Controller-Level Financial Leadership for Growing Contractors and Trades Businesses
You built a business generating $5 million to $25 million a year. The accounting function that got you here was not built to run it. Signal CPAs closes that gap, so growth does not outrun your ability to see, trust, and control your numbers.
The Controller Gap
Most $5 million to $25 million contractors and trades businesses have accounting staff who can enter transactions, but no one who owns the close, catches errors before they become expensive, or gives ownership a reliable, forward-looking view of the business. We call this the Controller Gap. It is the single most common reason growing contractors lose visibility into their own numbers right when the stakes get highest.
The Controller Gap shows up in familiar ways: a close process that takes weeks and still cannot be fully trusted, one person who holds all the institutional knowledge with no backup, reporting that arrives too late to change a decision, and systems that were never built to handle the complexity of the business today.
Left alone, the Controller Gap does not go away. It gets more expensive as the business grows.
Signal CPAs is built for contractors and trades businesses at a specific stage. Clarity about fit runs both directions.
| Right Fit | Not a Fit |
|---|---|
| $5M to $25M in annual revenue | Revenue well outside the $5M to $25M band, without a clear path into it |
| Contractors and trades businesses (general contractors, specialty trades, and related field-based operations) | No internal accounting or admin staff at all |
| Already has accounting or bookkeeping staff, but no true controller-level oversight | Primary need is tax planning, preparation, or compliance |
| Central Pennsylvania, with flexibility for the right fit | Looking for bookkeeping, data entry, or historical cleanup only |
| Ready for a disciplined close process, clear reporting, and reduced dependency on any one person | Looking for a full-time CFO hire replacement rather than a controller-level partner |
Who We Serve, and Who We Don’t
What We Do
Three offers, each building on the last. Start with the Diagnostic, move into Modernization if it makes sense, and stay with Ongoing Oversight for as long as it adds value.
Controller Gap Diagnostic: $10,000 flat fee. A focused, two to three week engagement that gives you a clear, written picture of exactly where your controller-layer gaps are, what they are costing you, and what to do next.
90-Day Controller Stabilization and Modernization Program: starting at $50,000. A defined 90-day engagement, built from your Diagnostic findings, that stabilizes your close process, redesigns your reporting, and reduces key-person dependency.
Monthly Close and Control Oversight: $8,500 per month. Ongoing controller-level oversight once your close process and reporting are stabilized: calendar management, checklist governance, and continued reporting discipline.
How It Works
01 Discovery Call
A conversation to understand your business, your current accounting setup, and whether Signal is the right fit.
02 Controller Gap Diagnostic
A focused, paid engagement that gives you a clear picture of where the gaps are and what they are costing you.
03 Recommendation
Based on the Diagnostic, we recommend the right next step: the 90-Day Program, a narrower fix, or in some cases, no further engagement.
04 90-Day Program
A defined 90-day engagement to stabilize your close process, modernize your reporting, and build a durable operating model.
05 Ongoing Oversight
Once stabilized, Monthly Close and Control Oversight keeps the discipline in place going forward.
Built for Contractors and Trades
Not a generalist accounting firm serving anyone. We work specifically with contractors and trades businesses in the $5 million to $25 million range, and understand the operational realities of field-based, project-driven work.
Controller-Level, Not Bookkeeping
We are not a bookkeeping or data-entry service, and we do not compete with your tax CPA. We focus entirely on the controller layer: close discipline, reporting integrity, and financial control.
Clear, Published Pricing
Every engagement starts with a defined fee and scope. No hourly guesswork, no surprise invoices.
A Deliberate Path, Not a Sales Pitch
The Diagnostic exists so both sides can make an informed decision before any larger commitment. Sometimes the right recommendation is a narrower fix, or none at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Controller the same as a CFO?
No, and the distinction matters. A bookkeeper records what already happened. A controller owns the close process, the accuracy of the numbers, and the systems and controls that keep the books trustworthy. A CFO uses those numbers to set strategy, raise capital, and make long-range financial decisions. Most $5 million to $25 million contractors do not yet need a full-time CFO. What they need, and often do not have, is a real controller layer. That is what Signal CPAs provides.
Do you do bookkeeping or tax work?
No. We do not perform bookkeeping, data entry, or historical cleanup, and we do not provide tax planning, preparation, or compliance services. We work alongside your existing bookkeeper and your tax CPA, and we routinely refer to and collaborate with both.What if we already have a controller or accounting manager?
That is common, and it is not a problem. In many cases, our work supports and strengthens the team already in place, adding structure, documentation, and oversight rather than replacing anyone.How do we get started?
Every engagement begins with a Discovery Call, followed by a Controller Gap Diagnostic. The Diagnostic gives both sides a clear, informed basis for deciding whether to move forward, and if so, how.
See Exactly Where Your Controller Gap Is
The Controller Gap Diagnostic is a focused, fixed-fee engagement that tells you exactly where you stand. Schedule a Discovery Call to find out if it is the right next step for your business.
