The best CFO for a fiber splicing or installation contractor is one who understands T&M pricing based on utilization — not peak-month assumptions — carrier billing cycles that run 45–60 days, and the structural cash volatility that comes with pure T&M revenue. A $2.4M fiber splicing contractor we worked with hit one month with $141K in project costs against $144K in revenue. Almost nothing left before overhead hit. The T&M rate was the problem. The right CFO fixes the rate, builds the forecast, and identifies the structured cabling work that stabilizes cash between carrier projects.
Most fractional CFOs have never worked with a fiber contractor. They don't understand that T&M rates need to be calculated on annual crew utilization — not on your busiest months. They don't know that a 45-day carrier billing cycle creates a permanent $300K–$500K receivables pipeline on a $3M operation. They don't know that the pattern of great months and terrible months isn't randomness — it's a pricing and revenue mix problem that has a specific fix. The right CFO for a fiber contractor already knows all of this. SPM has worked with fiber and telecom subcontractors from $1M to $8M and has seen this exact pattern play out repeatedly.
BY JOSH LUEBKERPublished: June 2026Updated: June 2026
THE PROBLEM
What a Generic CFO Gets Wrong
01
T&M Rate Priced Wrong
Your rate was set when the crew was busy. At 80% utilization it works. At 55% utilization — which happens every slow carrier month — that same rate loses money on overhead. A generic CFO doesn't catch this. They see the revenue and record it.
02
Carrier Pay Cycles
Major carriers pay net 45–60. On $250K of monthly work that is $375K permanently in the pipeline. When a carrier project pauses, those receivables stack while costs keep running. A generic CFO has never seen a carrier pay app.
03
No Revenue Base
Pure T&M with one or two carriers means zero revenue floor. When the carrier slows, everything slows. A proper revenue mix — carrier T&M plus structured cabling contracts — creates stability. Most CFOs don't think in these terms.
The proof: A $2.4M fiber splicing contractor with major telecom carrier clients had months that looked great and months that were disasters. January alone: $141K in project costs against $144K in revenue — almost nothing left before overhead. T&M rate was built on busy-month assumptions. Once we corrected the utilization rate and built the cash forecast around carrier pay cycles, the volatility became predictable — and manageable. See the case study →
HOW CFOS FIXES IT
What We Actually Deliver for Fiber Subs
T&M rate recalculated on annual utilization — not peak utilization — so slow carrier months are already covered in the rate structure
Per-carrier, per-contract job costing so you know which carrier relationships are profitable and which ones are subsidized
13-week cash forecast built around carrier billing cycles — map expected payment receipts against committed costs 8–10 weeks out
Revenue mix analysis — identify what structured cabling or enterprise network work fills the gaps when carrier projects slow
Monthly overhead rate recalculation — as utilization changes, the rate updates. You never bid on last quarter's assumptions.
Weekly AR follow-up on carrier receivables — carriers pay faster with consistent follow-up in place
Monthly CEO report: revenue by carrier and contract type, gross profit, overhead, net profit, cash — one meeting, one hour of your time
$141K
Costs in one month vs $144K revenue
$15–25
Per-hour underpricing when rate is built wrong
60 days
To install CFOS and see real numbers
PRICING
FLAT MONTHLY FEE. NO SURPRISES.
Two tiers based on trailing 12-month revenue. No hourly billing. No payroll. No add-ons. Everything included.
Three structural gaps: a T&M rate built on peak utilization that fails during slow carrier months, carrier billing cycles running 45–60 days creating a permanent receivables pipeline, and no contracted revenue base when carrier projects pause. A $2.4M fiber contractor had $141K in costs against $144K in revenue in one month — almost nothing before overhead. The rate was built on busy-month assumptions. Fix the rate calculation and build the cash forecast around carrier pay cycles and the volatility becomes manageable.
For fiber splicing and installation contractors, CFOS delivers: T&M rate recalculated on annual utilization so slow months are covered; per-carrier, per-contract job costing; 13-week cash forecast built around carrier billing cycles; revenue mix analysis identifying stabilizing contract work; monthly overhead rate recalculation; weekly AR follow-up on carrier receivables; and a monthly CEO report by carrier and contract type.
CFOS serves fiber and telecom subcontractors doing $1M–$12M. Core Financial starts at $1,900/month. Executive Financial starts at $2,900/month. Onboarding takes 60 days.
Core Financial includes ControlQore setup, job costing aligned to your estimates, full-service bookkeeping, and bank reconciliations. Executive Financial adds monthly CFO advisory meetings, controllership, and strategic accountability. No payroll. No scope gaps.
60 days. We migrate your books to the start of your last taxable year, set up ControlQore, and build your job costing structure from scratch. Fully operational in two months.
Josh Luebker
Fractional CFO · The Construction CFO
Former commercial construction project manager and master electrician. Managed 150+ projects totaling $300M+. Now fractional CFO for commercial subcontractors doing $1M–$12M through Sulphur Prairie Management.
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