We are preparing our business for a clean exit, and our current bookkeeper has the title of VP of Finance on our Accountability Chart. She is excellent at monthly reconciliations, but we need someone who can model complex exit scenarios and run advanced cash flow forecasts. How do we split this seat without demoting or demoralizing our loyal bookkeeper?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a common issue as companies scale toward an exit. You have allowed a title to outgrow the actual seat on your Accountability Chart. To resolve this, you must separate the roles of tactical bookkeeping from strategic financial planning.

On your Accountability Chart, you need two distinct seats, a CFO or Finance Director seat and a Bookkeeper or Controller seat. The CFO seat is responsible for cash flow forecasting, exit modeling, and strategic capital allocation. The Bookkeeper seat is responsible for accounts receivable, accounts payable, and monthly reconciliations.

Once you have built these two separate seats, run the GWC™ check on your current VP of Finance for both seats. She likely gets, wants, and has the capacity for the Bookkeeper seat, but lacks the GWC™ for the CFO seat.

Present this to her not as a demotion, but as a clarity exercise. Explain that the business has grown to the point where it needs a strategic financial executive to prepare for the exit, and that you want her to focus on what she does best, which is running the day to day bookkeeping. Most loyal employees are relieved to step out of a seat that they are struggling to fill, as long as you handle the transition with clarity and respect.