Grow Your Business with a Virtual CFO.

Connecting business owners with flexible, strategic financial expertise that drives business growth.

At Olive Business Partners, our mission is simple: to help you achieve your business goals in a strategic and sustainable way.

As your business grows, the decisions get bigger but so do the risks and challenges.

Whether you're planning to hire a team, invest in technology, expand into new markets, launch new products, take on larger clients, raise capital, or prepare for acquisition, we’ll help you make informed financial decisions that support your long-term success.

Like the olive tree, we believe in steady, resilient growth. We connect ambitious business owners with experienced CFOs, providing tailored support for the stage you're at and the challenges you're facing. Our flexible model gives you access to expert financial guidance when and where you need it, without the cost of a full-time CFO.

The Scaling Success Map

Every stage of business growth has its own challenges, priorities, and red flags. Understanding what to get right at each stage makes the difference between stalling and scaling.

The Scaling Success Map outlines the five stages of growth, what drives businesses to succeed at each stage, and the financial essentials that help you scale sustainably.

What You’ll Get Inside

  • The Owner’s Role at each stage and how your focus needs to evolve

  • Why businesses fail vs. succeed as they scale

  • The finance essentials you need in place to grow profitably

  • The systems and processes you need to build at each stage

  • A clear roadmap to help you decide what to prioritise next

What’s your business goal? We can help.

  • Woman sitting at a desk working on a laptop with an open notebook, a green plant, a mug, and office supplies, in a well-lit home office.

    Grow Revenue

    We review your revenue streams, pricing strategy, and sales performance to identify opportunities for sustainable growth.

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    Strengthen Cash Flow

    We set up cash flow forecasts, scenario plans, and dashboards to give you more visibility and control.

  • Person working on a laptop displaying analytics graphs, with a smartphone and eyeglasses on the desk.

    Improve Profitability

    We analyse your margins, cost structure, and overheads to find ways to increase profitability without compromising quality or capacity.

  • A person working at a wooden desk with printed reports, charts, and a smartphone displaying the Samsung Galaxy Tab S, with a pink highlighter and pens nearby.

    Secure Funding

    We prepare your financials, build investor-ready reports, and support you through capital raising conversations.

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    Launch a New Product or Service

    We provide a financial lens on product development, from pricing and cost analysis to forecasting demand and tracking performance.

  • Expand into a New Market

    We support you with feasibility analysis, budgeting, and scenario modelling to evaluate the risks and rewards of expansion.

  • Prepare for Sale or Acquisition

    We help you get your financials and reporting in order, build a compelling value story, and navigate the due diligence process.

  • Build Financial Capability

    We provide training, systems, and processes to improve financial literacy and reporting across your business.

  • Scale the Team

    We help you understand the financial impact of hiring, restructure options, and how to fund and time team expansion.

  • Open a New Location

    We assess the financial viability of new locations and model different scenarios so you can plan with confidence.

View our Services
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Our Founder

Sarah Petty is the Founder of Olive Business Partners and a qualified CPA, having held senior roles across a mix of startups, fast-growing scale-ups, and globally recognised brands. Her experience includes working with companies such as GE, Kraft Foods, Mondelez, Lion, Bega, Kellogg’s and Wesfarmers.

Sarah is passionate about helping purpose-driven leaders scale with confidence and financial clarity. She also contributes her expertise on several boards and is a regular speaker and panelist at industry events.

Our Team of CFOs

Our team of Virtual CFOs are qualified finance professionals with hands-on leadership experience across a range of industries. Whether you're scaling, entering new markets, raising capital, or preparing for a sale, we’ll match you with a CFO who brings the right expertise and cultural fit. Our CFOs are based onshore across Australia and work seamlessly with you and your team, no matter where you're located.

Learn More About Us

Latest Insights

 FAQs

  • Understanding the roles of an accountant, bookkeeper, and virtual CFO can help you decide which financial support is best for your business.

    Bookkeeper: A bookkeeper manages day-to-day financial transactions, including recording income and expenses, processing invoices, and reconciling bank statements. They ensure your financial records are accurate and up-to-date.

    Accountant: An accountant helps with tasks such as preparing financial statements, filing taxes, and providing guidance on your business structure. They offer insights into your financial health based on historical data and help you comply with regulatory requirements.

    Virtual CFO: A virtual CFO provides high-level strategic financial guidance and help you to look forward. They assist with financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and financial decision-making. A virtual CFO is particularly valuable for businesses looking to scale, as they bring expertise in growth strategies, funding options and profit optimisation.

    All of these roles are important for a growing business and often they will work together to provide seamless financial support for your business.

  • A Virtual CFO will be flexible based on the needs of your business. The frequency of engagement depends on factors like your business size, complexity, and stage of growth. Typically, this can range from monthly to weekly, but may flex up and down through the peaks and troughs of your business.

  • Hiring a talented and experienced in-house CFO can be a lengthy and expensive process. On top of this, a full time CFO does not allow for flexible resource allocation during business peaks and troughs.

    With a Virtual CFO, your business can access CFO-level expertise on a flexible basis without the high costs and rigidity associated with a full-time employee.

  • A Virtual CFO will help your business grow and improve financial performance by providing strategic financial guidance tailored to your business's specific needs. They will analyse your financial data, identify growth opportunities, and create a strategic plan to scale your business effectively.

    A Virtual CFO will also help you manage cash flow, optimise expenses, and implement financial controls to ensure long-term profitability. By offering insights into key financial metrics and risks, they enable better decision making, which can lead to increased efficiency, higher profitability, and sustainable growth.

  • No, not always.

    At Olive Business Partners, we are committed to a fully flexible work environment that allows us to thrive, both within our company and for our clients.

    When you engage with us, your business can access an experienced CFO’s expertise on a flexible basis that suits your business needs.

    Whether you prefer remote assistance, on-site support (in Melbourne), or a blend of both, we can provide ongoing and project-based options to accommodate your requirements.

  • The cost of a Virtual CFO varies widely depending on the level of service, complexity of your business, and the expertise of the CFO.

    At Olive Business Partners, we have a range of packages to suit your stage of growth. View our Services for more info.

    A Virtual CFO is often a much more affordable option than hiring a full-time, in-house CFO which can cost upwards of $250,000 per annum plus incentives.