I help businesses create "flow" between finance and their teams, operations and investors.
Who I Am
My name is Kannan Ramakrishnan. I am an entrepreneur, an investor and finance geek with a love for operations and spreadsheets. As a result, my clients are usually investors and business owners or senior management with me as an “air traffic controller” for them.
My Background
I have worked in roles covering corporate finance, strategy and private equity in Fortune 500 companies to start-ups in a variety of industries including aerospace, semi-conductor manufacturing, software, e-commerce and online games.
My Philosophy
Solve problems. Create Value. Keep things simple. Do it cheerfully. I make “numbers” your friend by taking a step by step approach to connect finance to you and your business.
What I do
I help organizations plan and implement finance and accounting processes and policies, manage cash flow, raise funds, develop risk management strategies and find investors.
Get in touch if you're an
Entrepreneur
- whose business is growing rapidly and you want it to grow in a financially sustainable way
- with a growth mindset
- who sees that financial management and control is integrally linked to strategy, execution, operations and culture
- who wants to raise funds, exit or sell your business
- who is seeking advice on valuing your business
- who wants to objectively present your business to potential investors or buyers
Investor
- who values professionalism and deep, detailed, hands on due diligence
- who seeks to minimize operational or execution risk
- seeking to invest in businesses that are well-managed and operated
- seeking cash flow positive, profitable businesses
- seeking ESG opportunities
- who would like to tune up your existing portfolio of private equity investments
- seeking investments with clear, plausible exits
How I work with businesses
90 Min Consultation
Perfect for a snap shot of your organization’s financial health as a prelude to a deeper dive.
I’ll provide an analysis based on a questionnaire sent a week prior to the consultation covering
- Major goals, issues and opportunities
- Current status of the finance and accounting functions (main focus)
- Provides immediate clarity on the current status of an organization
One Day Bootcamp
Get the results of weeks if not months of work in this one day session.
We go through a 6 hour intensive one day session to re “boot” your organization’s finance function :
- Financial Health Check
- Operational and Financial Strategy
- Goal Setting
- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
- Budgets & Forecasts
- Cash Flow Strategy
- KPI Dashboard
- Video recording and text summary of session included.
90 Day CFO Service
Ideal for organizations that are starting up or need to overhaul their finance function at a fixed price.
We start with an assessment, followed by developing and implementing a Financial & Operational plan focusing on:
- Controllership
- Treasury Management
- Performance Management
- Strategy & Execution
- Communications.
The primary areas of focus will vary based on the client’s needs.
CFO in your "pocket"
Ideal for clients who already have their finance basics sorted and desire to fine tune them.
Monthly retainer where clients send me questions via email or text/IM/WhatsApp and I respond asynchronously. A live monthly “roundup” meeting is included.
Fundraising Advisory
Ideal for organizations that are ready to grow or scale, I walk with you through your fundraising.
Monthly retainer where I provide on the ground guidance with each step of fundraising
- Developing a fundraising strategy
- Capital Structure
- .Pitch deck
- Introductions to my investor network
- Assistance with presenting to investors
- Managing discussions with investors
- Ad Hoc assistance as feasible
Fundraising
Introductions to investors for organizations that have done their homework and are ready to go.
Monthly retainer where I introduce you to potential investors and provide guidance with discussions and negotiations.
How I work with investors
Opportunity Sourcing
Leverage my global network of investors, clients and partners to find private equity opportunities that fit your portfolio.
Through my ongoing work as a management consultant and outsourced CFO, I have access to a continuous stream of opportunities with a focus on:
- Healthcare
- Education
- Green Energy
- ESG
Due Diligence
I do the grunt work of assessing the pros and cons of a private equity investment for you as though I was investing in it myself.
As an investor myself, I take a meticulous deep dive into the target business focusing on:
- Value Proposition
- Culture and mindset of management team
- Ability to execute
- SWOT
- Recommendations..
Financial Structuring
I work with qualified professionals to provide guidance on the optimal financing structure for an investment based on your capital budget and risk tolerance.
Depending on the opportunity, I advise on:
- Capital Structure
- Syndication
- Introductions to co-investors
- Risk mitigation strategies
Why work with me
Solid experience
Between myself and the partners I work with, we have real-world experience in financial and operational strategy, planning and execution covering major markets and a broad range of business models and industries.
Integrity & Professionalism
Integrity and professionalism are non-negotiable for me.
Clear Communications
I consider open and clear communications with stakeholders to be one of my foundation stones.
My Clients
I Work With Clients From A Wide Variety Of Industries
My clients span the globe and range from pre-seed to established businesses in a variety of industries including healthcare, household products, hospitality, education and medical products.
Client Testimonials
Insights
The Role of a CFO Part 1: Controllership
The inspiration for this article came from recently having been approached by two separate companies in different parts of the globe to come onboard as their interim or out-sourced CFO.
The Role of a CFO Part 2: Treasury Function
Following up on my last article on controllership, let’s talk about the treasury function which is one of the most important roles of a CFO.
The Role of a CFO Part 3: Strategy, Operations and Performance Management
As part of my ongoing series of articles on the role of a CFO, today I’ll be touching on the involvement of a CFO with