Why CMA
Every alternative leaves you holding the execution.
Do it yourself, hire a report-writer, or carry a full-time executive — the honest comparison comes down to one question: who actually does the work?
The Honest Comparison
Four ways to close the gap
| Do it yourself | Typical consultant | Full-time hire | CMA — execute-first | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | You — nights and weekends, learning as you go | They analyze; you implement alone | Your new executive (after a 3–6 month search) | We embed and do the work with your team |
| What you get | Whatever you have time to finish | A report and recommendations | Full-time capacity, whether needed or not | Implemented systems, documents & outcomes |
| Cost shape | "Free" — paid in owner-hours and mistakes | Project fee, value depends on your follow-through | $150K–$250K+ salary, benefits, equity | Published or fixed-before-start pricing |
| Speed to start | Whenever the day job allows | Weeks of proposals first | Months of recruiting | Intro call this week; most work starts in days |
| Risk if it’s not working | Sunk time you never get back | Fee spent; deck shelved | Severance, restart the search | Adjust or end the engagement — no payroll lock-in |
| Accountability | Only to yourself | Ends at the handoff | High — if you hired right | We stay until it holds — measured against a baseline |
Full-time figures reflect typical executive compensation ranges; every situation differs. Sometimes the right answer is a full-time hire — and we'll tell you when it is.
What Execute-First Looks Like
Three engagements, three answers
When the standard had to be institutional
A Latin American solar developer needed documentation that lenders would underwrite. We built the plan and 10-year model to project-finance standards — debt service coverage demonstrated from contracted revenues alone.
Read the case study → Fashion & RetailWhen advice wasn’t enough
A celebrated NYC fashion brand didn’t need another margin memo. The engagement restructured the budget, renegotiated vendor terms, repriced the line, and rebuilt inventory operations — a marked profitability increase, implemented, not recommended.
Read the case study → Embedded CFOWhen the founder needed her hours back
A growing boutique needed financial leadership without losing its creative center. CMA’s founder took the CFO seat and the day-to-day operations — and the business grew to six figures while the founder designed.
Read the case study →Strategy you can buy anywhere. Execution is the firm.
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