Fractional CFO · Strategy · AI automation
The finance and strategy team your business hasn't hired yet.
Principle Group gives owner-led businesses a senior finance and strategy partner, plus AI and process work that gives your team hours back every week. Based in San Antonio.
Your first 30 days
- 01 Financial review. Where the money comes from, where it goes, and what the last 24 months say.
- 02 Margin by service and job. Which work makes money, which doesn't, and where pricing is off.
- 03 A KPI scorecard. The handful of numbers you review every week, set up and running.
- 04 A 90-day plan. Priorities, owners and the first automation worth building.
Services
Four ways we help
Every engagement ends with something your team keeps using: a model, a scorecard, a process or a working tool.
Fractional CFO
Your finance function, part-time, for a fraction of a full-time hire.
- Financial review and clean-up
- Cash flow forecasting
- Monthly reporting and board packs
- Budgeting and cost control
You get: numbers you trust, every month.
Business strategy
Clear direction and a plan your team can actually run.
- Pricing strategy
- Growth and expansion plans
- Acquisition and exit readiness
- Annual and quarterly planning
You get: a written plan with owners and dates.
AI automation
Practical AI that takes busywork off your team, one workflow at a time.
- Find where hours are lost
- Quoting, invoicing and follow-up
- Reporting that builds itself
- Tool setup and team training
You get: one working automation, then the next.
Process implementation
The systems that let the business run without you in every decision.
- KPI scorecards and dashboards
- Weekly operating rhythm
- SOPs and handoffs
- Job costing and tracking
You get: a business that runs on a scorecard.
Who we serve
Owner-led businesses doing $3M or more
Big enough that the numbers matter, not yet big enough for a full-time CFO and strategy team. Many of our clients are in the trades and local services.
We do not work with banks, insurers, lenders, investment firms, or other financial services companies.
Sound familiar?
- You know revenue, but not margin by job or service line.
- Prices haven't moved in two years, but costs have.
- Cash surprises you, even in good months.
- Every decision still runs through you.
- Your team spends hours a week on spreadsheets and re-typing.
Engagements
Start small. Go further when it pays.
Most clients start with a diagnostic. Scope and fee are in writing before any work starts.
Diagnostic
A full financial review, margin by service line and a short list of the highest-value fixes.
Project
One defined outcome: new pricing, a KPI scorecard, a cash forecast or an automation.
Fractional CFO
Ongoing finance and strategy support: forecasting, reporting, monthly reviews and a partner on call.
Founding client program
A reduced rate for our first San Antonio clients
We're taking on a limited number of founding clients at a reduced fee, in exchange for honest feedback and a testimonial if you're happy with the work.
How it works
Simple from the first call
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Step 1
Free intro call
30 minutes on your business, your goals and where you're stuck.
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Step 2
Written scope
Deliverables, timeline and fixed fee, plus an NDA before you share anything.
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Step 3
The work
We start within 7 days and check in weekly.
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Step 4
Handoff
Your team owns the model, scorecard or tool, and knows how to run it.
About
James Lovejoy
Founder and CEO
James founded Principle Group in 2023 to bring institutional-quality financial and strategic thinking to owner-led businesses.
At Nuveen, he was part of a team managing a $70B credit portfolio and helped deploy $1.5B in new credit investments, with a focus on covenant, fundamental and restructuring analysis. He has also advised small and mid-sized businesses and startups on strategy, equity research and business development.
Before finance, James served seven years in the U.S. Air Force as an Aircraft Crew Chief.
FAQ
Common questions
Don't see yours? Bring it to the intro call.
What's a fractional CFO?
A senior finance lead who works with you part-time. You get forecasting, reporting and pricing support without the cost of a full-time CFO.
Do you work with financial services companies?
No. We do not work with banks, insurers, lenders, investment firms, or other financial services companies.
How is pricing set?
Diagnostics and projects have a fixed fee. Fractional CFO work is a monthly retainer. It's all in writing before work starts.
Do my books need to be clean first?
No. Many engagements start by getting the numbers in order.
We've never used AI. Where do we start?
With a look at where your team loses the most time, then one small automation before anything bigger.
Is my information confidential?
Yes. We sign an NDA before you share anything, and your data is only used for your engagement.
Do you work in person?
Yes, in San Antonio. We also work remotely with clients anywhere in the U.S.
Contact
Let's look at your numbers.
Book a free 30-minute intro call. Tell us a little about your business and we'll reply within two business days.
San Antonio, Texas