The full finance function made accessible for small and midsize businesses.

First Water is the FP&A and Corporate Development partner to business leaders, owners, and investors in pursuit of three marks: better teams, better growth, and better deals.

About Us

10+

Years

100+

Clients & Partners

$5B+

Transaction Experience

The Toolbox

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence

Forecasting & Planning

Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing

Growth Equity Capital

Acquisitions & Business Sale

Finance Acceleration

PortCo FP&A Initiatives

Board Support

Workshops & Assessments

Engagement

BPO / RECURRING
ADVISORY

Activate any or all of the FP&A function on a done-for-you basis. Access the full potential of a senior-to-junior institutional finance team with more cost efficiency, stability, and experience than hiring a single resource.

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ENGAGEMENT

TRANSACTION-BASED ENGAGEMENTS

Procure financing, get the capital to fuel growth, acquire, or sell. Access the capabilities and capital network of an investment bank through a more flexible model designed to stay aligned with your goals, even if they change.

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ENGAGEMENT

PROJECT-BASED
INITIATIVES

Access the strike force supporting prominent private equity firms in reporting stand-up, forecast improvement, and transaction readiness. Tap the team’s experience and perspective through assessments and board advisory.

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MEET RELATIONAL FINANCE

A better way to unlock access to finance capabilities. Traditional ‘transactional’ models have rigid cost structures and/or upfront catalysts assuming all options are known and vetted. These one-size-fits-all approaches are not aligned with the experience and resources of most small and midsize businesses (SMBs). Relational Finance enables better relationship building fostered through continuous alignment, with the flexibility to pivot as the winds change.

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Life On The Water

Stay on course with the confidence to pursue opportunities and tackle challenges.

Pain Points:

“I’m not sure what kinds of financing fit my business and my goals.”

First Water Solutions:

Click each capability to learn more.

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence
Forecasting & Planning
Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing
Growth Equity Capital
Acquisitions & Business Sale

Financing Alternatives

There are many debt and equity financing options available, but each comes with its own opportunities, risks, and restrictions. An immediate need or opportunity can lead to severe pain if the wrong financing is deployed, especially if such capital doesn’t mesh with your long-term personal goals. With First Water, you have a partner who can help you assess your options, connect with the right capital partners, and procure the financing to propel you on your way.

Pain Points:

“Growth is my dream in action, but managing cash is my nightmare.”

First Water Solutions:

Click each capability to learn more.

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence
Forecasting & Planning
Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing
Growth Equity Capital
Acquisitions & Business Sale

Cash Management

They say growth is expensive, because investments in inventory, production, and labor usually come before customers pay. Cash crunches lead to tough decisions, and relationships sour when you can’t keep the promises you make. A key to managing cash is credible forecasting processes and financing capacity, and First Water delivers both the visibility and ability to secure the financing you need for growth.

Pain Points:

“Bankers and investors speak a different language, I’m unsure how to put my best foot forward.”

First Water Solutions:

Click each capability to learn more.

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence
Forecasting & Planning
Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing
Growth Equity Capital
Acquisitions & Business Sale

Finance Storytelling

Investors and capital providers apply different analytical lenses based on their investment timelines and risk-return parameters. Make sure you are in front of the right audience, clearly present performance, credibly discuss the outlook, and tailor the financial narrative to maximize the probability of success. As a result of actually sitting in these different investor and lender seats, First Water has unparalleled experience to serve as a partner on your side of the table with “other side” experience.

Pain Points:

“ I get pulled in many directions. It’s hard to keep my finger on the pulse and hold people accountable.”

First Water Solutions:

Click each capability to learn more.

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence
Forecasting & Planning
Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing
Growth Equity Capital
Acquisitions & Business Sale

Goal Setting & Tracking

As businesses and teams expand, leaders are removed from the trenches of operations and sales. Data capture and information flow are critical, but it must be the right data and the right communication. Setting goals that are achievable and trackable is the only way to drive accountability, and this requires both the ability to look forward and build credible outlooks. First Water delivers the reporting and forecasting processes that help keep teams aligned, engaged, and firing on all cylinders.

Pain Points:

“Selling is my goal, soon or down the road, and I want to maximize value when I pull the trigger.”

First Water Solutions:

Click each capability to learn more.

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence
Forecasting & Planning
Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing
Growth Equity Capital
Acquisitions & Business Sale

Value Maximization

Selling all or part of your company is a major event, for some a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. These decisions are deeply personal and emotional. We understand that selling on your terms is superior to having it forced upon you. The time you have to prepare your team, your data/processes, and your financial performance meaningfully impact whether a business can max out in a transaction. First Water is uniquely positioned to help in all aspects – plotting the course, completing the prep work, sourcing the partners, and executing a positive transaction.

Pain Points:

“ I lose sleep at night worrying about what surprise is coming next.”

First Water Solutions:

Click each capability to learn more.

Managed FP&A

Reporting & Business Intelligence
Forecasting & Planning
Cash & Working Capital Visibility

Capital & Transactions

Debt & Working Capital Financing
Growth Equity Capital
Acquisitions & Business Sale

Business Visibility

If you are worried about snakes in the grass, we need to mow the lawn. Visibility into performance via operational and financial data helps you keep track of critical metrics, and driver-based forecasting allows you to build out financial outcomes for various operational scenarios. First Water is passionate about harnessing data and building tools to offer better insight and foresight. We can’t eliminate all snakes, but we do our best to see them coming.

First Water Innovation

Finance Readiness Assessment Tool

Growth goals, funding requirements, and owner objectives are critical inputs to plot the optimal course. Aligning the three roadmaps (growth, capital, personal) is a core component to First Water’s mission and relationship building. It starts with our free finance readiness assessment tool, FiRe Score, which takes less than five minutes.

Take The Quiz