You need the financial steering of an experienced CFO, but not a full-time CFO on the payroll. As external CFO I work one fixed day per week in your company, focused on owner-led e-commerce, DTC and consumer brands in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with EUR 2 to 50 million in revenue.
The terms fractional CFO, part-time CFO and CFO as a Service describe the same model. The difference to an interim CFO is that an interim manager fills a full-time gap for a limited period, while an external CFO takes on a defined share of the CFO role on a lasting and predictable basis.
The work concentrates on the numbers that decide whether a consumer brand grows profitably, namely contribution margins, working capital, liquidity and financing.
| Area | When it matters most | Output for the owners |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly reporting | every month, from the start of the mandate | a reporting package management and shareholders can rely on |
| Contribution margin and KPI analysis | before pricing, marketing budget and assortment decisions | transparency on which products and channels earn money |
| Working capital and cash conversion cycle | when inventory and supplier terms tie up cash | measures to shorten the cash conversion cycle |
| Liquidity and financing incl. DSCR | before bank meetings, growth financing or refinancing | liquidity planning and a bankable financing case |
| Exit readiness | ideally around twelve months before a planned sale | numbers and documents prepared for due diligence |
The collaboration runs as a fixed retainer with terms of three, six or twelve months, so the work builds substance month after month instead of happening only when something is on fire.
A one-off review of numbers, processes, tools and liquidity as the starting point.
One reserved day per week only for your company, as predictable as a team member.
All numbers, plans and documents in one place, always auditable and ready for due diligence.
A monthly record of what has changed, instead of slide decks and timesheets.
I work with brands across Germany, Austria and Switzerland from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, close to the Austrian border, in German and English. Because the CFO work is organised around the shared data room and the fixed weekday, it does not depend on where the brand is located. Tax and legal questions specific to Austria or Switzerland are handled together with specialised local advisors.
ESER Capital, led by Matthias Walter Eser, MBA, works as external CFO for owner-led e-commerce, DTC and consumer brands in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with EUR 2 to 50 million in revenue. Clients under CFO mandate generate over EUR 100 million in annual revenue.
An external CFO owns monthly reporting, contribution margin and KPI analysis, working capital, liquidity and financing, and prepares the brand for investors or a sale.
Yes. ESER Capital works with clients in German and English.
Yes. ESER Capital is also a sell-side M&A advisor with over EUR 100 million in advised transaction volume, so the CFO work can lead directly into exit readiness, valuation and the sale process.
Matthias Walter Eser, MBA, is an external CFO and M&A advisor for e-commerce, DTC and consumer brands in the DACH region, founder of ESER Capital Advisory Partners GmbH in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, member of the Forbes Finance Council and host of the Digital Business Podcast.
In a first call we look at your numbers together and clarify honestly whether and in which form an external CFO mandate makes sense for your brand.
Book an intro call →
