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Your Franchise CFO
Personal CFO services for prospective franchise buyers

Investing in a franchise?
Get CFO-level clarity before you commit.

I'm Olivier — a CPA with twenty plus years of deal experience. Think of me as a CFO you engage before you commit to a franchise investment — and, where appropriate, as a financial advisor through your first year of opening and operating. We'll talk through the franchise you're considering, and if we're a fit I'll do the financial review so you have a clear picture to evaluate your proposed investment.

Complimentary intro · no commitment
Independent & confidential
The approach

Here's how I work with you.

Everyone starts on the Starter path — a careful look at your Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the question sets you'll need to do real diligence, and a working session to talk through it together. If you want a deeper financial picture before you commit, the Full engagement path picks up from there with a working financial model, scenario analysis, and a longer session. The buying decision is always yours — my job is to make sure the financial side of it is clear.

Starter path · everyone starts here 5 days total
i
Step one · Days 1–3

Intake & FDD review

You send me the FDD and a short intake form. I review the document end-to-end to identify the specific financial risks worth your attention, and flag the parts that need a closer look.

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Step two · Days 3–5

Question sets & call coaching

Two customized question sets: financial questions to put directly to the franchisor (targeting what the FDD doesn't quite answer), and a separate validation script for current franchisees (what to ask, how to read between the lines). You make the calls; I'll prep you for both.

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Step three · Day 5

60-min consultation call

We meet over Zoom to walk through what I found in the FDD review and your question sets. You ask the questions, I give you candid answers.

iv
Step four · After the call

1 week of email follow-up

Send me questions as they come up — I'll reply within one business day.

Need more? Full engagement adds: extends to 10–14 days total
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Step five · Days 5–9

Financial model build

A working financial model built from the key FDD assumptions. Helps you understand your cash-flow needs, when (and how much) financing you might need, and how the early months hang together. A model you can stress-test on your validation calls — to confirm the underlying assumptions hold up and to feel confident in the outcomes.

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Step six · Days 9–11

Scenario & risk analysis

Using the FDD's own assumptions as the baseline, I'll help you think through what downside risk could look like, and where the realistic upside sits. The output is a set of pointed questions you can ask the franchisor and existing franchisees to pressure-test both ends.

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Step seven · Days 11–14

60-min working session

A consolidated financial summary brings together the FDD review, the working model, and the scenario analysis — and we meet for 60 minutes to walk through every part together so you can weigh it against the rest of your decision.

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Step eight · After the call

2 weeks of email follow-up

Send me questions as you complete your own diligence — I'll reply within one business day.

The outcome

Financial clarity. The rest of the decision is yours.

Why Your Franchise CFO

You deserve someone in your corner.

The franchise broker works for the franchisor. Your accountant is focused on closing your books and tax filings — not proactive, risk-based financial decision-making. Your attorney reads the FDD but doesn't model it. I sit on your side of the table — and only your side.

Plain-English finance

"Break-even" instead of "EBITDA inflection." Every term explained where you read it.

Independent by design

No referral fees, no commissions, no kickbacks. You pay us — that's the only relationship.

Grounded in real numbers

Built from what the FDD discloses and what existing franchisees actually report — not glossy projections.

Clean, shareable output

Information in a format you can confidently share with a lender, an accountant, or a family member helping you weigh the decision.

About the founder

Twenty plus years of deal experience.

Olivier Alwyn
Olivier Alwyn
Founder · CPA · Wharton CRO program
Mountain View, CA
linkedin.com/in/olivier-alwyn
The Small Business AI Playbook
Direct: by review-call booking

I've spent my career bringing financial discipline to deals — first as a CPA auditing public companies, then leading commercial deal diligence at one of the largest software companies in the world. I created this service because the same rigor isn't available to individuals considering a franchise investment.

