Advisory Scenarios

The scenarios we work with most often.

Grouped by category. Browse the situation that matches yours.

Every Advisory Project starts with a Discovery Call. The Financial Clarity Assessment follows for most projects.

The categories below organize the scenarios we work with most often. Browse by category or search for your situation directly. If yours isn’t here, we can still help — that’s what the Discovery Call is for.

Book a Discovery Call or Request a Financial Clarity Assessment.

Category 01

Cash Flow & Profit

Reports show profit. Reality looks different. These scenarios surface the gap between accounting numbers and the bank account, and build the plan to close it.

Profit on paper, nothing in the bank

Your P&L shows healthy margin but the bank account says otherwise. We trace where cash actually goes and build a working-capital plan you can act on.

Receivables that never close

Invoices pile up past 60 days. Client follow-up is inconsistent. We rebuild your AR process and give you real visibility into collection health.

Growing revenue, shrinking margins

Sales are up but profitability is sliding. We diagnose where margin is leaking — mix, pricing, cost creep, or inefficiency — and build a path to recovery.

Seasonal cash crunches

Every year the same quarters are painful. We build a 13-week cash model that surfaces the crunch early enough to act on.

Working capital tied up in inventory or WIP

Capital is locked in the operational cycle. We measure turnover, identify what is truly needed, and model what freeing it up would do for the business.

Payroll timing stress

Wondering if payroll will clear this Friday. We build a cash-management and reserve plan designed to reduce payroll uncertainty.

Vendor payment timing

Paying too early, paying too late, or just winging it. We structure AP to optimize cash without damaging vendor relationships.

Category 02

Tax Strategy

Tax season shouldn’t be the first time you see the bill. These scenarios catch tax outcomes when they can still be changed.

Surprise tax bill at year-end

The bill hits and there was no warning. We improve visibility into expected tax obligations while there is still time to plan.

S-Corp election question

Not sure if the math works. We model your actual numbers, not generic rules of thumb, and tell you whether S-Corp makes sense — now, later, or never.

Owner compensation isn't optimized

Salary, distributions, and S-Corp comp don’t reflect what’s actually defensible or tax-efficient. We model the right structure and document the rationale.

Missed deductions year after year

Accelerated depreciation, home office, vehicle, retirement contributions. We review what’s been missed and build a process to catch it.

Multi-state nexus exposure

Remote staff, multi-state clients, or expansion across state lines triggered tax exposure you haven’t fully mapped. We map it and recommend the registration and filing posture.

Tax planning for an acquisition or sale

Deal structure drives the after-tax outcome. We model tax outcomes under different structures before you sign.

Retirement contribution strategy

SEP, Solo 401(k), Cash Balance, defined benefit. We model contribution capacity and tax outcomes against your actual cash flow and goals — not a generic recommendation.

Entity structure no longer fits

The business outgrew its original structure. S-Corp, partnership, LLC, multi-entity holding — each has trade-offs. We model the alternatives before recommending the change.

Accountable plan isn't set up

Owners are paying out of pocket for legitimate business expenses without reimbursement, or reimbursing in ways that aren’t compliant. We build the plan and the documentation.

Real estate tax strategy untapped

Owner-occupied real estate, recently purchased commercial property, or a portfolio without cost-segregation analysis. We coordinate the studies and the strategy.

Category 03

Decision Review

A real decision is on the table. Here’s what we scope when the numbers need to support a specific call.

Hiring affordability

A senior hire or full team expansion is in front of you. We model true cost — comp, benefits, ramp time, productivity — and pressure-test affordability against your actual cash flow.

Pricing change or service-line review

You’re considering a pricing change or evaluating which service lines actually carry the business. We analyze margin by service, client, or segment and model the impact of changes.

Lease, location, or expansion decision

A new location, a lease renewal, or a market expansion. We model the cash, margin, and operational implications before the commitment.

Capital structure or debt review

The debt structure isn’t right, or financing is on the horizon. We model the alternatives, coordinate with lenders, and recommend the structure that fits the business.

