CFO Highlight – Angela Eberhart
Angela Eberhart joined the Crown CFO team in January 2019. Angela has many years of experience in the professional services, technology, and nonprofit industries.
Why did you want to become a fractional CFO?
At the core, it’s because I love helping people. There’s nothing quite like joining a client’s team, becoming a real part of it, and then watching their company grow. As a Fractional CFO, I get to do that across a variety of companies and industries rather than just one. I also value the mentorship side of the role — working alongside each client’s accounting team and watching individual members grow in their careers is genuinely rewarding. Challenges energize me and helping clients work through problems is one of the most satisfying parts of the job. Ultimately, I want to add real value to the companies I serve and help them reach their long-term goals.
What industries are you focused on?
I focus primarily on professional services, technology, and nonprofit sectors.
Why do you enjoy the industries you focus on and what value do you bring to those industries?
The three industries are very different worlds that share something I find compelling: their success depends on people and mission as much as on numbers. Professional services and tech companies are often growing fast, which means the financial questions get harder and more interesting as they scale. Nonprofits carry the added weight of stewardship, where every dollar has to serve the mission well. What I bring is the clarity to connect the financial picture to the decisions in front of the leadership team, so they can grow with confidence rather than guess. Because I work across all three, I also bring perspective from one industry into another — and that’s often where the best ideas come from.
What are common challenges that you see in business?
The most common challenge I see is that organizations have the high-level numbers but don’t understand the data behind them — leadership can read the income statement but can’t explain what’s driving it at a detailed level. Often there’s no repeatable process for budgeting or forecasting (if there is a process at all), and the budget is built top-down rather than from the bottom up, so nobody truly owns it. A shaky month-end close makes reliable forecasting nearly impossible, and cash tends to be managed by watching the bank balance instead of forecasting real needs months ahead.
I also see hesitancy to embrace technology and AI — teams doing manual work that automation could handle, when the right tools, applied with sound controls, free them to spend more time on analysis and less on data entry.
The strategy to solve these challenges include defining the KPIs that actually drive the business, document SOPs so processes don’t live in one person’s head, and build board reporting that tells a clear, consistent story. Transparency builds trust — and it enforces the discipline that makes everything else work.
What has been the most challenging part of your CFO career?
The most challenging part was learning that not every client is a great client. I had to learn that you seek clients that appreciate your advice, are willing to implement the changes needed and value you as part of their trusted team.
Where was your favorite vacation and why?
We went to Kauai and I absolutely loved it. It is a very beautiful island. The vibe is very laid back, and it has both the beach and the mountains so we could get the best of both worlds.
What is a must-have item in your office?
Coffee!
What is your favorite lunch spot in Kansas City?
I love Mexican restaurants; it is hard to pick just one!