For CFOs, private equity value creation starts in the first 100 days
You’ve stepped into the CFO role at a PE-backed company. Or your company’s been newly acquired by a private equity firm.
Either way, your job has changed.
Clean books and budget discipline aren’t enough anymore. Now, finance is expected to unlock the systems, controls and cash efficiency that private equity value creation depends on.
That pressure shows up fast – tighter deadlines, new board oversight and an operating model built around urgency and return.
Private equity sponsors move fast, and they expect you to do the same.
This summary breaks down what matters most in those first 100 days – how to align with investor expectations, contribute to the broader value creation plan private equity sponsors rely on and lay the foundation for scalable execution.
It also introduces a framework you can use to get there: SCALE-100.
Want the full framework, examples and step-by-step guidance from CFOs who’ve done it?
Key highlights:
- The first 100 days shape how finance supports private equity value creation over the next 3–5 years
- PE sponsors expect CFOs to act quickly – proving control, clarity and alignment with the investment thesis
- Early signals of execution and system readiness build confidence with investors
- The SCALE-100 framework gives CFOs a structure to stabilize finance and move fast post-close
- Each phase of the framework focuses on what matters most: systems, controls, cash and scalability
Why private equity CFO expectations hit hard in the first 100 days
PE firms don’t wait to figure out what they bought. The investment thesis is already built. So is the model driving expected returns. From day one, they’re watching to see if your finance team can execute on it.
Can you build a 100-day plan that’s realistic, fast and measurable?
That means laying the groundwork for automation, data visibility and scale – and showing that finance can support the PE operating model with control, predictability and compliance.
If you’re stepping in as CFO, this is your proving ground.
That first quarter is when sponsors start measuring whether you match the model – with pace, clarity and leadership. It’s where they decide if you’re the right finance lead to drive returns.
How CFOs build early momentum for private equity value creation
In private equity, momentum matters more than perfection. By day 100, sponsors don’t necessarily expect flawless execution. But they are looking for clear signs of control and forward motion.
It starts with understanding the investment thesis and showing how finance will contribute to it.
The strongest CFOs:
- Pinpoint what’s blocking scale across revenue, systems and reporting
- Identify high-risk issues and connect every change to investor outcomes
- Prioritize fast and make progress visible
Above all, they prove that finance is leading the conversation, not reacting to it.
The best private equity CFOs use the first 100 days to install reporting discipline, fix gaps that threaten scalability and map their finance transformation initiatives back to the value creation plan.
SCALE-100: a first 100-day framework for CFOs in private equity
SCALE-100 gives CFOs a structure for action in the early days of PE ownership. Chad Wonderling, CFO at Zone & Co, developed it based on patterns he saw firsthand while running finance in portfolio companies and advising peers after the close.
The framework reflects what top CFOs consistently get right in the first 100 days. Each phase helps stabilize finance, support growth and move with urgency.
Here’s how the framework breaks down:
- Set the operating mandate
- Clarify the current state
- Architect the finance core
- Lock down cash discipline
- Engineer the growth model
1. Set the operating mandate
Start by reviewing the investment thesis. Pinpoint where finance is expected to drive impact – margin expansion, cash conversion, system readiness for growth.
Then clarify the three to five outcomes investors want to see in the first quarter. These shape your plan and show you’re aligned.
The faster you define those priorities, the faster you build trust.
2. Clarify the current state
Before you build, take inventory.
Many CFOs inherit manual processes, siloed data and reporting gaps that create risk and slow execution. This phase is where you surface those issues and flag what needs attention first.
Assess the health of your GL, subledgers and reporting stack. Identify where time is lost and where risk hides.
This baseline helps you target high-impact changes and justify what comes next.
3. Architect the finance core
This phase creates the foundation for reporting clarity, automation and control.
Standardize your chart of accounts and reporting dimensions. Establish a consistent five- to seven-day monthly close timeline.
Evaluate your ERP. Can it support consolidation, segmented reporting and cash visibility at scale? If it can’t, fix it before it slows you down.
This is where sponsors start to see if finance is ready to scale without adding cost.
4. Lock down cash discipline
Cash is the fastest way to show control.
Build a 13-week rolling forecast tied to real drivers. Streamline AR and AP. Enforce policy and bring consistency to billing and collections.
Align vendor terms, payment timing and customer cycles to smooth volatility.
It all proves finance is ready to manage working capital and stay ahead of surprises.
5. Engineer the growth model
Now the focus shifts forward.
Build a driver-based forecast that maps how growth plays out across revenue and cost centers. Tie headcount planning to productivity.
