Cloud Centres

Why Cloud Centres’ worked with a fractional CFO

Cloud Centres provides secure data hosting, keeping clients’ servers protected and operational around the clock. As a small, specialist team, the company ran efficiently but had limited internal capacity for major one-off projects.

When a complex financial initiative emerged, it quickly became clear that additional expertise was needed. The day-to-day running of the business couldn’t pause, yet the project required specialist knowledge in funding and market understanding. As Paul Webb, CEO and founder, put it, “We’re a small team… we didn’t have the resources in the business to tackle that whilst we did our day-to-day job.”

The team began by identifying the precise skills the project demanded: experience in raising finance, market insight, and a general familiarity with their type of business. They didn’t need a data hosting expert, but someone who could understand their operational reality and apply broader financial experience.

The process of working with The Finance People

Once the brief was set, The Finance People got to work and within two weeks we had a shortlist and the right person stood out almost immediately. The first meeting established a strong connection, with our CFO demonstrating a clear grasp of Cloud Centers’ goals and a track record in similar challenges.

Bringing in an external professional also introduced fresh perspective. Having worked in larger organisations, our CFO was able to challenge assumptions and add a more strategic dimension to discussions. The collaboration quickly became a trusted extension of the leadership team. The external consultant’s objectivity helped uncover blind spots that can develop when a business is deep in its own operations. Webb valued having a senior sounding board — someone to test ideas with and draw on wider experience.

This partnership freed up internal resources and allowed projects to move forward without disrupting daily operations. Tasks that might once have sat idle until quieter periods could now progress immediately.

Sound familiar? We’d love to hear from you. Contact our team to align with a fractional finance expert to help you move forward.

Paul Webb, Director at Cloud Centres

“Things that might have taken six months, we can get done in two. And that's a tangible benefit to the business. If I was speaking to another business considering doing this, I'd say it's a good idea. It can definitely add value. It's been, very productive, rewarding, good value. And you could probably say we've made a new friend in Paul who's been an asset to the business.”

The results

The impact was tangible. Projects that previously took half a year were now being completed in a third of the time. Webb noted that productivity and momentum across the business had improved noticeably, with a clear shift in how quickly new initiatives could be executed. “Things that might have taken six months, we can get done in two,” he explained.

The external expertise also created space for strategic thinking, allowing the internal team to focus on their strengths while maintaining confidence that critical financial projects were in capable hands. The partnership proved to be both efficient and rewarding, delivering measurable business value while strengthening Cloud Centers’ operational agility.

In Webb’s words, “It’s been very productive. It’s been rewarding. It’s been good value. And you could probably say we’ve made a new friend in Paul, who’s been an asset to the business.”

Cloud Centres continues to move forward with greater speed, confidence, and financial clarity — a stronger business for having brought in the right support at the right time. In need of similar support? Get in touch with our expert team to start making a difference with a fractional CFO>