Is this the same as exit planning or working with a business broker?

No. Brokers and exit planners handle the transaction — the valuation, the buyer search, the deal structure. Clean Canvas happens before that. It's the work of deciding whether to sell at all, and getting clear on what you want before you enter any process. Many Clean Canvas clients go on to work with a broker. They just show up to that conversation ready.

What if I'm not sure I want to sell — I might want to keep the business?

That's exactly who this is for. Clean Canvas doesn't presuppose an exit. It ends with one of two outcomes: a clear decision to sell, or a concrete plan to transform the business and re-engage with it on different terms. Both are legitimate. The goal is a decision, not a particular direction.

How is this different from working with a business coach or consultant?

Most coaches and consultants help you run your business better. Clean Canvas is specifically for founders at a crossroads — people who are questioning whether they want to keep running it at all. It's a defined engagement with a defined deliverable: a decision and a plan. Not an ongoing coaching relationship.

How long does Clean Canvas take?

Clean Canvas is a focused intensive, not an open-ended engagement. The timeline is structured and bounded — this is not a months-long retainer. The specifics are discussed on the discovery call, where Kathleen can tailor the scope to where you are and what you need.

Is Clean Canvas right for me if my business is still performing well?

Yes — and often this is the best time to do it. Founders who wait until the business is struggling have fewer options and less leverage. The crossroads question isn't about performance; it's about whether you still want to be the person running this. Many of the founders who get the most from Clean Canvas are running profitable businesses. They're just exhausted, or no longer sure it's what they want.

What happens after Clean Canvas — what's the actual next step?

It depends on the decision you make. If you're selling, Kathleen can introduce you to the right advisors — brokers, attorneys, wealth managers — at the right time, with a clear brief on what you're looking for. If you're transforming, you leave with a concrete restructuring plan and accountability for the first phase of executing it. Either way, you don't leave with a set of options to think about. You leave with a direction.

How we work together

Built for you

Not every owner needs the same thing. Some know exactly what they need and are ready to move. Some have a specific event on the horizon. Some know something isn't working and need the problem named before a solution is worth committing to. We’re a strategic partner embedded in the business as long as the work requires. Our engagements are built to fit the specific needs of your business so you don’t pay for things you don’t need.

Four ways to engage. One underlying commitment.

Diagnostic

For owners who need clarity before they can commit to a path. A genuine outside read on what the business is producing and why. Not a report. Clarity.

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Project Engagement

Defined scope, defined timeline. M&A preparation, capital raise readiness, a specific financial objective with a clear start and end.

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Embedded Strategic CFO Advisory

Ongoing, embedded Strategic CFO work. Not just monthly reports. A strategic partner who thinks about the business the way the owner does.

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Advisory Power-Up

For existing Advisory clients. A specific event requiring expertise outside your current engagement scope. Expands when needed, returns to base when complete.

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How an engagement starts

Every Canoan engagement begins the same way: with a conversation about fit. Canoan is not the right partner for every business or every owner. The fit conversation is genuine, not a formality.

If the fit is right, the right entry point becomes clear quickly. If it isn't, we’ll say so directly and point toward what might be a better fit.

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What stays constant across every engagement

One team

Not a firm that assigns whomever is available. One relationship, built over time, that deepens as the engagement does.

At the decision level

The work is always anchored to the decision the owner is trying to make. Not a reporting calendar.

Operator-grade

Built on operating experience, not just financial management. The advice reflects years of operating our own businesses.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a typical Canoan Strategy & CFO engagement last?

The Embedded Strategic CFO Advisory is an ongoing engagement with no fixed end date. The Diagnostic has a defined scope and typically concludes in a matter of weeks. Project Engagements have defined timelines agreed at the outset.

How does Canoan work alongside the existing finance team?

Canoan works with the existing finance function, not instead of it. The bookkeeper, controller, or internal accounting team continues doing what they do. The Strategic CFO is the executive leading the finance function and working alongside the owner.

How is Canoan's engagement model different from a typical fractional CFO arrangement?

Most fractional CFO arrangements are structured around a fixed number of hours and a defined deliverable set. Canoan's engagement model is structured around the decisions and outcomes the business is trying to produce.

The right engagement structure becomes clear quickly once the conversation starts.

Start the conversation

How we work together

Built for you

Four ways to engage. One underlying commitment.

How an engagement starts

What stays constant across every engagement

Frequently asked questions

The right engagement structure becomes clear quickly once the conversation starts.

You’ve built something to a higher standard.

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