Industry · Retail
Virtual CFOs for retail — store-level P&L without an army of accountants.
Store-vs-group P&L visibility, stock turn, multi-channel reconciliation, and lease optimisation.
Where it hurts
The retail pains we step into.
Store-level vs. group-level P&L visibility
If you can't see which stores are funding which, you're flying the group blind. We restructure the chart of accounts so every store carries its own weight.
Stock turn and dead-stock identification
Inventory ageing and slow-mover reports turn 'we feel like we're over-stocked' into a markdown plan with a date.
Multi-channel reconciliation
POS + e-comm + payment-provider settlement files don't talk to each other by default. We build the daily reconciliation so cash and revenue stay in lockstep.
Lease and operating-cost optimisation
Rent is usually the biggest fixed cost. We model the lease against store-level performance so renegotiation is data-led, not gut-led.
What "fixed" looks like
Outcomes we work toward, 90 days in.
Pattern-based engagements drawn from a CIMA-CGMA finance career. Not client-specific case studies — the first published case studies launch with our pilot customers in 2026.
Pattern 1 of 3
The store-level P&L roll-up
The situation: Twelve stores, one consolidated P&L, and a strong suspicion that two stores are subsidising the rest.
What we do
- Per-store cost centre with allocated central overhead on a fair base.
- Daily POS-to-bank reconciliation flagging variances >R200.
- One-page-per-store monthly P&L delivered the week after close.
Outcome shape
Head office sees which stores carry their own weight and which don't. Closure / restructure decisions stop being gut-led.
Pattern 2 of 3
The daily reconciliation discipline
The situation: POS-recorded sales don't match the payment-provider settlement and neither matches the bank.
What we do
- Daily three-way reconciliation: POS → settlement → bank, with a flag on any variance.
- Months of historical unreconciled variances cleared inside the first 4–6 weeks.
- Process documented so the bookkeeper can run it without the controller standing over them.
Outcome shape
Cash and revenue stay in lockstep daily. Audit-time surprises disappear. Average shrink-finding doubles in the first 90 days.
Pattern 3 of 3
The lease-renewal data pack
The situation: Renewal is six months out and the landlord conversation usually runs on gut.
What we do
- Store standalone P&L with fair central overhead allocated.
- Revenue-per-square-metre and contribution-per-square-metre benchmarked across the estate.
- Walk-away rent calculated so the negotiation has a hard floor.
Outcome shape
Renegotiation runs on data, not vibes. Even when rent doesn't move, the conversation about tenant-installation and operating costs usually does.
Outcome shapes are directional and drawn from JD's prior engagements. Your situation will differ — the free 30-minute diagnostic is where we calibrate.
Most-relevant seats
The right people for retail.
Frequently asked
The questions you'd ask if we were across the table.
Store-level clarity. Group-level confidence.
Walk into the boardroom. Pick the Financial Controller or the Systems specialist. The first conversation is free.