John is available for hire
Hire JohnJohn Lee
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Location
San Francisco, CA, United States
Toptal Member Since
July 27, 2022
John is a Wharton graduate with nearly a decade of a progressive finance career. He worked at one of the largest private equity firms in the world and executed over $3 billion in transactions. He has also been the interim CFO for several high-growth SaaS startups. John joined the Toptal network to task on challenging projects with driven operators, entrepreneurs, and investors. He previously worked with both early-stage companies nationwide and large enterprises with billions in revenue.
Career Highlights
Fractional CFO
ChannelMeter
Fractional CFO
Socium Media
Director of Finance
Trace3
Expertise
Work Experience
Fractional CFO
2022 - PRESENT
ChannelMeter
- Oversaw the professionalization of finance operations and streamlined reporting and analytical needs.
- Partnered with the CEO to improve investor relations and drive shareholder alignment on a long-term vision.
- Built an operating model using internal KPIs and financial data to guide decision-making.
- Identified savings and collectible receivables that increased runway by eight months.
Focus areas: Board of Directors, Budgeting, Financial Modeling, Investor Relations, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), CFO
Fractional CFO
2022 - PRESENT
Socium Media
- Built the finance function, including hiring accountants, creating and operationalizing processes, preparing for audits, and enhancing reporting.
- Developed long-term strategy and planning alongside founders and explored existing strategic alternatives.
- Assisted in the company's professionalization, including updating incentive structures and partnering with divisional leaders to better align company strategy with people and operations.
Focus areas: CFO, Corporate Development, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Budgeting, Strategy, Finance, Business Models, M&A (Buy-side), Term Sheet Advisory, Business Planning, Business Modeling, Cash Management, Controller, Due Diligence Consultant, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Pro Forma Financial Statements, Cash Flow Management, Cash Flow Modeling, Pitch Decks, Budget Modeling, Internal Financial Reporting, Profit & Loss (P&L)
Founder | Fractional CFO
2022 - PRESENT
Self-employed
- Served as fractional CFO for various businesses, including revenue-generated VC-backed B2B SaaS startups.
- Founded a software startup and raised a $2 million seed round from a venture capital fund.
- Assisted a CPG business with its financial strategy and pitch to private equity investors on a potential partnership.
- Supported a searcher in building its financial model for a roll-up of the insurance industries, leading to the successful close of the 1st acquisition.
Focus areas: CFO, Board of Directors, Corporate Development, M&A Strategy, M&A Modeling, Fundraising, Startups, Business Models, Budgeting, M&A (Buy-side), Term Sheet Advisory, Business Planning, Business Modeling, Controller, Due Diligence Consultant, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Pro Forma Financial Statements, Analysis, Pitch Decks, M&A (Sell-side), Negotiation, Budget Modeling, Internal Financial Reporting, Profit & Loss (P&L)
Vice President
2020 - 2022
Private Equity
- Led a PortCo's add-on acquisition that increased equity value by around $50 million and paved the way to one of the most successful exits in fund history.
- Recapitalized a B2C SaaS business to return nearly $100 million to various stakeholders.
- Built a junior team of six professionals, including hiring, staffing, and evaluating, while developing a training program to decrease ramp and increase effectiveness.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Fundraising, Debt Raises, Hiring, Financial Modeling, Valuation, Board of Directors, Post-merger Integration, Management, Investment Banking, Forecasting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Three-statement Modeling, Strategy, CFO, SaaS, Debt Financing, Finance, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Credit/Debt, Business Plan Consulting, Software as a Service (SaaS), Startups, Excel Expert, Venture Capital, Business Models, Budgeting, M&A (Buy-side), Term Sheet Advisory, Healthcare, Business Planning, Business Modeling, Cash Management, Due Diligence Consultant, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Pro Forma Financial Statements, Cash Flow Management, Cash Flow Modeling, Financing, Analysis, Pitch Decks, M&A (Sell-side), Negotiation, Budget Modeling, Internal Financial Reporting, Profit & Loss (P&L)
Director of Finance
2018 - 2020
Trace3
- Built the FP&A function from scratch to a team of three while leading a service billing team of two.
- Designed and executed the company's first long-term strategic planning and budgeting process to steer the continued transition toward greater accountability and financial stewardship.
- Supported the RFP process to select key supplier partnerships, extending net payment terms by 15 days and increasing volume rebates by several million annually.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Strategic Planning & Execution, Corporate Development, Debt Raises, Hiring, Financial Modeling, Post-merger Integration, Management, Forecasting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Three-statement Modeling, Strategy, Debt Financing, Finance, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Credit/Debt, Go-to-market Strategy, Excel Expert, Business Models, Budgeting, M&A (Buy-side), Term Sheet Advisory, Business Planning, Business Modeling, Cash Management, Controller, Due Diligence Consultant, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Pro Forma Financial Statements, Cash Flow Management, Cash Flow Modeling, Financing, Analysis, Negotiation, Budget Modeling, Internal Financial Reporting, Profit & Loss (P&L)
Associate
2016 - 2018
Private Equity
- Supervised commercial due diligence, debt capital fundraising, and investment memo preparation for the platform buyout of a nearly multi-hundred million revenue business.
- Built a portfolio company's corporate development framework and process, reviewing over 150 potential targets and acquiring two competitors.
- Assisted in a business services company's liquidation and bankruptcy process to manage cash flow and organize stakeholder communication, nearly returning the entire principal to the senior lender.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Due Diligence, Fundraising, Debt Raises, Financial Modeling, Valuation, Post-merger Integration, Investment Banking, Forecasting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Three-statement Modeling, Strategy, SaaS, Debt Financing, Finance, Leveraged Buyout (LBO), Credit/Debt, Business Plan Consulting, Software as a Service (SaaS), Excel Expert, Venture Capital, Business Models, Budgeting, M&A (Buy-side), Term Sheet Advisory, Healthcare, Business Planning, Business Modeling, Cash Management, Due Diligence Consultant, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Pro Forma Financial Statements, Cash Flow Management, Cash Flow Modeling, Financing, Analysis, Pitch Decks, M&A (Sell-side), Negotiation, Budget Modeling, Internal Financial Reporting, Profit & Loss (P&L)
Analyst
2014 - 2016
Investment Bank
- Supported a Fortune 500 enterprise in divesting a non-core business unit focused on engineering and construction services.
- Assisted in a healthcare testing company's broad auction sale process and led the financial modeling and due diligence workstreams.
- Coordinated across internal teams (valuation, corporate finance, debt, and sponsor) to meet client needs.
Focus areas: Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Corporate Development, Budget Modeling, Profit & Loss (P&L)
Education
2012 - 2014
Master's Degree in Biomedical Engineering
University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA, USA
2010 - 2014
Bachelor's Degree in Finance
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA, USA
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