Isaac Zaetz CFO & Strategic Finance Executive For Founder-led Businesses
I work with founder-led businesses at the inflection point where financial complexity demands real infrastructure. I bring a rare combination of technical finance depth and hands-on operational execution — building the systems, reporting frameworks, and controls that enable confident decision-making and sustainable growth. My work spans financial infrastructure builds, M&A due diligence, capital raises, and operational transformation.
Background
My career began in hedge fund operations at Longacre Fund Management, where I sourced and closed 25+ trade claim transactions generating $25MM+ in fund revenue across high-profile bankruptcies including Lehman Brothers, General Motors, and Circuit City.
I transitioned into operational finance, serving as Controller at KMG Direct and then CFO at Lights.com — where I built financial infrastructure, drove channel-level reporting, and supported strategic growth.
In 2016 I founded Gelos to deliver embedded CFO leadership to founder-led businesses. Over the past 10 years I've led finance functions across 10+ companies — owning financial infrastructure, M&A execution, operational transformation, and capital raises from the inside. I've directly led finance teams, presented to investors and lenders, and taken personal equity stakes in opportunities I believed in.
I bring the instincts of an operator, the rigor of a finance executive, and a track record built across industries and business models. My approach is grounded in a simple belief: accurate financials aren't just a compliance exercise — they're a strategic lens. The numbers tell you what's working, what isn't, and where the business should focus.
The GELOS Methodology
Every engagement starts with the same question: where is this business ready to grow, and what's holding it back? The Scalable Stack is the framework I use to assess and prioritize — five interconnected layers that determine whether a business has the foundation to scale confidently.
Scalable Stack
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Bookkeeping
Without accurate books, you're flying blind — unable to understand true profitability, make confident decisions, or answer basic questions about your business. I establish complete, accurate financial records that transform chaos into clarity, enabling you to see what's actually working and what's not.
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Structure
Growing businesses break when they outgrow manual processes and fragmented systems. I formalize your organizational structure and software stack to eliminate bottlenecks, remove dependency on heroic individual effort, and create scalable operations that support growth without constant firefighting.
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Cashflow
Cash surprises kill businesses. I build rolling 13-week cash forecasts that give you complete visibility into upcoming needs and obligations, removing anxiety and enabling confident planning for payroll, inventory, and strategic investments.
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Strategic Focus
Without clear direction, resources get scattered across competing priorities. I define short and long-term objectives that align your team, focus capital deployment, and create measurable milestones that drive accountability and momentum.
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Capital Allocation
Every dollar deployed should generate maximum impact. I help you strategically budget and allocate capital to the initiatives that drive the greatest returns on growth and profitability, ensuring limited resources create compounding value rather than getting diluted across low-impact activities.
Recent Projects
- Rebuilt multi-year financial records for an eight-figure wholesale business from the ground up; developed custom software for sales pipeline tracking; hired and trained bookkeeper — restoring full financial clarity and operational visibility.
- Served as finance lead on an SMB acquisition team; evaluated 10+ opportunities, led due diligence, and structured deal terms — driving one transaction to close while ensuring investors had full confidence in the financial risk assessment.
- Led finance function for a 7-property Mobile Home Park portfolio; drove transition from cash to accrual accounting; built reporting infrastructure including monthly, quarterly, and annual financial and business performance reports with forward outlook for investors and lenders — enabling management to sustain confidence and pursue additional acquisitions.
- Conducted due diligence for a $1MM equity investment in a fleet video monitoring company; identified critical gaps in financial records and rebuilt infrastructure and controls from scratch — retained as ongoing financial monitor to sustain investor confidence.
- Secured SBA financing to acquire a manufacturing facility for a bespoke lighting manufacturer; hired and oversaw controller; built consolidated cash visibility tools and systematized inventory management — transforming disorganized operations into a scalable financial infrastructure.
- Conducted due diligence on a minority equity investment in a license plate recognition security systems company; served as fractional CFO for one year and remained as financial monitor post-close — with personal equity stake in the investment, reflecting conviction in the opportunity.
Services
- Financial Infrastructure & Controls — Establish accurate bookkeeping, proper accounting systems, and reporting frameworks that transform fragmented data into decision-ready intelligence.
- Cash Flow Architecture & Forecasting — Build consolidated visibility across all accounts and entities, enabling confident resource allocation and eliminating financial blind spots.
- M&A Due Diligence & Deal Execution — Lead buy-side and sell-side due diligence, structure deal terms, and manage transaction execution from initial review through close.
- Strategic Financial Planning — Develop comprehensive roadmaps for financial operations, from hiring and structuring finance teams to building scalable processes that support growth.
- KPI Development & Business Reporting — Create metrics and dashboards that connect daily operations to strategic goals, giving leadership the clarity to make data-driven decisions.
- Stakeholder & Capital Relationship Management Navigate complex investor, lender, and partner dynamics; position your business for favorable terms and sustained confidence.
