Free FD Consultation: What's Included and How to Prepare

FractionalFD offers a free initial consultation and finance diagnostic for UK businesses. Find out what's covered, how to prepare, and what to expect from the process.

FractionalFD offers a free initial consultation and finance diagnostic for every business that enquires about a part-time FD engagement. This consultation is substantive — not a sales call — and is designed to give you a clear, honest picture of whether a fractional FD is right for your business, what level of engagement you need, and what the engagement is likely to cost. This article explains exactly what the free consultation includes, how to prepare for it, and what happens next.

What the Free Initial Consultation Covers

The FractionalFD initial consultation is a structured 45-minute conversation — conducted by video call or by phone — between a senior member of the FractionalFD team and the business owner or CEO. It is not a pitch. It is a diagnostic that covers:

Your current finance function: Who is in your finance team, what systems you use, how management accounts are currently produced, and what the quality of your financial reporting looks like today
Your primary finance challenges: The three to five issues that are causing you the most financial stress or limiting your growth — whether cash flow uncertainty, weak reporting, banking covenant pressure, a fundraise you need to navigate, or simply a lack of strategic finance leadership at the board level
Your strategic context: Where the business is heading — growth targets, capital requirements, acquisition plans, or exit horizon — so we can assess what level and type of FD support would be most valuable
An honest assessment of fit: Whether a fractional FD is the right intervention for your specific situation, or whether another type of support — a Finance Manager hire, an outsourced bookkeeper upgrade, or a specific project consultant — would serve you better
An indicative recommendation: If a fractional FD engagement is appropriate, an initial view on the level of engagement (days per month), the type of FD experience needed, and the likely cost range

What the Free Consultation Is Not

Setting honest expectations matters. The free initial consultation is not:

A detailed financial diagnostic of your accounts — that level of analysis requires access to your financial data and is part of the FD onboarding process, not the pre-engagement consultation
A commitment to engage — the consultation is obligation-free, and many businesses find it valuable even if they decide not to proceed with a fractional FD immediately
A pitch for a specific FD — the initial consultation precedes FD matching. The matching process begins after you have decided to proceed

"The most useful outcome of the initial consultation is often clarity — either that a fractional FD is exactly what the business needs, or that there is a more fundamental issue to address first. Both are valuable."

The Finance Diagnostic: A Deeper Assessment

For businesses that want a more detailed view of their financial health before committing to a fractional FD engagement, FractionalFD offers an optional finance diagnostic — a structured half-day assessment conducted by a senior FD from the FractionalFD network. The finance diagnostic covers:

Financial reporting quality assessment

A review of your most recent management accounts, chart of accounts structure, and reporting cadence. The diagnostic identifies specific gaps — missing accruals, inconsistent revenue recognition, poorly categorised costs, absence of balance sheet reconciliations — and provides a prioritised list of improvements.

Cash flow and working capital review

An assessment of your current cash flow visibility, debtor and creditor management practices, and banking position. The diagnostic produces a rapid view of your liquidity risk and the specific working capital improvements that would have the greatest impact.

Strategic finance gap analysis

An honest assessment of where your finance function is relative to where it needs to be for your growth stage — and a clear view of whether the gaps are best closed by a fractional FD, additional in-house resource, or a combination of both.

The finance diagnostic is available to businesses that have completed the initial consultation and is structured so that you receive genuine, actionable value regardless of whether you proceed with an ongoing FD engagement.

How to Prepare for Your Free Consultation

Businesses that arrive at their initial consultation with a clear view of their situation get significantly more value from the conversation. The following preparation takes approximately 30 minutes and will make the consultation substantially more productive:

Pre-consultation preparation checklist

Note your current turnover and whether it is growing, stable, or declining
Identify the three finance issues that concern you most right now — be specific
Know who is currently responsible for finance in your business and what their qualifications are
Have a view on your current cash position and whether you have experienced any cash stress in the past 12 months
Know your current accounting software (Xero, Sage, QuickBooks, spreadsheets)
Be clear on your strategic horizon — are you aiming for growth, a fundraise, an acquisition, or an exit in the next two to five years?
Have a rough sense of what you could budget for finance leadership support — this helps avoid wasted time on options outside your budget

What Happens After the Free Consultation

Following the initial consultation, FractionalFD follows a structured process to ensure you are matched with the right FD for your specific situation:

Written summary and recommendation

Within 48 hours of the consultation, FractionalFD provides a written summary of the key points discussed and a clear recommendation — including the suggested engagement level, the type of FD experience needed, and an indicative cost range.

FD matching

If you decide to proceed, FractionalFD matches you with two to three pre-vetted FDs from our network whose experience, sector knowledge, and availability align with your needs. You receive a profile for each candidate before any introductory call.

Introductory calls

You speak with each shortlisted FD in a structured 30-minute introduction call. This is your opportunity to assess fit — not just technical capability but communication style, personality, and commercial mindset. Most businesses identify their preferred FD within the first two introductory calls.

Engagement letter and start date

Once you have selected your FD, FractionalFD prepares a standard engagement letter covering scope, days, fees, expenses, and contract terms. Most engagements are operational within two to three weeks of the initial consultation.

Is the Consultation Genuinely Free — No Obligation?

Yes. The initial consultation carries no cost and no obligation. FractionalFD does not charge a placement fee to businesses — our commercial model means the FD pays a small platform fee on their income, which is factored into the day rates they charge. This means you incur no cost and face no pressure to proceed from the consultation.

Businesses frequently use the initial consultation to sense-check their thinking before making any commitment. Some proceed immediately to an engagement. Others use the diagnostic to improve their finance function before engaging a fractional FD six to twelve months later. Both are valid outcomes, and both are welcomed.

To understand what an engagement involves once you proceed, read our guide on what is included in a monthly FD retainer fee and our overview of how much a part-time FD service typically costs. To understand the return you can expect, see our analysis of the ROI from a part-time FD engagement.