Ok2Charge’s CEO Eric Broughton describes transforming chaotic, opaque finances into investor-ready operations by adopting Consero’s Finance as a Service—a blend of expert team and integrated tech platform.
The shift delivered GAAP-compliant reporting, real-time visibility, and a diligence-ready posture that supported an exit closing in ~52 days from LOI with a public-company buyer.
The Problem: Opaque Financials Blocked Execution
Basic questions on P&L, AR, and reconciliations couldn’t be answered, pulling the CEO into accounting firefights instead of scaling the business.
“All these things could not be answered… I still couldn’t get the answers.”
- Couldn’t answer basics like P&L details, outstanding AR, or reconcile key figures.
- Fractional-CFO conversations weren’t enough—tools and processes were fragmented.
- CEO time was pulled into troubleshooting accounting instead of scaling the business.
The Solution: Consero’s Team + Platform
Consero brought a coordinated finance team plus a platform—beyond one person and disconnected tools—so decisions could be made on clean, timely numbers.
“It was not just the CFO… it was also a technology platform that brought it together.”
- Beyond a single finance hire: an integrated platform plus a dedicated finance team.
- Peace of mind from tight, GAAP-aligned books and on-demand answers.
- A true partnership with a VP of Finance (weekly cadence, ad-hoc support).
Operating Rhythm and Tooling
Dashboards show cash, AR, and budget vs. actuals alongside sales/ops data, with drill-downs that trigger quick conversations before month-end.
“I’m able to use that dashboard for a quick glance… and then go into those more detailed reports.”
- Real-time dashboards: cash, AR aging, budget vs. actuals, drill-downs to detail.
- Sales and operations data (e.g., HubSpot and platform uptime/transactions) viewed alongside financial metrics.
- Streamlined AP: invoices routed to a managed inbox; handled by the Consero team.
Results: Speed, Trust, and Scalability
A tidy data room and investor-grade reporting helped Ok2Charge close quickly, even under public-company scrutiny.
“We were able to close… about 52 days from LOI… with a public company.”
- Diligence-ready data room setup made “click-copy-paste” simple.
- Closed from LOI to finish in ~52 days despite public-company scrutiny.
- Scalable cost model: quality of outsourced accounting + VP Finance without adding multiple FTEs.
Why GAAP and Accrual Accounting Matter
Accruals smooth volatility, reflect the true trajectory, and build investor trust; subscription revenue is recognized over time instead of spiking.
“Cash basis… [is] reporting after the news has already happened; accrual… [can] foretell what direction you’re going.”
- GAAP revenue recognition builds investor trust and valuation credibility.
- Accruals (e.g., legal fees ahead of a raise) smooth spikes and reflect true trajectory.
- Subscription revenue recognized over time avoids misleading “up-then-down” optics.
Lessons for Founders and CEOs
Tight books are the first trust signal; messy financials kill or devalue deals. Keep clean separations, reconcile rigorously, and treat finance as a strategic partner.
- Tight books are the first trust signal; messy financials kill or devalue deals.
- Don’t commingle funds or tolerate unreconciled balance sheets.
- A consistent CEO–finance partner cadence catches issues mid-month—not weeks later.
Pairing a seasoned finance team with an integrated platform turned finance into a strategic asset for Ok2Charge, delivering clarity, speed through diligence, and a scalable cost structure.
The takeaway: contact Consero to build GAAP discipline and real-time visibility early, and your exit (or next raise) gets faster, cleaner, and more valuable.
