Today’s CFOs are under pressure to do more with less. You’re expected to close the books, manage compliance, forecast cash flow, advise the CEO, prep for fundraising, and still have answers for the board’s next round of questions. But unless you’re already post-Series C, building an in-house finance team with that level of capability is both expensive and inefficient.
So what’s the smarter path? Outsourcing.
In Episode 5 of Founder Files, we spoke with Pierce Johnson, CFO at Galaxy Digital, who scaled the company’s finance function through strategic outsourcing. His team reduced overhead, stayed lean, and still hit SaaS-grade metrics for growth and retention.
Let’s break down why this approach is gaining traction.
Why CFOs Are Turning to Outsourced Accounting & Finance
Instead of hiring a full-time controller, bookkeeper, and analyst, modern CFOs at high-growth companies are tapping into external teams that bring:
- Fractional access to senior finance experts
- Faster ramp-up times and proven workflows
- Less internal overhead, HR risk, and training
Pierce explained how his team strategically leveraged external partners to support growth without bloating headcount:
“We’ve embraced a lot of professional services: marketing, financial services, even product maintenance. That’s helped us grow efficiently without bringing everything in-house.”
Galaxy Digital operates in the nonprofit SaaS space, serving mission-driven organizations that rely on volunteers to create impact. As CFO, Pierce’s decision to outsource financial operations reflects a broader shift in how nonprofit-focused startups are scaling: by partnering with specialized firms to streamline finance, reduce overhead, and stay audit-ready.
In the nonprofit industry — where funding is often tied to compliance and transparency — outsourced accounting offers a strategic edge. It helps companies stay agile while keeping financial operations investor-ready and audit-compliant.
How Much Can You Save?
Hiring in-house:
- Bookkeeper ($60K/year)
- Controller ($130K/year)
- FP&A Analyst ($100K/year)
- Total: $290K/year
With an outsourced finance firm like Cypher:
- Monthly cost: $500 to $5,000/month
- Total: $6K to $60K/year
Savings: 80% and up
Beyond salary, you skip recruiting fees, benefits, turnover risk, and tech setup. That’s real capital you can redirect toward product, sales, or fundraising. Bad hires can cost companies up to 30% of an employee’s annual salary in lost productivity, rehiring, and inefficiency.
Tech-Driven Efficiencies
Outsourced finance firms streamline your operations while keeping costs down.
The results are tangible. At Galaxy Digital, Cypher optimized the subscription billing and collections process, reducing AR by 50% and unlocking cash that could be redeployed for growth.
When to Outsource vs. Build Internally
Outsource:
- Bookkeeping & compliance
- SaaS metrics & dashboards
- Budgeting & forecasting
- AR/AP
- Fundraising support
- Financial model and investor prep
Build in-house (over time):
- Strategic finance leadership to collaborate directly with your CEO, product, and sales teams
- Industry-specific knowledge or regulatory experience that’s best handled by someone inside your company
The smart move is to pair internal leadership with outsourced partners to scale efficiently.
What Cypher Offers
Cypher helps high-growth Seed to Series C startups improve cash flow visibility, reduce financial risk, and streamline reporting without the cost of a full finance department.
Ready to Scale Smarter?
If your finance team is overwhelmed, underbuilt, or not delivering the insights you need, outsourcing could be your most strategic hire. Get started with Cypher
🎧 Listen to Pierce Johnson’s full episode on Founder Files — new episodes every Tuesday at 7 AM EST.
Need a strategic finance partner who can help you make the hard calls?
Build your empire — we’ll crunch the numbers. – Courtesy of Cypher
