Hey friend,

Let me ask you something: If you could earn $240,000 to $480,000 a year working 15-20 hours per week, set your own schedule, and choose only the clients you actually want to work with—would you take it?

If you're a finance professional who just got that dreaded calendar invite to "discuss your role," you might think those numbers are a fantasy. But here's the truth: laid-off CFOs, controllers, and finance directors are increasingly discovering that losing their corporate job was the best thing that ever happened to their careers.

I know that sounds counterintuitive when you're staring at a severance package and wondering how you'll explain the gap on your resume. But stick with me—because this might completely change how you think about your next move.

Aloke Ghosh had spent 25+ years climbing the corporate finance ladder. He'd been CFO of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts, Controller at Apple, and held senior positions at Tech Mahindra and Reliance Communications. On paper, he had everything. In reality? He was ready for something different (The Finance Story, August 2025).

Francis Vidhayathil faced similar crossroads. As CFO of Drums Foods (the company behind Epigamia yogurt), he'd achieved every goal he'd set—but one ambition kept calling him: leaving corporate life by age 45.

✔️ They'd both reached the C-suite
✔️ They'd proven themselves at major organizations
✔️ They had the credentials everyone says you need
✔️ They still wanted more—more control, more impact, more life

So they did something that terrified everyone around them: they walked away from the corporate ladder and launched FinAdvisors, a boutique fractional CFO firm.

Francis's verdict after making the leap? "It is very much worth it. I would say that it's much better than what I used to earn in my corporate life."

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The fractional CFO trend isn't a side hustle—it's a fundamental shift in how businesses operate and how finance professionals build careers. Here's what the numbers show:

The market is exploding:

The earnings are substantial:

The brutal truth: While nearly 300,000 tech workers have been laid off since 2023 and 45% of companies anticipate layoffs in 2025, the same companies that are cutting full-time positions are desperately seeking fractional expertise. Your layoff might just be the market telling you your skills are worth more than one company can afford.

Ready to explore the fractional path? Here's how laid-off finance professionals are making this transition:

1. Assess Your Sweet Spot

The ideal fractional CFO client is a company at the $2-3 million revenue mark—big enough to need strategic financial guidance, but not ready to spend $250,000+ on a full-time CFO. Know your target market before you start reaching out.

2. Package Your Experience Strategically

According to Roei Samuel of Connectd, the fractional model works because "startups often need experts at critical moments, but they don't always need them full time" (Crunchbase News, March 2025). Focus on the high-impact moments you can solve: fundraising preparation, cash flow crises, system implementations, board presentations.

3. Build Your Initial Pipeline Through Relationships

Aloke and Francis from FinAdvisors found that "thanks to our experience, we had acquaintances or got access to some promoters who themselves called us." Your network from your corporate career is your biggest asset. Start there.

4. Consider Multiple Pricing Models

Successful fractional CFOs use:

5. Prepare for the Mental Shift

Francis puts it bluntly: "A salaried employee runs on that 1st of the month paycheck. Whereas, in the entrepreneurial journey, you may need to wait 6 months to 1 year for your first paycheck." Are you wired for that uncertainty? If yes, the rewards can be extraordinary.

Set a timer for 30 minutes and answer these questions honestly:

Save your answers. If you have solid responses to all five, you've got the foundation to explore this path seriously.

Here's what I want you to remember this week:

That severance package in front of you? It's not an ending. It's seed money for a different kind of career—one where you decide which problems are worth solving, which companies deserve your expertise, and how many hours constitute a "full" workday.

The corporate world spent years training you, challenging you, and building your skills. Now there are thousands of companies who need exactly what you know—but can't afford you full-time. That's not a limitation. That's your opportunity.

Eighty percent of CFOs feel "stuck in the grind." You just got unstuck. What you do next is up to you.

Rooting for you always,

Win
- Fellow layoff survivor, creator of Let Go Weekly

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