Partnership equity or buyout

Adding a partner, restructuring partnership equity, or planning a buyout. We model the financial and tax implications and document the rationale.

Category 04

Business Value & Exit Readiness

Selling, raising capital, planning a transition, or trying to understand what the business may be worth. We provide planning-level analysis and coordinate formal appraisal work when required.

Preliminary business value estimate

You want a directional estimate of value and a clearer view of what is driving it. We analyze the available financials, assumptions, and value drivers. Not a certified appraisal or formal opinion of value.

Pre-exit value diagnosis

You are three to five years from a sale, succession, or transition. We establish a planning baseline, identify the biggest value gaps, and build them into the exit roadmap.

Partner transition or buyout planning

You are adding or buying out a partner. We model the financial impact, compare scenarios, and coordinate with legal counsel and a valuation specialist when formal appraisal work is needed.

Estate, gift, divorce, or litigation support

The situation requires financial records, supporting analysis, and coordination with attorneys, CPAs, or valuation specialists. Formal appraisal work is referred to an appropriately qualified provider.

Investor conversation prep

You are preparing for a raise. We build the projections, organize the financial story, and help you respond to investor questions.

Lender and SBA coordination

You need financials and supporting analysis for a financing application. We prepare the accounting information and coordinate with the lender. Required independent appraisals are referred to a qualified provider.

Category 05

Startup & First Year

The first 18 months set the financial structure for the next decade. These scenarios establish a stronger financial structure from the start.

New entity setup with immediate complexity

Spin-out, acquisition, or well-capitalized launch where the business needs proper financial structure from day one — not after the first messy tax return. We support entity and tax-structure decisions, handle applicable registrations and tax elections, configure the accounting systems, and coordinate with legal counsel where formation or ownership documents are required.

Acquired business, first 12 months

You just acquired a business and the first year is critical. We integrate the financial function, identify the cleanup priorities, and build the reporting structure you need to manage the new operation.

First-year tax structure decisions

S-Corp election timing, accountable plan setup, owner compensation structure, and the first-year decisions that compound over the life of the business. We model them before the calendar closes the window.

First-year budget

A budget at launch is a planning document, not a wish list. We build one tied to real assumptions and operating reality.

First-year cash flow model

Launch cash flow is brutally important. We build a 13-week model tied to your operating assumptions and runway.

Accounting system setup done right the first time

Accounting system setup at launch decides how usable your financials will be for the next three to five years. We design the setup around the reporting and operational needs you can anticipate at launch.

Systems and reporting setup

Payroll, AP, AR, banking, reporting cadence, expense management, document storage. We build the stack around your accounting system setup so every operational system feeds the books cleanly.

Working capital stabilization

The business is running, but cash is always tight. We diagnose the working-capital pressure and build a plan to improve cash discipline and operating reserves.

Category 06

Recovery & Diagnosis

Something is off and you don’t know exactly what. These scenarios diagnose the problem and build the recovery plan.

Revenue decline without a clear cause

Revenue is down and you cannot isolate why. We analyze the decline by segment, client, service line, or channel to identify the most likely drivers.

Margin compression

You are doing the same work for less money. We identify where the compression is occurring and build a plan to address the underlying drivers.

Client concentration risk

One client is 40%+ of revenue and the exposure scares you. We model the diversification path and the financial runway to get there.

Cost structure reset

After a rough year, costs need a hard look. We review every line, identify what is truly fixed vs. discretionary, and build a right-sized plan.

Post-crisis financial reset

Pandemic, recession, owner health, legal event, major client loss. We rebuild the financial baseline after a shock.

Financial irregularity or internal control concern

You have unexplained transactions, missing documentation, or financial activity that warrants attention. We help clarify the concern, assess the immediate accounting and control issues, and identify the appropriate next step. Fraud investigations and forensic accounting are referred to independent specialists.

Don't see your situation?

Start with a Discovery Call. We’ll talk through what you’re facing and figure out together what kind of project — or relationship — makes sense.

Book a Discovery Call