model that did not account for travel time. Within 45 days, the CFO built a 13-week rolling forecast, automated invoice reminders, and restructured pricing to reflect true costs.
Six months later, Jake's business had $80,000 more cash in the bank — not from new revenue, but from plugging the leaks that were already there. The fractional CFO continues on a monthly retainer, reviewing forecasts and flagging risks before they become problems.
For SMEs turning over $500K to $3M, a fractional CFO is not a luxury — it is the difference between guessing and knowing.