Our Approach
We turn financial complexity into clarity. Every engagement starts with listening and ends with you making better decisions. This is the process behind the partnership, and it’s designed to give you confidence from day one.
How Our Engagement Model Works
Most outsourced accounting firms hand you a templated package and hope it fits. We do the opposite. Our outsourced accounting process is built around three distinct phases: Discovery and Onboarding, Monthly Operations, and Strategic Advisory. Each phase builds on the one before it, and together they create a complete financial partnership tailored to your business.
At Rock Solid Financials, outsourced accounting works like this: a dedicated fractional team (controller, bookkeeper, and CFO oversight) manages your finances using cloud-based tools, delivering monthly reporting and strategic guidance without the overhead of an in-house department.
Three Phases, One Continuous Partnership
Each phase builds on the one before it. Together they create a complete financial partnership tailored to your business.
PHASE 1
Discovery & Onboarding
Listen, assess, and set up clean books with your dedicated team.
PHASE 2
Monthly Operations
A consistent monthly rhythm of close, reconciliation, and reporting.
PHASE 3
Strategic Advisory
The “so what” behind the numbers, executive-level guidance.
PHASE 1
Discovery and Onboarding
Everything begins with a conversation. Our outsourced CFO onboarding process starts with a discovery call where we listen. No sales pitch, no pressure. We want to understand your business, your current financial infrastructure, and the problems keeping you up at night.
From there, we conduct a financial assessment. We review your existing books, identify gaps, and evaluate your systems. If you’re already using QuickBooks Online, we assess your setup and recommend improvements. If you’re on a different platform or still using spreadsheets, we handle the migration.
TYPICAL TIMELINE
The typical onboarding timeline is two to four weeks. By the end, you’ll have clean books, a dedicated team, and a clear picture of where your finances stand.
Discovery Call
We learn about your business, goals, and pain points.
Financial Health Assessment
We review your current books, chart of accounts, and reporting structure.
QuickBooks Online Setup or Migration
We build or optimize your cloud-based accounting environment.
Historical Cleanup
If your books need reconciliation or correction, we handle it.
Custom Team Assignment
We match you with a dedicated controller, bookkeeper, and CFO advisor based on your industry and needs.
PHASE 2
Monthly Operations
Once onboarding is complete, we settle into a consistent monthly rhythm. This is where the outsourced accounting process becomes routine in the best sense of the word. You always know what to expect, when to expect it, and who’s handling it.
Transaction Categorization
Every transaction is reviewed and properly coded.
Bank and Credit Card Reconciliation
Accounts are reconciled to the penny.
Accounts Payable and Receivable Management
Bills and invoices are tracked and managed.
Month-End Close
Books are closed on a consistent schedule.
Financial Statement Delivery
You receive a complete package: profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
Management Reporting
Custom reports that highlight the metrics most relevant to your business.
The result: you always know where your money is, where it went, and whether you’re on track, without lifting a finger.
Your financials are closed at the same time every month. You’ll receive your reports with enough time to review them before any advisory conversations. The same team works on your account every month, so there’s no re-explaining your business to a new face.
PHASE 3
Strategic Advisory
This is where Rock Solid Financials separates from commodity bookkeeping. Phase 3 is the “so what” behind the numbers. Clean books are table stakes. Knowing what to do with the information is where real value lives.
Forward-Looking Financial Visibility
See where your cash position is heading, not just where it’s been. Through cash flow forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis, you’ll always know what’s coming and whether you’re on track.
Decision-Ready Reporting
Know which levers to pull and when to act. Custom KPI dashboards and management reporting highlight the metrics that actually drive your specific business, so every data point comes with a clear next step.
A CFO in Your Corner
Get strategic conversations that shape how you grow, manage risk, and seize opportunity. Through monthly or quarterly advisory calls and long-range financial modeling, you have executive-level financial guidance without the executive-level salary.
Exit and Transaction Readiness
When the time comes to sell, merge, or bring on investors, your financials are built to withstand buyer scrutiny. We’ve sat on both sides of the table in transactions, and that perspective shapes every recommendation we make.
Financial Clarity Starts with a Conversation
Every engagement is tailored to your business. Let’s talk about what this process looks like for you.
Technology and Security
We hear this question often: “Is it safe to have someone manage my finances remotely?” The short answer is that our cloud-based model is more secure than most traditional offices.
Our technology stack includes QuickBooks Online as the core accounting platform, cloud-based document management for organized file storage, and encrypted file sharing for every document exchange. We enforce multi-factor authentication on all accounts and use role-based access controls so team members only see what they need to see.
Your data is backed up, encrypted, and accessible on your schedule. You have real-time access to your financials from anywhere.
What Makes Us Different
There are plenty of accounting firms out there. Here’s why clients choose us and stay with us.
Every Client is Our Most Important Client
We don’t have a tiered service model. Whether you’re a growing small business or a well-established non-profit, you receive the same level of attention, responsiveness, and strategic thinking. We call this the A-Client treatment, and it’s not negotiable.
One Firm, Complete Coverage
Rock Solid Financials is a true one-stop shop. We deliver outsourced CFO advisory, accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and tax support through a single, coordinated team. No more juggling multiple vendors or hoping your bookkeeper and your CPA are talking to each other.
Experienced CFO Leadership at a Fraction of the Cost
Pete Carlson’s background as former CFO of a private equity-backed operating company means our clients get financial strategy and oversight that most firms simply can’t offer. You get that caliber of strategic thinking without the six-figure salary.
Multiple Professionals on Every Account
You get a dedicated controller, bookkeeper, and CFO advisor working together on your account. That means multiple sets of eyes on your numbers, built-in backup coverage, and deeper expertise across every function.
The People Behind the Process
Behind every phase of this process is a dedicated team of accounting professionals who know your business by name. Get to know the 23 people who’ll be working on your account.