Stress test your tech stack and org structure. Make sure they can support expansion and integration without friction.
This shows that finance is already thinking about growth.
Want the full playbook?
This executive summary is only a starting point. The full First 100-Day CFO Playbook includes:
- Deeper guidance on each phase of the SCALE-100 framework
- Practical tools and checklists to help guide your 100-day plan
- A practical roadmap you can start using today
FAQs
- How do I drive value and efficiency post-investment?
- Start by translating the investment thesis into your finance priorities. That’s where most CFOs slip. They build a plan before they’ve aligned on what value means to the sponsor.
In private equity, value creation usually means margin expansion, stronger cash flow and system readiness for scale. Efficiency follows when finance pinpoints what's blocking those outcomes – then removes it.
- Start by translating the investment thesis into your finance priorities. That’s where most CFOs slip. They build a plan before they’ve aligned on what value means to the sponsor.
- What are PE firms expecting from finance in the first quarter after an investment?
- Sponsors expect speed and control. They’re looking for signs that finance understands the value creation plan and can operate at the pace of the PE model.
You’ll be measured on your ability to tighten the close, fix reporting blind spots and stabilize cash flow – not in a year, but now. Investors aren’t asking for a perfect system, but they do want to see you’ve taken the first steps and have a plan for what’s next.
- Sponsors expect speed and control. They’re looking for signs that finance understands the value creation plan and can operate at the pace of the PE model.
- How can we improve EBITDA margins through automation?
- Margins take a hit when your team is buried in manual work. Invoice entry. Spreadsheet reconciliations. Late approvals. All of it adds up.
CFOs in private equity use automation to reduce that drag and accelerate outcomes tied directly to the value creation plan. For example, one Zone customer cut invoice processing time by 70% and used the saved time to focus on more analytical and strategic tasks. That’s how automation shifts from efficiency to impact.
- Margins take a hit when your team is buried in manual work. Invoice entry. Spreadsheet reconciliations. Late approvals. All of it adds up.
- What does the finance tech stack look like for PE portfolio companies?
- Most CFOs stick with NetSuite at the core. But where they differ is in the level of complexity they introduce around it.
The best stacks avoid middleware. For example, they use NetSuite-native automation for billing, reporting and approvals – all in one system. That’s how you move fast without creating a mess later. The strongest stacks keep complexity to a minimum and keep important financial data in one system.
- Most CFOs stick with NetSuite at the core. But where they differ is in the level of complexity they introduce around it.
- What is the best ERP for private equity portfolio companies?
- NetSuite is the most common choice for PE portfolio companies. It supports entity roll-ups, segmented reporting and faster closes.
But the ERP alone isn’t the answer. If your team is spending hours on reconciliation, jumping between tools or building workarounds, you don’t have a systems problem – you have a fragmentation problem. For real progress, think of your ERP as central to your finance transformation initiatives.
- NetSuite is the most common choice for PE portfolio companies. It supports entity roll-ups, segmented reporting and faster closes.
- What finance automation software supports multi-entity consolidation?
- NetSuite-native solutions handle this best. They eliminate batch syncs, reduce risk and let you consolidate faster without data gymnastics.
If your close depends on stitching reports together from multiple systems, it’s a signal your tech stack is holding you back. That’s where native automation closes the gap – especially when CFO metrics for value creation demand speed and accuracy.
- NetSuite-native solutions handle this best. They eliminate batch syncs, reduce risk and let you consolidate faster without data gymnastics.
- What’s the difference between a CFO's 90-day plan and the 100-day model in the playbook?
- While “CFO 90-day plan” often shows up in planning docs and search tools, we prefer a 100-day window to provide more time for planning. However, most of the principles overlap: stabilize finance, align with the value creation plan and move fast. The key is using that window – whether it’s the CFO’s first 90 days or first 100 days – to show the team is growth-ready.
- Was this CFO playbook developed with input from the private equity CFO community?
- Yes. The SCALE-100 framework comes directly from field-tested experience – built by a CFO who’s led multiple portfolio companies through post-close transformation.
The framework focuses on the dynamics sponsors are most interested in and the actions that help finance do its part in creating value. The playbook features quotes and insights from multiple experts in the private equity CFO community.
- Yes. The SCALE-100 framework comes directly from field-tested experience – built by a CFO who’s led multiple portfolio companies through post-close transformation.
- Where can I find the best CFO playbook for post-acquisition integration?
- The first 100-day playbook for PE-backed CFOs outlines how to take control fast, align with the value creation plan and avoid the noise that slows most teams down. If you’re stepping in post-close, it’s the roadmap you’ll wish you had sooner.
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