In a recent LinkedIn post, Cruz Gamboa discusses how growing finance teams can distinguish work that requires a CFO from administrative preparation that may be streamlined. This article reports on Gamboa’s post and examines the approach he describes for ScalingCFO clients; it is not an article written by Gamboa.
“Both matter. Only one needs a CFO.”
Gamboa says ScalingCFO works with founders of businesses generating $3 million to $50 million. While financial figures now arrive automatically, he writes, preparing for client conversations still takes time. He frames the question for firms considering a hire as a capacity issue: is time running short for paid client work, or for the preparation around it?
Preparation beyond the numbers
According to Gamboa, the remaining work includes tracking commitments and outstanding information. Before a client call, he wants clarity on what the team promised, what it is waiting for, and which decision needs attention. His post presents those questions as a practical briefing agenda rather than a substitute for financial judgment.
“What did we promise? What are we still waiting on? What decision do we need to make today?”
Gamboa says an AI tool called Viktor, which works in Slack, assembles a morning brief from approved sources and drafts follow-ups. He describes a human review step for client communications: “A person approves every client message before it goes out.” That detail places the tool in a support role, with a person retaining control over what is sent.
A missed file, caught before the call
Gamboa illustrates the workflow with a recent example. He says the brief flagged that the team had not received the complete file for a client’s 13-week cash forecast. After identifying the incomplete input, he fixed the connection, and the forecast was running again in less than 10 minutes, according to his account.
“Wrong numbers in front of a founder cost a lot more than 10 minutes.”
The example underscores the risk Gamboa associates with preparation gaps: an incomplete file could waste time or leave a founder with incorrect figures. His post does not describe a new hire or a replacement for the finance team; instead, he presents the alert as a way to spot and resolve a problem before relying on the forecast.
Where is the time going?
Gamboa closes by asking readers to choose between two pressures: time for the work clients pay for, or time spent getting ready to do it. The distinction is central to his argument. Before adding capacity, his post suggests, leaders should identify which kind of work is consuming it—and whether the bottleneck is in expertise or in the coordination that surrounds it.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Cruz Gamboa on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on November 4, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →