For many SME leaders, the early years of business growth are marked by momentum, opportunity and a strong sense of possibility. But then – often unexpectedly – that growth starts to plateau. Revenue flattens. Profitability wavers. Teams feel stretched, and decisions start to feel reactive rather than strategic. In this article, we’ll explore why SME growth stalls and why a CFO is the fundamental difference between a scaling SME and a failing one. 

When you’re building a business, there’s a certain pride in doing things yourself - plus, it’s cheaper when you’re getting started and you’re trying to save the pennies. From branding to operations, founders often wear many hats in the early stages. It’s scrappy, cost-effective, and gives you a sense of control. But when it comes to managing your company’s finances without a professional background, the risk can start to outweigh the reward.

Many SMEs have a skewed perspective of working with fractional team members, or do not fully utilise the opportunities available to them. Here are the most common mistakes SMEs make when taking on fractional experts - and how to fix them.

Alongside the benefits of remote working, challenges still remain. Is hiring remote truly the way forward for SMEs in 2025? Let’s explore the pros and cons, and why an increasing number of businesses are making the shift.

Hiring in 2025 looks very different from even five years ago. Traditional full-time employment is becoming less sustainable for many SMEs. This article explores the best alternative hiring strategies for SMEs in 2025.

If you’re striving for sustainable growth in your SME, keeping track of the right metrics for SMEs is essential. But with so many numbers and dashboards to monitor, where should you start? Which metrics truly matter, and how do they guide your decisions?

Delegation is often heralded as the hallmark of great leadership. The ability to entrust tasks and responsibilities to others not only empowers your team but also frees you to focus on the bigger picture. Discover how to delegate like a pro.

SMEs, often the most agile but also the most vulnerable businesses, must adapt quickly to thrive in challenging conditions. With a potential recession on the horizon, reducing costs without stifling growth is a critical priority.

For SMEs, a recession presents unique challenges, from managing cash flow and retaining customers to cutting costs and identifying growth opportunities. However, with the right strategies, your business can not only survive but thrive during economic turbulence.

Scaling up a business is an exciting yet demanding stage for SME owners and managing directors. However, this growth often brings unique hurdles that can derail even the most promising organisations. Explore the top 10 scale-up challenges and discover actionable advice on how to navigate them.

Understand how to read your profit and loss report effectively and the key warning signs that your business is at risk. Identify ways to address risks, and opportunities to develop by booking a free consultation with a financial expert at The Finance People.

Discover effective strategies to increase profitability for your business in 2025. Book your free consultation with The Finance People to assess your financial strategies.

Learn how to unlock the potential of your SME with Fractional CFO services and benefit from expert financial guidance, cost savings, flexibility and strategic insights that can drive growth without the commitment of a full-time hire.

Learn how to identify and avoid the most common financial mistakes business owners make. From budgeting and taxes to cash flow management, gain some insight into how you can strategically improve your businesses financial health, and how a Fractional CFO can navigate this with you to secure the future of your business.

As your business evolves, so do its financial needs. Many SMEs find immense value in leveraging fractional CFOs or other fractional finance experts to manage their financial strategy and operations. However, there comes a point in the lifecycle of a growing business when transitioning to a full-time CFO becomes not just beneficial but necessary. Read now.

What can a fractional CFO do for your business? Find out the key responsibilities of a fractional CFO and explore whether you could benefit from this role in your business.

Hiring a full-time CFO or even a Finance Manager/Financial Controller is a costly expense and one that is lower down the priority list when it comes to outsourcing. However, a fractional CFO could offer a middle ground solution.

You may be wondering - does my startup need a fractional CFO? Let’s dive in and find out.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of many economies around the world. However, managing the finances of an SME can be challenging, fraught with hurdles that can impact their growth and sustainability. Explore 8 common finance-related problems that SME owners often encounter, how to better prepare and overcome them.

The array of titles—CFO, fractional CFO, finance manager, financial controller—can be confusing. In this blog, we'll demystify these roles and guide you towards identifying the right finance expert for your business.

For SMEs that cannot afford a full-time CFO at the level they require, the fractional CFO model presents an excellent way to make that crucial step forward. Despite not adhering to the standard Monday-Friday, 9-5 schedule, the fractional CFO delivers high-level financial strategy, systems analysis, and operational insights on a part-time or contractual basis.