Isaac Zaetz CFO & Strategic Finance Executive For Founder-led Businesses
I help founder-led businesses build the financial systems and reporting frameworks they need to gain strategic focus. My work spans — M&A due diligence, deal structuring, capital raises, and operational optimization.
Background
My career began in hedge fund operations at Longacre Fund Management, where I sourced and closed trade claim transactions 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 — building reporting systems and supporting strategic growth from the inside.
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, presented to investors and lenders, and taken personal equity stakes in opportunities I believed in.
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.
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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.
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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 and create scalable operations.
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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, enabling confident planning for payroll, inventory, and 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 and create measurable milestones that drive accountability.
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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.
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 reports with forward outlook for investors and lenders.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
