
Joe Coombs
Verified Expert in Management Consulting
Management Consulting Expert
Louisville, KY, United States
Toptal member since January 30, 2026
Joe Coombs is a hands-on finance operator who partners with leadership teams and sponsors to drive performance. With 12+ years of experience and 100+ transactions, he delivers clean reporting, actionable insights, and value creation plans across pricing, profitability, and operational execution, helping teams move faster with confidence.
Career Highlights
Software Expertise
- NetSuite
- QuickBooks Online
Other Expertise
- Corporate Development
- Cost Accounting
- Financial Modeling
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Operational Finance
- Strategic Planning
Work Experience
Managing Principal/CEO
Unbridled Advisory, LLC
- Built financial models and board-ready reporting that improved decision-making speed and strengthened investor confidence during live processes.
- Created KPI dashboards and forecasting tools that improved cash visibility and enabled proactive planning for growth-stage clients.
- Advised leadership teams through restructuring and performance turnarounds, returning distressed operations to sustainable profitability.
- Built scalable finance processes (close, reporting, and budgeting) that reduced manual work and improved accuracy across monthly reporting cycles.
- Delivered quality of earnings and diligence support that reduced buyer pushback and protected EBITDA credibility in negotiations.
Manager, Corporate Development Advisory
Mazars USA LLP
- Acted as a strategic advisor within Mazars’ corporate development consulting arm, supporting 20+ large-scale M&A transactions across SaaS, manufacturing, food & beverage, and healthcare.
- Led end-to-end buy-side and sell-side due diligence, delivering financial and operational analysis to assess risk, validate earnings quality, and support value-maximizing deal decisions.
- Partnered with private equity firms and corporate acquirers to evaluate growth opportunities, synergy potential, and integration considerations across target platforms.
- Supported post-deal integration planning by identifying key operational dependencies, financial reporting requirements, and value capture initiatives to accelerate performance post-close.
- Prepared executive-ready deliverables, including investment committee materials, deal summaries, and diligence findings, translating complex analysis into actionable recommendations for leadership teams.
Manager, Transaction & PE Consulting (Contractor)
Aprio, LLP
- Served as a lead advisor on full-scale buy-side and sell-side transaction diligence for middle-market companies and private equity investors, supporting acquisitions, divestitures, and recapitalizations.
- Conducted deep-dive earnings quality and EBITDA normalization analysis, identifying key add-backs, non-recurring items, and risk areas impacting valuation and deal structure.
- Built and refined comprehensive financial models, including 3-statement models, cash flow models, and scenario analyses, to support investment decisions and negotiations.
- Partnered with client leadership teams and deal stakeholders to translate findings into actionable diligence insights, strengthening investment committee decisions and buyer confidence.
- Supported post-transaction integration planning by improving financial reporting readiness, streamlining close processes, and aligning reporting structures for Day 1 execution.
Bankruptcy and Restructuring Advisor (Contractor)
Berkeley Research Group
- Led financial analysis and liquidity modeling for distressed companies in bankruptcy and restructuring, supporting creditor negotiations and court-approved restructuring plans.
- Built 13-week cash flow forecasts and operational models for distressed businesses, giving management and lenders real-time visibility into liquidity and restructuring options.
- Analyzed complex financial records and operational data to identify cost reduction and turnaround opportunities for companies facing Chapter 11 restructuring.
- Supported senior advisors and legal teams in bankruptcy proceedings by preparing financial exhibits, creditor analyses, and restructuring scenario models.
- Conducted deep financial and operational diligence on distressed companies, identifying key drivers of cash burn, profitability decline, and liquidity risk.
Manager - A&TS and Strategy & Transformation
MorganFranklin Consulting
- Advised private equity firms and strategic buyers on financial due diligence and transaction strategy, supporting acquisitions across consumer, technology, and services sectors.
- Built detailed financial models and Quality of Earnings analyses to assess EBITDA sustainability, working capital requirements, and transaction risks.
- Analyzed target company financials, operational metrics, and revenue drivers to identify risks and opportunities during buy-side and sell-side transaction processes.
- Prepared investor-ready financial analyses and diligence reports used by private equity sponsors and corporate buyers to evaluate acquisition opportunities.
- Collaborated with management teams and deal sponsors to evaluate financial performance, growth assumptions, and integration considerations during M&A transactions.
- Supported multiple concurrent transactions by coordinating diligence requests, analyzing financial data, and delivering insights to senior deal teams.
Consultant
CohnReznick
- Built financial models and analytical workpapers used to evaluate acquisition targets, identify risks, and assess key drivers of EBITDA performance.
- Analyzed normalized earnings, working capital trends, and financial adjustments to support transaction advisory engagements.
- Developed analytical reports and presentations that helped clients understand key financial drivers and risks during acquisition processes.
- Collaborated with senior advisors and client leadership to interpret financial data and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
Tax & Audit Associate
DMLO CPAs
- Prepared and analyzed financial statements for privately held companies across multiple industries, ensuring compliance with GAAP and regulatory standards.
- Performed audit procedures including testing internal controls, reconciling accounts, and evaluating financial reporting accuracy.
- Prepared corporate and partnership tax returns while analyzing financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance with federal and state tax regulations.
- Identified accounting discrepancies and recommended adjustments that improved the accuracy and reliability of client financial reporting.
- Advised clients on accounting treatments and documentation requirements to strengthen financial controls and reporting processes.
- Supported audit engagements from planning through completion by preparing workpapers, documenting findings, and assisting with client communications.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance in Accounting & Finance
University of Kentucky - Lexington, KY
Skills
Finance
Financial Modeling, Operational Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Project Finance, CFO, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Budgeting, Financial Reporting, Accounting, Cash Flow, Forecasting, Profit & Loss (P&L), Revenue & Expense Projections, M&A (Sell-side), Three-statement Modeling, Cash Flow Modeling, Deal Analysis, Due Diligence, Private Equity, M&A (Buy-side), Controller, Fundraising, Startup Funding, Lending, Debt Raises, Debt Restructuring, 13-week Cash Flow, Free Cash Flow (FCF), Working Capital Management
Output Software
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint
Data & Analysis Software
QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Tableau
Industry Expertise
Technology, Early-stage Startups
Other
Microsoft, Cost Accounting, Strategic Planning, Finance, Fractional CFO, Corporate Development, Financial Forecasting, Financial Operations & Processes, Exit Strategy, Quality of Earnings, Board Reporting, Investor Reporting, Dashboards, Excel Modeling, SaaS, Business Analysis, Subscriptions, PowerPoint Templates, Financial Analysis, Business Planning, Business Plan Consulting, Excel Expert, Business Strategy, Financial Presentations, Growth Strategy, Organizational Design, Acquisitions, Use of Proceeds, Business Transformation, Management Consulting, Acquisition Analysis, Cash Flow Management, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Interim CFO, