FROM HUSTLE TO $150M
The Spark That Started It All
In 2021, three friends launched a direct-to-consumer health tech brand from their college apartment. What began as a personal frustration, watching a loved one struggle to afford basic care turned into a full-scale market opportunity thanks to a timely regulatory shift that made it easier to serve consumers directly.
With strong product-market fit and a compelling brand mission, the company exploded from $2M in revenue in year one to $6M the next—and is now pacing toward $150M.
But as their growth accelerated, their internal operations were buckling under the pressure.
The Challenge: Growth Outpaced Infrastructure
Like many founder-led companies, this team had the energy and intuition to build something meaningful. But as they scaled, the financial foundation hadn’t kept up.
“There was a lot of hustle and experimentation—but not a lot of structure,” said David Maytubby, the AVL CFO leadership brought in to lead the engagement. “They had no real controls or reliable reporting. It just wasn’t sustainable.”
Outside advisors evaluating the company for a potential transaction flagged the same issue: it was time to bring in experienced financial support.
The Fix: Strategic Support Without the Overhead
AVL began by reconstructing the company’s financials, building investor-grade reporting, and installing the systems and cadence needed for scalable operations. Soon after, the company hired an internal CFO—a seasoned investment banker with the strategic lens to guide long-term growth.
But instead of replacing AVL, the new CFO doubled down on the relationship. Together, they built a partnership model that works.
How It Works: A New Model for CFO Collaboration
AVL owns day-to-day finance operations:
Accounting & close processes
Financial reporting & modeling
Systems, structure, & cadence
Controller-level oversight
The internal CFO focuses on strategy:
Growth planning & forecasting
Fundraising and M&A preparation
Cross-functional financial leadership
The result? Enterprise-level clarity, without needing to hire and manage a full internal finance team.
Why It Works
Time: The CFO gains 30–40% more capacity by not managing an internal team.
Speed: AVL brings a proven playbook, helping decisions move forward with clarity.
Cost: Replacing AVL with full-time headcount would cost 2–3x more.
Trust: The relationship was built on humility, alignment, and mutual respect.
“The team was open, self-aware, and willing to lean on expertise,” said Maytubby. “That mindset is what made the partnership work.”
The Outcome: From Scrappy to Scalable
Today, this company is operating with:
Clean, reliable financials
A clear path to M&A readiness
Strategic oversight at every level
A lean team that functions like a full internal department
“They went from college-hustle to operating like a mature, $150M enterprise,” said Maytubby. “And they’ve kept their momentum.”
Final Word: This Isn’t “Hybrid” – It’s Smart Scaling
This isn’t about full-time vs. fractional. It’s about building the right partnership at the right time.
When your business is growing fast and the finance function is struggling to keep up, you don’t have to choose between overbuilding or underdelivering.