01 · Base camp
It starts with clean books.
CPA-reviewed bookkeeping and stress-free payroll: the solid ground every great business is built on.
Bookkeeping & Payroll
CPA Australia Qualified
Registered BAS & ASIC Agent
Sydney and New South Wales
Outsourced CFO and
Systems Advisory
in Sydney
Board-level financial leadership and the systems to support it, for Sydney businesses that have outgrown their reporting but do not need a full-time CFO.
What we do in Sydney
We Are Not Competing to Be Your Cheapest Bookkeeper
Sydney has no shortage of bookkeepers and we are not trying to be one of them. What is harder to find is a CPA who will sit in the room, read the numbers with you, and tell you what they actually mean for the decision in front of you. That is the work we take on here: outsourced CFO, systems and advisory, for businesses where the finance function has stopped keeping up with the business.
What Sydney clients engage us for:
Outsourced CFO
Board-level financial leadership, reporting and forecasting.
Systems and software advisory
Platform selection and migration across seven platforms, including NetSuite as a Solutions Partner.
Business process optimisation
Process mapping, automation and KPI dashboards.
Digital marketing
Run by the firm that also holds your books, so results are measured against revenue rather than clicks.
Web and app design
Sites, hosting and custom applications.
Why the distance is not the point
In Sydney Regularly, Not Occasionally
CFO work is different from compliance work. Compliance can run entirely remotely and does perfectly well that way. Advisory benefits from a person in the room for the conversations that matter: the board pack, the pricing decision, the reforecast after a bad quarter. Nicholas is in Sydney regularly, which makes that practical rather than aspirational. The compliance layer underneath runs remotely, as it should.
What our clients say
Trusted by Sydney Businesses and Beyond
“Ascend Solutions has been advising and implementing all the governance and NFP compliance requirements for our ACNC registered charity. Their expertise has been invaluable.”
“Exceptional advice and ongoing support to get our business up and running. They helped with accounting setup, payroll, web development and integration.”
“Ascend Solutions helped me navigate the myriad of software packages out there, and has been there to answer all my questions, no matter how quirky!”
ascend
ADVISORY
Outgrown Your Bookkeeper?
Get a CFO Without the Salary.
For businesses with $1M+ revenue that need strategic financial leadership — not just compliance. Our outsourced CFO service gives you C-suite insight at a fraction of the cost.
- Financial strategy & planning
- Management reporting & KPI dashboards
- Budgeting, forecasting & cash flow
- Board & investor reporting
- Growth advisory & M&A support
Starting from
Outsourced CFO
From $3,000/month
vs. $180,000+ per year for a full-time hire. Scale up or down monthly.
See Engagement OptionsThe Ascent
Five stages. One partner.
The whole way up.
Scroll to climb. Wherever you are on the mountain, we meet you there and take you higher.
02 · First light
Compliance you never lose sleep over.
Registered BAS & ASIC agents keeping you lodged, accurate and on time, every deadline.
BAS & ASIC Agent03 · The ridge
Systems that carry the load.
Business improvement and systems advisory: we build the engine so your business runs without you.
Business Improvement & Advisory04 · Above the clouds
A presence that grows with you.
Conversion-focused websites, managed hosting and custom apps, built by the team that knows your numbers.
Web, Hosting & App Design05 · The summit
Strategy, from the very top.
Ascend Advisory: your virtual CFO. Forecasting, insight and the clarity to make confident moves.
Ascend Advisory · virtual CFO
Common questions
Sydney FAQ
What does an outsourced CFO actually do?
A bookkeeper records what happened. An accountant reports it and lodges it. A CFO tells you what it means and what to do next: pricing, margin, cash-flow forecasting, funding readiness, board reporting and the financial side of any significant decision. Outsourced means you get that capability on a monthly engagement rather than hiring a full-time executive.
When does a business actually need one?
Usually when the numbers stop answering the questions being asked of them. Common triggers are a funding conversation, a margin that is moving without an obvious cause, growth that is not converting into cash, or a board and owner who are working from different figures. If your reporting still tells you what you need to know, you probably do not need this yet, and we will say so.
Do you do bookkeeping for Sydney clients?
We can, and for CFO clients we often do, because the advisory is only as good as the data underneath it. But we do not compete for standalone bookkeeping work in Sydney. If that is all you need, a local Sydney bookkeeper will serve you better and cost you less, and we would rather tell you that.
How often would we actually see you?
That is set by the engagement rather than a fixed rule, and it is worth agreeing up front. Nicholas is in Sydney regularly, so in-person sessions for the meetings that warrant them are practical. Routine reporting and the compliance work underneath run remotely.
Are you actually qualified to do this?
Ascend Solutions is a CPA practice, and a registered BAS agent and ASIC agent. You can verify the BAS agent registration on the Tax Practitioners Board public register and the company itself on ASIC's register, without taking our word for it.
Talk to a CPA about your Sydney business
A free consultation, and a straight answer about whether we are the right fit. If we are not, we will say so.