The CFO’s 100-day checklist after PE investment

Whether you're stepping into your first PE-backed CFO role or taking over finance at a newly acquired company, the expectations hit fast. Investors want visibility. Your CEO needs a plan. And broken systems don’t fix themselves.

This checklist helps you focus where it counts – getting on the same page with your investment sponsor, identifying risks early and sequencing the first 100 days in a way that builds credibility and momentum. No fluff. No wasted motion. Just the priorities that set the tone for long-term value creation.

100 days. Three phases. Zero guesswork.

It’s easy to get pulled in every direction. This checklist breaks your first 100 days into actionable steps – so you can stay clear-minded and outcome-driven, even when the pressure hits.

Days 1–30: Build the foundation
Clarify expectations with your CEO, board and sponsor. Assess team skills, financial reporting and system gaps. Spot what’s fragile while you still have time to fix it.

Days 31–60: Take control
Lock down cash flow, tighten reconciliation and pressure-test your lead-to-cash workflow. Launch your finance reporting cadence and ensure your KPIs match reality.

Days 61–100: Scale with confidence
Level up your models. Operationalize cross-functional KPIs. Build the next layer of your team – and shift your time toward leading, not reacting.

Use this checklist to get started fast, focus your team and put the right priorities in motion – and signal to your sponsor that finance is in control.

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Built for CFOs who need to show traction fast.

This 2-page checklist is designed to cut through the clutter and give you specific actions, red flags to watch for and ways to build trust right away.

What’s inside:

• Questions to ask your CEO, sponsor and controller in the first 30 days
• Diagnostics to surface system, reporting and reconciliation issues
• Process priorities on lead-to-cash, cash flow and working capital health
• Operational red flags to surface before they stall growth
• Planning prompts to help you model with confidence and staff for scale

Use it to clarify your priorities, run syncs and track execution in a way that builds momentum without losing focus.

Download the checklist

Day one doesn’t wait. Especially in PE.

The ink’s barely dry on the deal and the sponsor’s already expecting answers.

How much cash is really available? How reliable is the reporting? Is your lead-to-cash process ready for growth? Will the forecast model hold up under pressure?

Most of all, they want to know whether the finance team – including you – can keep pace with the plan.

This checklist helps you focus your first 100 days on the actions that create value and build trust while you do it.

Download the checklist