StraightForward Financial Insights

Financial Clarity for Growing Your Small Business

Your business is growing. Your financial clarity should be too. We deliver senior-level CFO expertise, budgeting, forecasting, strategy, and day-to-day management, without the cost of a full-time hire.

Book Your Free 30-Min Clarity CallSee What We Cover
100 Years Combined Experience
$1 Billion+ M&A on Your Team
CMA & CEPA Certified
342.8% Net Income Growth
~100 Clients Served
No-Obligation Consultation
Wisconsin-Based, Serving Nationally
100 Years Combined Experience
$1 Billion+ M&A on Your Team
CMA & CEPA Certified
342.8% Net Income Growth
~100 Clients Served
No-Obligation Consultation
Wisconsin-Based, Serving Nationally

The Problem We Solve

Most Business Owners Are Flying Blind on Their Own Finances

As your business grows, the numbers get harder to trust, not easier.

What worked at $1M can start to break at $5M. Spreadsheets drift. Reports lag behind reality. Cash flow becomes harder to predict. And the numbers that used to feel manageable start to feel disconnected from what's actually happening in your business.

A Chief Financial Officer doesn't just maintain books, they turn financial data into direction, help you see where risk is building, and bring clarity to the decisions in front of you.

For most small businesses, a full-time CFO at $250,000+ isn't practical. A fractional CFO provides the financial leadership and insight your business needs right now, without the full-time overhead.

“Are these numbers right?” — Distrust in financial reports

When you can’t rely on your numbers, every decision carries more risk. Opportunities get delayed, and small issues turn into expensive problems.

Cash is tight, even when revenue is growing

Growth consumes cash when it isn’t actively managed. It’s common, and dangerous, to see a strong top line paired with a strained balance sheet.

Slow decisions from financial fog

When the numbers aren’t clear, decisions slow down. And in a competitive market, hesitation is expensive.

Full-Time CFO vs. Fractional CFO

Full-Time CFO Annual Cost$250K – $450K
Fractional CFO Annual Cost$60K – $120K

Your Savings

30 – 50%

Same senior expertise. Same strategic value. Calibrated exactly to what your business needs, not what a full-time salary structure requires.

Book a Free Clarity Call

What’s Included

Everything a CFO Does. Exactly When You Need It.

We operate as your embedded financial leadership, covering the full scope of what a CFO does. From day-one oversight to long-range strategy, every engagement is built around your business, not a templated service list.

Budgeting & Forecasting

Forward-looking financial plans that help you anticipate what’s ahead, not just reports that explain where you’ve already been.

Financial Statement Analysis

We translate your P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow into clear, actionable insight, so you understand what’s happening and what decisions it supports.

Day-to-Day Financial Management

Consistent, hands-on oversight so your books reflect reality, and your team operates with clear financial direction.

Strategic Financial Operations

Connect financial decisions to your growth strategy, from capital allocation and pricing to investment analysis and the metrics that actually drive your business.

Risk Identification & Mitigation

Identify financial risks early, including concentration risk, covenant compliance, liquidity gaps, and operational exposure, so you can address them before they escalate.

Policy & Process Establishment

Build the systems, controls, and policies that scale with your business, improving consistency, accountability, and financial visibility as you grow.

Industries We Serve

Built for Complex, Operationally Demanding Businesses

While our approach applies across industries, we have deep experience in businesses where financial complexity and operational execution are tightly connected.

Manufacturing

Inventory, COGS, and margin compression create constant pressure. We help manufacturers gain clarity on true costs, pricing discipline, and capital allocation.

Trades & Contracting

Project-based work creates uneven cash flow and hidden margin risk. We help you understand job profitability, manage WIP, and maintain financial control as you scale.

Healthcare & Human Services

Reimbursement complexity, compliance pressure, and tight margins require disciplined financial oversight. We help bring clarity to cash flow, cost structure, and operational sustainability.

Why StraightForward

Why Owners Rely on StraightForward for Financial Clarity

Most financial advice sounds right, but doesn’t hold up when real decisions need to be made. We’ve spent decades inside closely held and family-owned businesses, where the numbers aren’t theoretical, they drive real outcomes. That experience shapes how we work with every client.

See What’s Really Driving Your Numbers
01

CEPA Certification, Rare in a Fractional CFO

We don’t just look at where your business is today, we understand where it needs to go. Our CEPA certification brings a structured approach to building long-term value, not just managing short-term performance.