I started at KPMG in the Audit Practice, spending eleven years auditing public technology and telecom companies across the US and UK firms — including IPOs and first-year public-company audits. I specialized in revenue recognition, SEC compliance, and the complex disclosures that separate a clean business from one with surprises buried in the footnotes. That training — reading financial statements skeptically, knowing what questions auditors ask, recognizing when numbers don't add up — is the same discipline an FDD demands.

I then spent thirteen years at VMware, where I co-led the build-out of the global Deal Management Team — growing it from a handful of people out of finance to a 200+ person organization supporting every line of business. We were the institutional check on whether a deal was actually good: commercial diligence, contract structuring, revenue risk identification, deal quality controls. After that I ran GTM Finance for the Customer Experience & Services organization (~8,000 employees), responsible for P&L, planning, and the financial models that decided where the company invested.

More recently, I evaluated several franchise opportunities as a potential personal investment — working through FDDs, building models, and pressure-testing the unit economics. The diligence I did for my own decision gave me a working knowledge of how franchise systems are structured, where the numbers can mislead, and what a prospective buyer truly needs to understand before signing. Having sat on the buyer's side of the table, I know first-hand how few independent resources there are for an individual evaluating this kind of investment — which is exactly the gap this service is built to fill.

Buying a franchise can be a significant investment of time and money for many individuals. The franchisor has lawyers and a 200-page disclosure document. The broker is paid on commission. The buyer has a spreadsheet and hope. I've watched corporate teams spend weeks evaluating a $50,000 software contract — and I've watched individuals sign $400,000+ franchise agreements after a single weekend's research.

That's why I created Your Franchise CFO. My role isn't to make the decision for you — it's to put the plain, unbiased financial picture in your hands so you can make it confidently. You send me the FDD. I work through the numbers, the structure, and the risks, and then I translate what I find into language you can actually use. At the end you have the same kind of clear read on the deal that an institutional buyer would expect — and the final call stays yours.

20+
Years in finance leadership roles
200+
Deal-management team built & led
>$10B
In deal volume reviewed
CPA
B.S. Accounting, Santa Clara
2021 – 2024
VP, GTM Finance
VMware · Customer Experience & Services
2011 – 2021
Sr. Director, Deal Management
VMware · Built & led global team of 200+
2000 – 2011
Sr. Manager, Audit
KPMG · US & UK firms · Tech/telecom
"Corporate buyers don't sign a $400k contract without a careful financial review. Why should you?"
— Olivier Alwyn, founder
A helpful resource (free)

The Small Business AI Playbook

Aside from this service, I also run a YouTube channel on how small-business owners can use AI to run their operations more efficiently — hiring, marketing, customer reviews, finance, the practical stuff. Not the focus of this site, but a useful free resource as you think about running the business after making your investment decision.

Visit the channel →

Let's start with a conversation.

A complimentary call, no commitment. Tell me about the franchise you're considering — I'll tell you whether I can help and what to expect. Grab a time on my calendar at your convenience.

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Engagement options

Start with a complimentary conversation.
I'll scope the engagement to fit your franchise.

Two structured engagement options — chosen based on the depth of review you need. Because every franchise differs in complexity, I quote each engagement individually. After our introductory call I'll prepare a brief Statement of Work outlining scope, deliverables, timeline, and a fixed fee. You proceed only once you've reviewed and accepted the engagement letter. No referral fees or commissions — ever.

Step 1 · Complimentary No obligation

Complimentary introductory call

Tell me about the franchise you're considering, where you are in your decision, and what's on your mind. I'll let you know whether I can help and what the engagement would look like. No prep needed.

Brief call
Zoom video
Your pick of times
The engagement process

A clear path from first call to first deliverable.

1
Discovery call

A brief conversation to understand the franchise, where you are in your decision, and the scope that would be most useful.

Complimentary · no obligation
2
Scoping & quote

I prepare a tailored Statement of Work — services, deliverables, and timeline — informed by the complexity of the franchise we discussed.

Within 1–2 business days
3
Engagement letter

Once you're comfortable with the scope and fee, we countersign a brief engagement letter formalizing the terms. Payment instructions are confirmed at signing.

Same-day acceptance possible
4
Commencement of services

You send the FDD and a short intake form. Work begins per the timeline set out in the Statement of Work.

Engagement underway

Discovery through engagement letter typically occurs within a few business days of the introductory call.

Choose your engagement

Two ways I can help.

Pick what fits your decision. We'll discuss which makes sense for you on the complimentary intro call, and I'll provide a tailored quote.

Starter review

FDD & financial walkthrough

A focused review and conversation. Best when you want a knowledgeable second opinion before going deeper.

Fee depends on the complexity of the franchise reviewed — confirmed in your Statement of Work after the introductory call.
What's included
  • ✓
    FDD review. I review your FDD and identify the key terms, risks, and items that need your attention.
  • ✓
    Two question sets. Financial questions to put directly to the franchisor — and a separate validation script for talking with existing franchisees.
  • ✓
    60-minute consultation call. We walk through the document together over Zoom and discuss your situation.
  • ✓
    Email follow-up. Send me questions as they come up; I'll reply within one business day.
No fee is due until you've accepted the engagement letter.
The full engagement

A complete financial review

A complete review — written report, financial model, and a one-page summary of the financial considerations for your decision.

Fee depends on the complexity of the franchise reviewed — confirmed in your Statement of Work after the introductory call.
Everything in Starter, plus
  • ✓
    Risk scorecard. Key areas of focus flagged across the full FDD review.
  • ✓
    Working financial model. Built from the key FDD assumptions — designed so you can stress-test it on your validation calls and confirm the numbers hold up.
  • ✓
    Scenario & sensitivity analysis. Downside, base, upside. Break-even tested.
  • ✓
    60-minute working session. A consolidated financial summary brings together the FDD review, model, and scenario work — we walk through it together over Zoom. The summary is also yours to share with a lender, accountant, or family member helping you weigh the decision.
  • ✓
    Two weeks of email follow-up (vs. one week in Starter).
No fee is due until you've accepted the engagement letter.
Need work beyond the engagement scope?

Additional services are available on an ad-hoc basis — a second franchise review, deeper financial modeling, help preparing the financial inputs for a lender application, or ongoing advisory as you operate. Each is scoped and quoted separately under an amended or new Statement of Work, so there are no surprises.

Mention it on the discovery call and I'll include it in your quote.

Common questions

What do you need from me to do the work?

Beyond the kickoff items above, mostly your time and engagement. I may have follow-up questions about your situation as I work through the FDD, and you'll be the one making the validation calls with existing franchisees (using the question script I prepare). The deliverables land better when you bring your own questions to our working session — the goal is to leave you with a clear understanding of the numbers behind the decision.

How long does the engagement take?

Depends on which engagement you select and the complexity of the franchise. Starter typically runs about 5 business days from kickoff to the 60-minute consultation. Full engagement typically runs 10–14 business days from intake to the final working session. A specific timeline is set out in your Statement of Work, and you'll get progress updates at each stage.

Is this investment advice?

No. I'm not a licensed investment advisor, broker, or attorney. This is a structured financial review, modeling, and an experienced second opinion. The decision is always yours.

Do you take referral fees from franchisors?

Never. I'm paid only by you, only the disclosed fee. No franchisor, broker, or lender pays me anything. Independence is the whole point.

What if I'm evaluating multiple franchises?

Each engagement covers a single franchise. If you're weighing more than one, mention it on the introductory call — I'll structure the Statement of Work and fee to reflect the combined scope.

My data — is it confidential?

Yes. Everything you share with me — your FDD, your financials, your plans — stays between us.

How do I actually start?

Book a complimentary introductory call on my Cal.com page. We'll talk about the franchise, where you are in your decision, and the scope that would be useful. If we're a fit, I'll follow up with a Statement of Work and engagement letter for your review. If not, no obligation either way.

Or email yourfranchisecfo@gmail.com with any questions first.