Fractional CFOs in San Francisco Making Things Happen in 2025

San Francisco Interim Chief Financial Officers to Know

San Francisco is synonymous with innovation. From scrappy seed-stage startups to scaling SaaS unicorns, the Bay Area ecosystem thrives on experimentation, velocity, and resilience. But behind every big product launch or capital raise is someone keeping the financial foundation steady—that’s where fractional CFOs come in.

At Digital Reference, our goal is to make the talent economy more efficient by empowering professionals to showcase their work with clarity and authenticity. Our platform is built on the values of radical transparency and radical authenticity, and our curated lists are one way we shine a spotlight on the people doing real work.

This blog introduces you to a group of independent fractional CFOs based in San Francisco and surrounding cities—leaders who are helping startups grow sustainably, manage investor expectations, and create financial systems that scale.

Our Selection Methodology

Every professional featured here meets the following criteria:

• Based in San Francisco or the greater Bay Area (including Oakland, Berkeley, and San Jose)
• Currently offering fractional, interim, or contract CFO services
• Demonstrated experience working with venture-backed or founder-led companies
• Strong professional visibility via LinkedIn, business websites, or thought leadership
• Alignment with Digital Reference’s mission to highlight verified, human-centered professionals

This blog is also a living list—we’ll continue to add more standout finance leaders as we discover them. Bookmark this page if you’re a founder, investor, or operator looking for fractional finance leadership that delivers.

Featured Fractional CFOs (Alphabetical Order)

Conor Bolich

https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbolich/

With a sharp eye for operational finance and startup modeling, Conor partners with early-stage companies to bring structure to chaos. He excels in translating financial insights into actionable decisions, helping founders go from gut-feel to data-informed leadership.

Notable Expertise:

• Building investor-ready models for pre-seed and seed-stage startups
• Strategic scenario planning and cash runway analysis
• Implementing financial systems that scale with growth

Conor’s style is collaborative, proactive, and deeply invested in startup success.

Mike Fu

https://www.lean2x.com/

Founder of Lean2X, Mike Fu is a well-known name in the fractional CFO space, especially for high-growth and VC-backed companies. He’s a trusted partner for founders navigating rapid scale, fundraising rounds, and financial maturity milestones.

Notable Expertise:

• Interim CFO services for Series A to C startups
• Fundraising strategy and board preparation
• High-growth SaaS and tech business modeling

Mike’s firm is a go-to partner for startups that need high-caliber financial thinking without a full-time hire.

Jeremy Gimbel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jegimbel11/

Jeremy brings a rare combination of finance acumen and business storytelling. With roots in tech and a deep understanding of founder needs, he helps startups make smarter decisions by putting the right financial lens on every operational challenge.

Notable Expertise:

• Forecasting, burn analysis, and investor updates
• Business insights for go-to-market strategy
• Coaching early-stage teams through financial fundamentals

Jeremy is especially valuable to startups still building internal finance muscle—and in need of a strong outside leader to guide them.

Michelle Killoran

https://www.killoranconsult.com/

Michelle is the founder of Killoran Consulting and brings decades of finance leadership to emerging startups and nonprofits alike. Known for her structured yet collaborative approach, she aligns mission with margins.

Notable Expertise:

• Cash flow management and nonprofit finance
• Budgeting, grant reporting, and compliance
• Stakeholder communications and strategic financial planning

Michelle’s work bridges for-profit strategy with mission-based financial stewardship—ideal for social enterprises, growing nonprofits, and impact-driven founders.

Alice Zhang

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicezhang/

Alice is a seasoned operator and fractional CFO known for her deep background in scaling finance teams, building investor-ready systems, and mentoring internal talent. Her cross-functional expertise helps companies move faster with more confidence.

Notable Expertise:

• Internal systems development and accounting automation
• Strategic fundraising and due diligence support
• Business model optimization and team enablement

Alice’s strength lies in helping companies level-up their internal finance infrastructure while staying agile and founder-friendly.

Why Fractional CFOs Are the Backbone of SF Startups

San Francisco’s startup culture is fast-paced and high-stakes. Founders are expected to be storytellers, fundraisers, product leaders—and sometimes, financial operators. A good fractional CFO relieves that pressure, giving teams the insight, reporting, and guidance they need to grow responsibly.

Whether you're trying to:

• Extend your runway
• Prepare for a raise
• Rebuild your reporting stack
• Shift your pricing model

…a great fractional CFO can help.

They’re not just spreadsheet wizards—they’re:

• Translators between your story and your numbers
• Architects of systems and dashboards that scale
• Strategic partners for decision-making in uncertain markets

And perhaps most importantly, they’re flexible—plugging in exactly when and where you need them.

Digital Reference: Powering Credibility in the New Talent Economy

At Digital Reference, we believe professionals shouldn’t just say what they’ve done—they should be able to show it.

We’re building the infrastructure that allows professionals to:

• Document accomplishments and client impact
• Gather trusted references in a structured format
• Showcase services, thought leadership, and pricing

In an era where work is flexible, project-based, and reputation-driven, we believe professionals deserve tools that help them lead with clarity and authenticity. That’s what makes our curated lists more than just a directory—they’re trust accelerators.

Looking to Hire a Fractional CFO?

If you're a founder, operator, or board member in need of expert financial leadership in San Francisco, this list is your starting point.

The professionals featured here bring the kind of judgment, adaptability, and technical skill that make them trusted partners—not just hired help. Explore their websites, reach out, and see how they can help your organization move forward.

Want to Be Featured?

This is a living list. If you're a fractional CFO in the Bay Area doing meaningful work—or you know someone who is—reach out to us at Digital Reference. We’d love to learn more and potentially include them in future updates.

Together, we’re helping shape a talent ecosystem that’s more efficient, verifiable, and human.

– The Digital Reference Team

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