Building Financial Structure from the Ground Up
A high-growth real estate company operated with significant revenue but lacked even the most basic financial structure. Leadership was making decisions without monthly reporting, budgeting, or any understanding of how their actions impacted cash flow.
Background
The firm managed three operating entities and over 40 property entities but had:
- No monthly reviews of financials
- No cash flow visibility
- No KPIs or forecasting
- A leadership team with limited financial knowledge
SMG’s Approach
1. Foundation: Diagnostic and Education
- Assessed gaps in financial literacy and reporting
- Educated the leadership team on accounting, forecasting, and financial KPIs
2. Structural Overhaul
- Created budgets across 40+ entities
- Defined financial team responsibilities
- Built a proactive close calendar
3. System Integration
- Linked operational and accounting systems
- Trained offshore support for scalability
Outcomes
- Monthly reporting became standard
- Cash flow planning enabled strategic decision-making
- Team transitioned to proactive forecasting
- Cross-functional alignment led to faster, more accurate reporting
SMG delivered not just financial clarity, but operational control.