The In-Between Stage: When It’s Too Early for a CFO, But Too Risky to Go Without One

Written By Michael Barry

There’s a stage in every startup’s growth that doesn’t get talked about enough. It’s the in-between phase—the point where the business is no longer early scrappy MVP, but not quite mature enough for a full-time CFO.

Founders often think:

“We’ll hire a CFO eventually, but we’re not there yet.”

Here’s the problem: by the time you feel ready, it might be too late.
This in-between stage is where small mistakes compound into cash shortfalls, missed board expectations, and confusing financial blind spots that kill momentum—or worse.

What Defines the In-Between Stage?

Startups enter this zone when:

  • They’ve raised a round or hit product-market fit

  • They’ve hired their first GTM or operations leads

  • Their burn rate has jumped, but cash visibility hasn’t

  • They’re still relying on a bookkeeper—or worse, a spreadsheet

It’s not a question of effort or intelligence. It’s that the tools, processes, and people that got them to this point don’t scale into what’s next.

Why This Stage Is So Risky

Without financial leadership at this point, founders often face:

  • Runway illusion: they think they have 12 months, but it’s 7

  • Unanswered questions: “Can we afford this hire?” gets guessed, not modeled

  • Funder friction: updates get harder to prepare, metrics harder to explain

  • Growth paralysis: decisions stall because financial clarity is missing

What You Actually Need

You probably don’t need a full-time CFO yet. But you do need:

  • Strategic modeling (so decisions aren’t gut calls)

  • Board-ready reporting (not just after-the-fact numbers)

  • Someone who sees the risks you haven’t noticed yet

  • A system that gives you confidence, not anxiety

This Is Where Startup Partners Comes In

Startup Partners was built for this exact moment. We provide fractional CFO services and startup finance support tailored for the in-between phase—helping founders extend runway, manage risk, and make confident decisions.

You don’t need to wait for “later.”
The in-between stage is when the right help matters most.

If you’re in this zone, or wondering if you are, reach out. We’ll walk you through our Startup HealthCheck and show you where the gaps are before they become problems.

Michael Barry
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It’s never too early for a Fractional CFO