02

$1 Billion+ in M&A Experience on Your Team

Institutional-level financial thinking, applied in a way that fits your business. You benefit from the same strategic lens used in high-value transactions, without the complexity or cost.

03

Built for Family & Closely Held Businesses

We understand the financial and personal dynamics that shape real decisions, ownership transitions, equity, and generational planning. These aren’t edge cases for us, they’re core to how we operate.

04

Clarity That Leads to Action

Every deliverable is designed to support a real decision. Clear language. Honest assessments. Numbers that move you forward, not reports that sit untouched.

Your Financial Leadership Team

Seasoned Professionals. Not Junior Consultants.

Meet the Full Team

Jason J. Sellnow

Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

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Founder & CEO

Jason J. Sellnow

Jason founded StraightForward Financial Insights in 2017 after 25+ years embedded inside small and mid-sized family businesses. He understands what keeps owners up at night and what it takes to move the needle. His work spans the full arc: building financial infrastructure, planning profitable exits, and leading turnarounds when things go sideways.

As a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), Jason brings a structured methodology to the most consequential decisions a business owner will ever make. He asks the hard questions, stays through the uncomfortable conversations, and doesn't leave until the work is done. If you want a financial partner who treats your business like it matters, Jason is that person.

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Alan Zeffer

Fractional CFO

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Fractional CFO

Alan Zeffer

Alan brings over 40 years of executive leadership across public companies, family businesses, and venture-backed startups serving as CFO, CEO, and COO. He has personally led and structured more than $1 billion in M&A transactions, and knows exactly how deals are built, where they fall apart, and how to position a business to command maximum value.

That caliber of experience is now available to StraightForward's clients. Alan specializes in high-stakes advisory: complex M&A, capital structure decisions, and situations where financial leadership is truly mission-critical. He is direct, deeply experienced, and exceptionally well-connected. When the deal matters most, Alan is the person you want in the room.

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Steve Wagner

Fractional CFO

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Fractional CFO

Steve Wagner

Since 1998, Steve has served nearly 100 clients as a fractional CFO and controller across manufacturing, distribution, and private equity-backed companies. He understands the rhythm of production businesses inventory dynamics, cost structures, margin pressure, and the operational levers that actually drive profitability.

Working with Steve means getting a seasoned financial executive at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. He integrates quickly, asks the right questions, and delivers the clarity that allows ownership to make confident decisions. If your business runs on product, Steve is the CFO-level partner you've been looking for.

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Brent Bunker

Fractional CFO

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Fractional CFO

Brent Bunker

Brent helps business owners build the financial structure, operational visibility, and decision-making discipline needed to scale confidently. With experience leading finance functions across manufacturing, service, and growth-oriented companies, he brings a practical, forward-looking approach that connects financial strategy to day-to-day operations. His focus is helping leadership teams improve cash flow, strengthen reporting, and create the clarity needed to make faster, better decisions.

As a CPA and former CFO/controller, Brent combines technical financial expertise with an operational mindset that business owners value. He specializes in forecasting, KPI development, financial infrastructure, and building systems that support sustainable growth without adding unnecessary complexity. Brent is the kind of advisor who integrates quickly, asks the right questions, and helps companies move from reactive financial management to proactive leadership.

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Client Results

Real Numbers. Real Businesses.

Our work is focused on real-world outcomes, not just deliverables. Here’s what clients say about working with StraightForward Financial.

“

Jason was fast, calm, and extremely effective when we needed financial clarity the most. He came in, assessed the situation honestly, and gave us a clear path forward. The issues that had been hanging over us for months were resolved quickly and effectively, without drama or disruption to our team.

Jeff H.J.
Elkhorn, Wisconsin
WeeksTime to Key Issues Resolved
“

Working with StraightForward Financial changed how we look at our own business. The financial discipline and strategic clarity Jason brought to our operation played a key role in results we hadn’t previously achieved. The numbers speak for themselves, and we’re still building on them.

Dayne & Li’i
Oahu, Hawaii
90.6%*Revenue Growth
342.8%*Net Income Growth

*Results vary based on business conditions, implementation, and market factors.

Get in Touch

Start With a Conversation

Every engagement begins with a free 30-minute Clarity Call. There’s no obligation, no sales pressure, and no jargon, just a straightforward conversation about your business and whether we’re a good fit for each other.

(414) 301-9696
jason@straightforward.today
Hartford, Wisconsin — Serving Clients Nationally
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