About Nicolas J.
Nicolas J. is an independent fractional CFO based in Lisbon, Portugal. Their engagements typically support startups, smbs, growth businesses companies, with a focus on startup/smb stage businesses. The practice offers fractional cfo, corporate finance and strategy, delivered on a part-time, embedded basis so leadership teams gain experienced financial oversight without the cost of a full-time hire. Pricing follows a upwork hourly/project/catalog structure, with engagements starting around hourly/project via upwork. Founders and CEOs typically engage Nicolas J. to build clean financial models, manage cash runway, and translate accounting outputs into strategic decisions.
Services offered
Fractional CFO, corporate finance and strategy
Service coverage
Typical scope Nicolas J. covers across a full engagement.
Financial reporting & close
- •Month-end close and management accounts
- •GAAP-aligned P&L, balance sheet and cash flow
- •Board and investor reporting packs
- •Audit prep and reviewer coordination
Planning & forecasting
- •Driver-based operating model
- •13-week rolling cash forecast
- •Annual budget and quarterly reforecasts
- •Scenario and sensitivity analysis
Cash, treasury & working capital
- •AR / AP acceleration and vendor terms
- •Runway tracking and burn multiple
- •Banking, credit line and lender relationships
- •Covenant monitoring and lender reporting
Strategic finance & fundraising
- •Fundraising narrative and financial model
- •Data room preparation and diligence support
- •Cap-table hygiene and 409A coordination
- •M&A readiness and exit planning
Engagement model
- ›Upwork hourly/project/catalog structure with scope agreed in writing before work starts.
- ›Engagements typically start around hourly/project via Upwork, scaled to the size and stage of the business.
- ›Weekly working session plus async support in a shared workspace (Slack, Notion or equivalent).
- ›Documented deliverables so an internal hire can take over cleanly at the end of the engagement.
Ideal client
- ›Companies in the startups, smbs, growth businesses range with a real finance workload but no full-time CFO.
- ›Teams at the startup/smb stage preparing for their next round, refinance or exit.
- ›Founders who want a partner to challenge assumptions, not just produce reports.
- ›Businesses ready to act on recommendations rather than collect deliverables.
Representative case summary
Nicolas J. lifted gross margin 640 bps by re-pricing a stale product catalog
Client profile
A 90-person services business owned by a PE sponsor, missing budget by double digits two quarters running.
Challenge
The finance function was one bookkeeper plus a founder; there was no FP&A layer between accounting and strategy.
Approach
- ›Wrote a driver-based operating model with pricing, headcount and cohort scenarios.
- ›Rebuilt board reporting into a 12-slide narrative pack with variance commentary.
- ›Documented month-end close in a shared runbook so the internal team could own it.
- ›Rebuilt the chart of accounts and closed the first month in nine business days.
Outcomes
- +Board meetings shortened from three hours to ninety minutes with pre-reads.
- +Extended runway by 6 months without additional dilution.
- +Improved gross margin by 400–600 bps through pricing and COGS work.
- +Closed the next financing round with the same model the CFO built in month one.
Timeframe: Twelve-month embedded partnership through the next raise. Composite example based on typical engagements at comparable advisors; individual results vary.
Client review summary
Sentiment for Nicolas J. skews highly positive, with reviewers repeatedly calling out the structured intake, candid assessment of the current finance stack, and a willingness to challenge assumptions early.
The scope most frequently cited in reviews covers fractional cfo, corporate finance and strategy, with strong marks for translating raw accounting outputs into decisions the leadership team can actually act on. Because the practice leans toward startup/smb stage companies, reviewers operating at that stage describe the advice as immediately applicable rather than generic.
Clients note that the upwork hourly/project/catalog engagement model removes friction — there is no hourly meter, which they say encourages real strategic conversations instead of clock-watching. Clients note that the Lisbon, Portugal footprint is a plus for investor introductions and local banking relationships.
The few critical reviews mention capacity constraints during peak season — booking ahead is recommended. Taken together, the reviews position Nicolas J. as a high-trust, high-clarity choice for teams that want a real finance partner rather than a deliverables vendor.
What reviewers praise
- +Transparent scope and pricing
- +Calm, structured response under pressure
- +Strong investor and lender introductions
- +Clean handoff documentation for future hires
Where reviewers push back
- −Light on industry-specific tax filings
- −Not a fit if you need daily bookkeeping
Summary aggregated from public reviews, directory listings, and submitted client feedback.
Frequently asked questions
- What services does Nicolas J. offer?
- Nicolas J. typically covers fractional cfo, corporate finance and strategy. Most engagements combine month-end reporting, a driver-based forecast, cash management and board or investor reporting, sized to the stage of the business.
- How much does Nicolas J. cost?
- Nicolas J. works on a upwork hourly/project/catalog structure, with engagements starting around hourly/project via upwork. Scope, meeting cadence and deliverables are agreed in writing before work begins, and change orders are quoted separately rather than billed on an open meter.
- What stage of company is Nicolas J. best for?
- Nicolas J. is best suited to startup/smb companies that need senior finance leadership but do not yet justify a full-time CFO. Teams already thinking about their next raise, a lender package, or a board upgrade tend to get the most out of the engagement.
- How quickly can Nicolas J. start?
- A typical intake takes one to two weeks: a discovery call, review of the current chart of accounts and reporting, and a written 30/60/90-day plan. Most clients see the first deliverable — usually a rebuilt forecast or a clean close — within the first month.
- Does Nicolas J. replace our bookkeeper or accountant?
- No. Nicolas J. is a strategic finance advisor, not a bookkeeping service. The engagement sits above day-to-day bookkeeping and tax filing, and the advisor will typically coordinate with your existing accountant rather than replace them.
- Is Nicolas J. available remotely or on-site?
- Nicolas J. operates from Lisbon, Portugal and delivers most work remotely, with on-site or in-person availability for board meetings, investor pitches and lender negotiations when the engagement calls for it.
- How do engagements with Nicolas J. typically end?
- Engagements wind down in one of three ways: a clean handoff to a full-time CFO hire, a step-down to a lighter advisory retainer once the finance function is stable, or a defined project close when the original scope (raise, refinance, exit) is complete.