Year-End Reflections | A CFO’s Perspective on Resilience, Growth, and the Road to 2026

By Jennifer Rebis

, CFO

November 17, 2025

This post offers a candid look into the mind of a CFO at a growing professional services firm. It explores the duality of managing internal financial health while serving as an external strategic advisor. Key themes include the shift from transactional accounting to strategic advisory, the importance of cash flow visibility and scenario planning in uncertain economic times, and the critical role of talent development. The author argues that resilience in 2026 will be defined by agility—the ability to pivot quickly using data-driven insights.

The Power of Agility: Small firms must use their size as an advantage, utilizing scenario planning to prepare for multiple economic outcomes (inflation, demand shifts) rather than relying on deep capital reserves.
Elevating the Finance Function: The role of the finance team is transitioning from scorekeeper to strategic partner. Investments in automation and Finance Transformation are essential to free up time for high-value analysis.
Cash Visibility is Paramount: Successful firms in 2026 will prioritize 13-week cash flow forecasts and liquidity management to navigate potential volatility.
Fractional Leadership Value: There is a growing trend of businesses leveraging Fractional CFOs and outsourced accounting not just to save costs, but to gain access to high-level strategic expertise that drives growth.

As we wrap up this year, I’ve been reflecting deeply on what it means to lead finance as a CFO in a growing professional services firm. This year was, in many ways, a delicate balancing act. Like many of you, we faced the same macroeconomic headwinds that have defined the post-pandemic landscape: rising operational costs, unpredictable demand cycles, and a labor market that continues to shift beneath our feet.

Yet, despite these hurdles, we remained laser-focused on the fundamentals. Cash flow management was not just a metric; it was critical to our survival and success. In a business model where revenue can fluctuate wildly with client project lifecycles, maintaining liquidity and forecasting with precision became our superpower. Every decision mattered, and we made them with care, data, and a forward-looking mindset.

The Resilience of Small Firms

Small and mid-sized firms often don’t have the luxury of deep capital reserves or sprawling investment portfolios to cushion a bad quarter. For us, resilience comes from agility and foresight. We leaned heavily on scenario planning, asking tough “what if” questions to stress-test our business model against multiple outcomes.

What if our largest client delays a project?
What if interest rates remain elevated through Q2 of 2026?
What if we need to pivot our service delivery model overnight?

By preparing for these variables, we weren’t just reacting to the market; we were proactively navigating it. This level of financial resilience is what separates companies that merely survive from those that thrive during uncertainty.

The Dual Role: CFO and Practitioner

One of the unique realities of leading in a boutique firm is the necessity, and privilege, of wearing multiple hats. For me, that includes my role as CFO of PBO Advisory Group, leading our Outsourced Accounting service line, and serving our clients directly as a strategic advisor.

Each role demands a different lens:

The Internal CFO Lens: Focused on margin protection, internal efficiency, and workforce planning.
The Service Leader Lens: Focused on service quality, client satisfaction, and team utilization.
The Client Advisor Lens: Focused on external market trends, growth capital, and solving unique business pains.

Balancing these requires not just rigorous time management but absolute clarity of purpose. I am fortunate to have an amazing team that supports me in these roles. This team includes a rock-star Accounting Manager who can take an assigned task and run with it, while also proactively recommending process improvements. Our internal accounting team ensures that our operations run smoothly behind the scenes, allowing me to focus on strategic initiatives and deepening client relationships.

This duality gives me a unique vantage point. I see the challenges my clients face because I am facing them too. When I advise a client on cash runway or regulatory compliance, it’s not theoretical; it’s based on real-time, trench-level experience.

This time of year is always a turning point. It’s when we shift gears from execution to reflection and planning. We ask ourselves: What worked? What didn’t? Where are we headed?

A CFO’s Strategic Plan: The 4 Pillars for 2026

From my perspective as a CFO, here are the four critical pillars I am focusing on as we shape our short- and long-term strategic plans for 2026:

A CFO’s Focus on Cash Flow and Liquidity
- “Cash is King” is a cliché for a reason, but in 2026, the nuance is in flexibility. It’s not just about having enough cash on hand; it’s about understanding our burn rate, anticipating client needs, and being ready to pivot when opportunities or challenges arise.
  - We are doubling down on 13-week cash flow forecasts. This granular level of visibility allows us to see potential crunches months before they happen. We are also advising clients to maintain a “war chest” of liquid reserves—ideally 3 to 6 months of operating expenses—to act as a buffer against continued economic volatility.
Smart Investments & Finance Transformation
- We’re prioritizing tools and processes that improve both client experience and operational efficiency. This is often referred to as Finance Transformation. Whether it’s upgrading our financial systems, automating routine tasks like AP/AR processing, or investing in AI-driven analytics, we’re focused on building a scalable infrastructure.
  - The goal isn’t to replace people; it’s to elevate them. By automating the transactional work (the “crunching”), we free up our talented staff to focus on the analytical work (the “thinking”). This supports growth without compromising quality and allows us to deliver faster, more accurate insights to our stakeholders.
Proactive Risk Management
- Staying ahead of regulatory changes and market shifts is non-negotiable. We’re not just reacting to change; we’re anticipating it. That means staying informed about legislation, industry trends, and economic indicators that could impact our clients’ businesses and ours.
  - For 2026, we are keeping a close eye on tax regulatory shifts and compliance requirements that may arise from new government policies. Risk management also extends to cybersecurity; ensuring our financial data is fortified against increasingly sophisticated digital threats.
Talent Development & Human Capital
- As we grow, so does our need for skilled, adaptable professionals. We’re investing in our people, creating opportunities for mentorship, professional development, and leadership growth. In a professional services firm, our inventory walks out the door every evening. Our team is our greatest asset, and nurturing that talent is a strategic imperative. This involves more than just technical training.
  - We are focusing on “upskilling” our finance team to become better business partners—teaching them to communicate financial data in a way that non-finance leaders can understand and act upon.

The Shift to Advisory: From Bookkeeper to Fractional CFO

We’re constantly asking ourselves how we can serve our clients better. That means listening deeply, understanding their pain points, and designing solutions that are not only effective but also empathetic.

In a service business, relationships are everything. Innovation starts with knowing your clients. Looking ahead, I’m energized by the opportunities on the horizon. We’re seeing more companies recognize the value of outsourced finance and accounting services, not just as a cost-saving measure, but as a strategic advantage.

The market is shifting. Business owners no longer just want a bookkeeper to record history; they want a Fractional CFO to help them write their future. Our role is evolving from transactional support to trusted advisors, and that’s where we thrive. We’re not just crunching numbers; we’re helping clients make smarter decisions, navigate uncertainty, and unlock growth.

I’m proud of the work we’ve done this year. We’ve built something meaningful—not just a business, but a culture of collaboration, integrity, and excellence. And while the road ahead will no doubt bring new challenges, I’m confident in our ability to meet them head-on. We’ve proven that we can adapt, innovate, and lead with purpose.

As we close out the year and look toward the next, I’m reminded that leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about asking the right questions, empowering the right people, and staying true to your values. That’s the kind of leadership I strive for, and it’s what I see reflected in our team every day.

Here’s to a new year filled with purpose, progress, and possibilities.

Jennifer Rebis, CPA
CFO, PBO Advisory Group
[email protected]
(858) 622-1681

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