Clean books first, then real guidance. Plumb Financial helps owners turn financial chaos into clear, confident numbers so decisions get easier and the business feels more in control.
A lot of owners don’t need a complicated finance department. They need clean numbers, simple reporting, and someone who can help them interpret what the business is actually doing month to month. CFO advisory through Plumb Financial is built for real operations. We focus on clarity, follow-through, and a system that supports decisions without turning your business into a spreadsheet project. Plumb Financial is based in Edmonds and supports service-based businesses across Snohomish County and North King County, including Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline, and nearby areas.
CFO advisory is for owners who are past the “I’ll look at it later” stage. If you want to understand what’s really happening with cash, profitability, and decision-making, this is where the work gets useful.
Many of our clients run service-based and project-driven businesses. Trades are common, but it’s not limited to trades. The main signal is that the business has moving parts and the owner wants clarity, not more noise. In our experience, the tipping point is usually the same: revenue is growing, but the owner still feels unsure about what they can safely spend, what needs to be held for taxes, and whether the business is truly profitable month to month.
We’re also honest about fit. If you want advisory without clean books, or you’re looking for a one-time “tell me what to do” call, this probably won’t feel worth it. CFO advisory works best when we can build a steady monthly rhythm and use accurate numbers to support real decisions.
We’re straightforward about this: CFO advisory only works when your bookkeeping is current and your financials are reliable. If the books are behind or inconsistent, we start by getting everything cleaned up, structured properly, and maintained monthly.
Once the numbers are accurate, we can actually use them. That’s when we can talk about things like cash planning, pricing decisions, hiring timing, and what it looks like to pay yourself consistently without guessing. We keep it practical. The point is not to build complicated spreadsheets. It’s to make decisions easier and reduce the constant financial second-guessing that drains your attention.
If your books are behind, that’s not a deal breaker. It just means we’ll likely start with cleanup, then move into advisory once the numbers are solid.
Here’s what advisory often looks like once your books are clean: You get monthly management reporting that is easy to read. You know where cash is going. You can spot margin issues earlier. You have a clearer view of what is safe to reinvest, what is needed for taxes, and what you can realistically take home. In project-driven businesses, this is often the difference between feeling busy and feeling profitable. If payroll is part of your setup, we can walk you through the workflow and help you keep it organized inside the larger financial system. We do not try to turn payroll into the focus. It’s one piece that needs to run cleanly. CFO advisory starts at $1,000 per month. Bookkeeping is typically $800 to $1,500 per month depending on volume and complexity.
STEP 2
Before we advise, we make sure the foundation is solid. That can include cleanup inside QuickBooks, organizing accounts, and getting a consistent monthly workflow in place. Good advisory depends on accurate financials, not best guesses.
Our free cost guide breaks down what drives pricing so you can budget with confidence.
