Our Client Was Paying $9,800/Month for a US Controller. Their SA Equivalent Costs $2,800. Same Output
A direct, honest comparison of what a US-based controller and an SA-based controller actually deliver — and a breakdown of where the $7,000/month difference actually comes from.
Read Time
Approximately 7–8 minutes
Applicable To
US Founders
Spoiler Alert
You Need to Care About IFRS
Editorial note: Company and personal details have been adjusted at the request of the client and candidate. All financial figures and outcomes are real.
The Setup
Our client is a PE-backed B2B software company based in Atlanta — 38 employees, $4.2M annual revenue growing at 35% YoY.
Their finance function: a US-based controller (Brad) at $9,800/month, a junior bookkeeper at $4,200/month, and a CPA firm for tax and audit at $18,000/year.
The PE sponsor noted Brad was "delivering less than expected for the cost." He resigned to take a VP Finance role elsewhere. The company needed a replacement.
Rolling cash flow forecasting. Budget vs. actuals variance analysis with commentary. SaaS metrics tracking (the PE sponsor had to build this manually). Proactive identification of financial risks or opportunities. Brad was a scorekeeper — competent, qualified, but not a business partner.
What They Got for $2,800/Month (Thandi)
We placed a CA(SA)-qualified controller — let's call her Thandi — 9 years post-articles, PE-backed business experience, strong FP&A and modelling capabilities.
Three months in:
Monthly close by Day 7 (3 days faster than Brad)
Monthly management accounts with a 2-page written commentary on variances, risks, and opportunities
Board pack (18–22 slides, with executive summary and rolling 12-month forecast)
A rebuilt chart of accounts that correctly mapped costs to business units
A SaaS metrics dashboard (ARR, NRR, churn, CAC, LTV, payback period) — maintained by Thandi
A rolling 13-week cash flow forecast updated weekly
Two scenario models: one for a potential acquisition, one for a headcount reduction analysis
The Annual Impact
Before Accrual Talent: $15,500/month (Brad + bookkeeper + CPA firm). After: $8,500/month (Thandi + bookkeeper + CPA firm). Monthly saving: $7,000. Annual saving: $84,000. With better output. The PE sponsor's comment at year-end: "This is one of the better portfolio decisions we've seen in the last two years."
