Most founders make the same mistake: they hire a junior bookkeeper when they need a senior accountant, or they hire a controller when they need a CFO. Getting your first finance hire right saves years of pain.
At $3M-$8M: Senior Bookkeeper or Staff Accountant
You need someone who can own the monthly close, handle AP/AR, run payroll, and maintain clean books. They should be able to work independently and produce basic financial reports. Budget: $55K-$75K.
At $8M-$15M: Controller
You need someone who can manage the full accounting function, implement controls, handle audit prep, and produce GAAP-compliant statements. A controller works alongside a fractional CFO — the controller handles the past (accurate reporting), the CFO handles the future (strategy and planning). Budget: $90K-$130K.
At $15M+: FP&A Analyst
If you have a controller handling accounting and a fractional CFO providing strategy, your next hire is someone who can build and maintain financial models, forecasts, and dashboards. Budget: $80K-$110K.
What to Look For
- Industry experience: A bookkeeper who’s worked in SaaS understands deferred revenue. One from retail doesn’t. Context matters.
- Systems proficiency: They should know your accounting software deeply, not just at a surface level.
- Communication skills: Finance people who can explain numbers to non-finance people are worth a premium.
Do This Monday
- Map your current finance tasks to who handles them. Where are the gaps?
- Determine your stage and the corresponding hire from the framework above.
- Before hiring full-time, consider whether a fractional model covers your needs at lower cost and lower risk.
If you want help building your finance team, book a free consultation →