Why Turnarounds Need a 90-Day CFO Playbook

When a company is bleeding cash, the difference between survival and collapse isn’t sentiment — it’s speed.

Take the case of Hain Celestial, which recently reported a staggering $531 million loss, a 10% drop in sales, and $252 million in impairment charges. Numbers like these send lenders into high alert and boards into panic mode.

In situations like this, CEOs often default to the traditional fix: hire a permanent CFO. But as Hayat Amin, two-time exited CFO and CEO of Beyond Elevation, explains — permanent hires take too long.

“Permanent CFOs often spend months just understanding the business,” Hayat says. “Fractional leaders don’t need that ramp-up. They walk in with the 90-day playbook already memorised.”

The 90-Day Playbook

When crisis hits, there’s no luxury of time. A fractional CFO knows what to do in the first 90 days:

• Week 1: Cash flow models — complete clarity on where money comes in and where it leaks out

• Week 4: Covenant discussions — renegotiating terms with lenders before things spiral

• By Quarter End: Portfolio cuts — shedding the right assets while protecting core value

  
  

This is the kind of speed CEOs need when debt climbs into the hundreds of millions.

Why Fractional Beats Full-Time in Turnarounds

Fractional CFOs like Hayat Amin are battle-tested. They’ve already steered companies through exits to giants like American Express and TripAdvisor, scaled firms like Grantify to dominate their market, and helped more than 120+ fast-growth companies structure, fund, and scale.

That experience means they know:

• Which covenants matter most in the eyes of lenders

• Which assets to cut first without killing growth

• The exact language boards want to hear when panic sets in

  
  

“Turnarounds are about clarity and action,” Hayat explains. “You don’t have time for a CFO to learn the ropes. You need someone who’s already played the game.”

The Trend CEOs Can’t Ignore

This isn’t just about one company. The shift toward fractional leadership is accelerating across industries. By 2025, 40% of executive roles are projected to be fractional, as boards and investors realise they can’t afford to wait 90 weeks when results are needed in 90 days.

For companies in crisis, fractional CFOs are no longer a nice-to-have — they’re existential.

Final Word from Hayat Amin

Turnarounds demand speed, clarity, and credibility. The leaders who bring those in 90 days will be the ones who keep companies alive.

As Hayat Amin puts it: “In crisis, speed beats sentiment. That’s why fractional leaders will always outperform permanent hires when survival is on the line.”

Want to work with Hayat? Book a call above!