FOR RENT: CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

By Nathaniel Luce

Publication: WALL STREET JOURNAL

Some small-business owners in need of accounting help to balance their books and guide them out of a financial black hole are renting CFOs rather than hiring them. The strategy comes at a time when the deep recession has forced small companies to look for money-saving alternatives that can yield good returns yet avoid substantial overhead costs. Germain Böer, professor of management and director of the Owen Entrepreneurship Center, says business owners often want such a service when their company’s finances are getting more complex and need someone with more financial expertise.