Fractional CFO services · Utah & nationwide
Your P&L says you’re profitable.
Your bank account disagrees.
We’re the fractional CFO team that finds the gap, closes it, and builds you a business that’s worth something without you in it — for owners doing $1M and up.
A free 30-minute consultation. Bring your last P&L — leave with a clear read on it.
What is a fractional CFO?
A fractional CFO is an experienced chief financial officer who works with your business part-time or on a project basis, giving you strategic financial leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive.
You get the financial leadership. You don’t get the $200,000 salary, the benefits, or the recruiting fee.
Quick answer
Ascension CFO is a fractional CFO firm in South Jordan, Utah, serving owner-operated businesses across the Salt Lake Valley and nationwide. We provide the financial leadership of a chief financial officer — forecasting, cash flow control, KPI reporting and exit readiness — on a monthly retainer, by project, or at $250 per hour, without the cost of a full-time hire.
Who this is for
We work with owners who are tired of guessing
If two or three of these describe your business, the CFO seat in it is empty.
Over $1M in revenue
Big enough that the decisions carry real money.
Tight cash or unclear profit
Profitable on paper, and still watching the bank balance.
Preparing for funding or growth
A new location, a raise, a market — and no model to test it against.
Thinking about an exit
Someday, eventually — which means the work starts now.
The problem
Good numbers you can’t use are just expensive paperwork
Most owners at this level are not short of financial data — they are short of a translation. The reports arrive, they are broadly accurate, and they answer the wrong question: they describe what already happened instead of what to do next.
We have watched businesses celebrate revenue growth without realizing their profits were slipping. Digging into costs, pricing, and customer acquisition is how you find the story behind the numbers — and then write a better one.
These are the symptoms owners actually describe to us:
- There’s no cash, even though you’re profitable
- Net profit is under 25% and you can’t say precisely why
- You want to hire, and you can’t tell whether you can afford to
- Reporting from bookkeeping doesn’t match what you see in the business
- Payroll is too high — but you need the people
- The business cannot run for a month without you in it
What makes us different
Most financial advisors stop at the numbers
We work on three fronts at once, because a business that prints profit while consuming its owner has not actually solved anything.
Financial clarity
Understand what your financials actually mean, and use them to guide decisions, forecast growth, and stay in control.
Fractional CFO servicesBusiness value
Strengthen the systems, structure, and sustainability that make a company valuable — and not dependent on you.
Exit planningPersonal alignment
The person behind the business: clarity and balance across the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. Optional, and often the part that makes the rest stick.
CoachingWhat this looks like in your business
From reports you file to decisions you make
You can see how a decision lands before you make it
Financial modeling turns “can we afford this hire?” from a gut call into a number you can look at.
Profit becomes something you set, not something you discover
We target the profit and cash position you want, then work backwards to the pricing, cost, and mix changes that produce it.
The business gets more structured and less dependent on you
Value that transfers is built deliberately — systems, reporting, and a management layer that functions when you’re not in the room.
You get the month back that you used to spend in QuickBooks
We build the reporting and bring you conclusions. Your commitment is one meeting a month, plus the questions you email us in between.
Find out what your numbers are actually telling you
Bring your last P&L to a free 30-minute consultation. We’ll tell you what we see — including whether you need us yet.
Reviews
What clients say
How we work with you
Three ways to engage, one rhythm
Ascension CFO works on a monthly retainer, on defined projects, or by the hour — and the structure underneath all three is the same: we analyze the numbers, then we sit down with you and your management team at least once a month.
Retainer
An ongoing monthly partnership with consistent guidance and a predictable cost structure. The most common arrangement.
Project-based
Focused help for funding preparation, reporting, or profit improvement — with defined deliverables and clear timelines.
Hourly consulting
On-demand financial guidance at $250 per hour. Ideal for reviews, assessments, or a specific question.
Between sessions you are not billed by the question. Email us or book time whenever something comes up — we are your CFO on call during business hours.
Exit planning
The best time to build a sellable business is five years before you sell it
Preparing a company for a successful sale does not start when you are ready to exit — it should begin three to five years in advance.
That window is what gives you time to strengthen the financials, streamline operations, and position the business to command real value. Start late and you are negotiating from whatever position you happen to be in.
And if you are not planning to sell at all, the work still pays: a business that is valuable, transferable, and not owner-dependent is simply a better business to own.
Who you work with
A team, not a single consultant
Annette Sonnenburg
Founder, Fractional CFO & Exit Planning
Annette Sonnenburg has been offering business consulting and fractional CFO services to clients for more than 20 years. With a background in accounting and finance, she knows how to get your business on the right track.
Shawn Richards
Exit Planning & Business Consulting
Shawn Richards has an extensive business background having worked as a controller, business manager, and business consultant for over 20 years. He specializes in exit planning, business consulting, and leadership development.
Kelly Goode
Fractional CFO & Financial Analysis
Kelly Goode provides financial analysis and reporting support for fractional CFO services. With over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance, she brings clarity and structure to financial data to support strategic decision-making.
Mindy Petersen
Accounting & CFO Support
Mindy Petersen has worked with reputable financial institutions as an account reconciliations specialist and has worked for years with Annette in bookkeeping and accounting cleanup.
Carolyn Bastian
Client Relations & Support
Carolyn Bastian brings thoughtful organization and a high level of care to her role as Executive Administrative Assistant. She is dedicated to supporting both the team and clients with efficiency, warmth, and attention to detail.
Answers
Questions owners ask before they call
How we charge, who we work with, what a month actually looks like, and why we don’t replace your bookkeeper or your CPA.
Let’s look at your numbers together
Free, 30 minutes, no obligation. Or call 801-833-0991 during business hours and talk to a person.