2018 - Present
Founder & Fractional CFO
Chen Strategic Finance
Advising venture-backed teams on fundraising, board governance, reporting cadence, and cash discipline across 32 companies.
Strategic Finance
for Growing
Companies
Fractional CFO & Board Advisory.
Bridging the financial gap between Seed and Series B with institutional-grade discipline.
15+
Years Exp
$150M
Raised
8
Exits
Avg Client Growth
2.4x YoY
Why Fractional Makes Sense
Get CFO-level expertise without CFO-level costs. I bring 15+ years of finance leadership to startups and growing companies.
Expertise Without Overhead
Access strategic finance leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CFO. Ideal for Series A to B.
Immediate Impact
Start seeing results from day one. No learning curve. I deploy proven financial frameworks immediately.
Board-Ready Governance
Professional financial reporting, forecasting, and board presentations that meet investor-grade standards.
32
Companies Guided
About Michael
"I help founders build financial foundations that support sustainable growth without sacrificing control."
After spending my early career at Deloitte and Goldman Sachs, I joined a Series A SaaS startup as their first CFO in 2015. We scaled from $3M to $45M ARR in three years and exited to a strategic acquirer. That's when I realized my calling: helping multiple companies navigate the same journey simultaneously.
Since 2018, I've worked with 32 companies as a fractional CFO, from seed-stage startups to growth companies preparing for IPO. I've helped raise over $150M in venture capital, implemented financial systems for scaling, and prepared dozens of board decks that actually tell the right story.
CPA
California, 2008
MBA
Stanford GSB
5 Yrs
Big 4 + IB
$150M+
Raised
Career Experience
Built across operating finance, advisory, and capital markets to support founders through every growth inflection point.
2015 - 2018
Chief Financial Officer
Series A SaaS Company
Scaled finance operations from $3M to $45M ARR, built the FP&A function, and led exit planning through strategic acquisition.
2011 - 2015
Vice President, Finance
Growth-Stage E-commerce
Owned planning, pricing, and profitability analytics; improved gross margin profile and introduced investor-grade monthly reporting.
2008 - 2011
Investment Banking Associate
Goldman Sachs
Focused on technology and healthcare transactions, diligence workflows, and debt/equity financing structures.
Operating Scope
Fundraising strategy, data room architecture, and investor narrative support.
Forecasting systems aligned to board-level KPI and runway accountability.
Finance hiring, role design, and leadership transition planning.
Audit readiness, internal controls, and multi-entity financial governance.
Current Focus
Venture-backed SaaS, fintech, healthtech, and marketplace businesses from pre-seed through Series C.
Education & Credentials
Formal training and certifications that support rigorous, board-ready financial leadership.
Graduate Degree
MBA
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Undergraduate
BS, Accounting
University of California, Berkeley
License
CPA
California Board of Accountancy, Active Since 2008
Professional Memberships
AICPA & FEI
Active in CFO peer forums and continuing professional education.
Trusted by founders backed by
Track Record
Quantitative impact delivered.
0
Million+
Capital Raised
0
Companies
Guided
0
Exits
Successful M&A
0
%
Clean Audits
Core Capabilities
Comprehensive financial leadership.
Strategic Planning
Long-term financial strategy, forecasting, and scenario modeling. I build the model that runs the business.
Ongoing Retainer
Fundraising & IR
Pitch deck financials, data room management, and investor communications. I speak the language of VC.
Project Based
Systems & Controls
Implementation of accounting systems (NetSuite/QBO), workflows, and internal controls for scale.
3-6 Months
Board Governance
Monthly board packages, KPI tracking, and governance support. I turn board meetings into strategic sessions.
Ongoing
Finance Engagement Timeline
Structured phases that adapt to company stage and mandate.
Phase 01
Financial Diagnostic
Assess reporting fidelity, cash dynamics, and risk exposure.
Phase 02
Model + Governance Setup
Install forecasting cadence, KPI logic, and board-level reporting format.
Phase 03
Optimization + Handoff
Embed ownership and controls, then transition to internal finance leadership.
Selected Engagements
SaaS Startup
Series A
Series A Preparation & Raise
High-growth SaaS company with 3 months of runway needed immediate stabilization and preparation for Series A. Implemented NetSuite, built the model, and led due diligence.
Engagement: 6 months
$20M
Series A Raised
18mo
Runway Added
HealthTech
Growth
Margin Expansion
Fast-growing healthtech company with poor unit economics. Conducted full cost analysis, renegotiated vendor contracts, and implemented activity-based costing.
Engagement: 9 months
62%
Gross Margin (from 38%)
$800k
Annual Savings
Client Feedback
"Michael saved our Series A. We were 60 days from running out of cash. He came in, implemented NetSuite in record time, and helped us raise $20M at 2x our target valuation."
JS
James Sullivan
CEO, TechFlow AI
"The margin improvements Michael drove were game-changing. We went from 38% to 62% gross margin in 9 months. The Board couldn't be happier."
SP
Sarah Park
Founder, HealthOS
"As a board member, I've worked with many CFOs. Michael's board packages are investor-grade from day one. Always on time, always accurate."
DR
David Rodriguez
Board Member
Engagement Models
Tailored to your stage of growth.
Fractional CFO
Retainer Model
$12k/mo
- Monthly financial close
- Board package prep
- 12-Month Rolling Forecast
Most Popular
Project Based
Series A / M&A
Custom
- Fundraising Lead
- Systems Implementation
- Due Diligence Prep
- Complex Financial Modeling
Advisory
Light Touch
$5k/mo
- 1-2 Strategic Calls/mo
- Board meeting attendance
- Financial Review
How I Work
A structured cadence from assessment to scale.
1
Assess
Review cash, KPIs, controls, and reporting quality in week one.
2
Stabilize
Fix critical leaks and establish a reliable monthly finance rhythm.
3
Execute
Implement forecasting, board reporting, and investor-readiness systems.
4
Scale
Support fundraising, M&A, and long-range planning as complexity grows.
Resources for Founders
Practical templates used in live engagements.
13-Week Cash Forecast
A weekly operating cash model for short-term visibility and control.
Board KPI Pack
A concise monthly KPI layout for board and investor updates.
Fundraising Data Room Checklist
A diligence-ready checklist to accelerate investor confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can you start?+
Most engagements start within 1-2 weeks. Urgent cases can start sooner.
Do you work with existing teams?+
Yes. I typically partner with controllers, operators, and founders without replacing your team.
What is the minimum term?+
Fractional retainers are typically 6 months. Project work is usually 3-6 months.