When should you hire a fractional CFO?

You are ready when financial decisions feel heavier than they should. If you are guessing instead of forecasting, reacting instead of planning, or carrying the entire financial model in your head, it is time. A fractional CFO gives you that strategic finance leadership without the cost of a full-time hire.

What does a fractional CFO actually do?

A fractional CFO provides part-time, senior financial leadership: investor-ready financials, runway and burn management, forecasting, capital raise preparation, and the financial controls and systems a growing company needs — engaged on a project or retainer basis rather than full-time.

When does a company need a COO instead of a CFO?

A CFO owns the financial strategy; a COO turns strategy into execution — the systems, processes, and operational discipline that let a business scale. Many founders start with fractional CFO support and expand into operational leadership as the relationship deepens, which is the work of a Chief Operating Officer.

Can you help with raising capital?

Yes. Capital raise preparation is a common starting point: investor-ready financials, pitch and board deck preparation, financial models, and fundraising strategy support for founders preparing for a raise.

Stuart Bernstein | Fractional CFO Chicago

Solving for what matters most

Solve For (X) was founded on a simple belief: every business deserves access to strategic financial leadership—not just the ones that can afford a full-time CFO.

I'm Stuart Bernstein

I'm the founder and Chief Problem Solver at Solve For (X). Depending on what the business needs, that's CFO, strategist, or sounding board for founders and operators who need a sharp financial mind in the room without hiring one full-time.

I've spent 30 years across startups, corporates, and private equity — 330+ clients, 59 industries, 20 countries. The work has run from pre-seed raises to COO-level operational overhauls, sometimes on the same engagement.

I started Solve For (X) in 2008 in CPG and retail analytics, then refocused the firm in 2018 on startups and small businesses. Today most of my work lives at capital raises, financial infrastructure, and the handoff from "we need a CFO" to "we need someone who does what a COO actually does."

Outside client work, I teach and mentor founders at mHUB and 1871, sit on advisory boards across Chicago's tech ecosystem, and write on LinkedIn about founder psychology, financial leadership, and the signals hiding inside everyday business decisions.

Connect on LinkedIn

Our core values

These values represent how we make decisions, how we work with clients, and how we hold ourselves accountable.

Navigate complexity

Focus on what matters

Financial decisions shouldn't feel like guesswork. We bring structure and clarity to complexity, helping you see the path forward even when the terrain is uncertain.

Not every number is equally important. We identify the metrics and decisions that will actually move your business forward—and help you ignore the noise.

See around corners

Build real partnerships

Great financial leadership is proactive. We help you anticipate challenges, spot opportunities, and prepare for what's next.

We succeed when you succeed. That means honest conversations, aligned incentives, and a genuine investment in your outcomes.

Our approach

1 Understand deeply

Every business is different. We take time to understand your model, your market, your team, and your ambitions before making any recommendations.

We've refined our methodology through years of working with founders, operators, and investors across industries. It's practical, adaptable, and focused on outcomes that matter.

2 Simplify relentlessly

Complexity is the enemy of good decisions. We distill information into what's essential, actionable, and relevant to your situation.

3 Build for scale

The right financial infrastructure today should support your growth tomorrow. We design systems that evolve with you.

4 Empower your team

Our goal isn't to create dependency—it's to build your internal capabilities so you can operate with confidence.

Defined by the moment you're in

I've worked with founders, operators, and investors across industries and stages. And while their labels change — startup, SMB, corporate venture, fund — the underlying pattern never does.

EVERY BUSINESS IS ALWAYS MOVING THROUGH ONE OF FIVE STAGES

Explore

Build

Launch

Grow

Exit

I work in the transitions between them — where strategy gets messy and decisions get expensive. That’s where the work makes the most meaningful difference.

Solve For (X) guides companies through the moments where commercial strategy, operating discipline, and financial clarity converge.

Some clients find me as startups.

Some as established businesses.

Some as investors.

But they all find me at a transition.

Our persona pages reflect the vantage point you're coming

from, but our work reflects the journey you're on.