Why is revenue forecasting so difficult in agencies and project-based businesses?

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper speaks with Julia Longo, Group Finance Director at SAENTYS, about the operational and financial realities of forecasting revenue in a fast-moving creative consultancy environment.

SAENTYS operates across the UK, France and Switzerland, supporting clients in the real estate, hospitality and destination sectors. Julia oversees finance across multiple entities and shares a practical, experience-led view of how forecasting, reporting and operational planning work inside an international agency business.

The discussion explores the difference between billing forecasting and revenue forecasting, and why many businesses have strong visibility over invoicing and pipeline activity but still struggle to understand future profitability and utilisation properly.

Adam and Julia discuss the challenges of managing constantly shifting project scopes, changing client deadlines, freelancer requirements and resource allocation, all while trying to maintain accurate financial reporting and forward-looking visibility.

The episode also covers the importance of management accounts, KPI reporting, operational finance processes and cross-functional collaboration between finance, client services, operations and creative teams.

Other topics covered include:

• Revenue forecasting vs billing forecasting
• Financial planning in project-based businesses
• Profitability management for agencies
• Cash flow forecasting and pipeline visibility
• Resource planning and utilisation management
• PSA systems and operational reporting
• Finance leadership in creative businesses
• International reporting and multi-entity finance operations
• Forecasting challenges in professional services firms
• Improving financial visibility through better systems and processes
• Time tracking, project profitability and operational accountability
• Management reporting for growing agencies
• Finance transformation and process improvement
• Forecasting uncertainty and decision-making with incomplete data
• The role of finance in supporting operational performance

Julia also shares insights from her non-traditional route into finance leadership, moving from a background in chemistry and operations into senior finance roles within the agency world. The conversation highlights why strong finance leaders in creative and professional services businesses need commercial awareness, operational understanding and the ability to work closely with non-finance teams.

This is a practical conversation for agency founders, finance directors, COOs, management accountants, project-based businesses and professional services firms looking to improve forecasting accuracy, profitability, financial visibility and operational decision-making.

Guest:
Julia Longo - Group Finance Director at SAENTYS

Hosted by:
Adam Cooper - ACC Finance Solutions

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast platforms.

#FinancialForecasting #RevenueForecasting #ManagementAccounts #CashFlowForecasting #Profitability #AgencyFinance #FinanceLeadership #OperationalFinance #ProfessionalServices #BusinessGrowth

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper is joined by Callum Lockwood (Re:signal) to explore how SEO and marketing decisions translate into real commercial outcomes.

Too many businesses still measure success through traffic, rankings, and vanity metrics. But as Callum explains, those numbers don’t always lead to what actually matters, revenue growth, profitability, and cash flow.

This conversation takes a more commercial and CFO-led view of SEO, reframing it as a long-term growth investment rather than a standalone marketing channel.

Together, Adam and Callum break down how founders and operators should think about return on investment (ROI), payback periods, and contribution margin when evaluating SEO and digital marketing spend.

They also explore how AI is changing the economics of marketing in 2026, from reducing the cost of content production to increasing competition and shifting where real value is created.

Key themes from the episode include:

• Why traffic alone is a poor indicator of business performance
• How to connect SEO activity to revenue, margin, and commercial outcomes
• The role of SEO within a broader growth strategy and marketing mix
• Common areas where businesses misallocate marketing budget and resources
• Why many “SEO problems” are actually issues with pricing, positioning, or conversion
• How to think about SEO in terms of customer acquisition cost (CAC) and lifetime value (LTV)
• The impact of AI on search, content, and digital competition
• What CFOs and founders should be asking before investing further in marketing

This is a practical, experience-led discussion designed to help founders, CEOs, and operators make better decisions about where to invest for sustainable growth.

If you’re spending on marketing, or questioning whether your current strategy is really delivering a return, this episode will help you rethink how SEO fits into your wider commercial model.

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Show, Adam Cooper is joined by Elliott King, agency founder, digital marketing expert, and Managing Partner at FINN Partners, to explore the real journey from startup to exit.

Elliott shares honest insights on managing cash flow through growth, the shift from project to retainer revenue, and the financial discipline required to build a sellable agency.

They also dive into the realities of M&A, including due diligence, valuation drivers, and what actually changes after a sale.

Plus, a look at how AI, SEO, and owned media are reshaping digital marketing, and what agency founders should be doing now to stay competitive.

A must-listen for agency owners focused on growth, profitability, and long-term exit strategy.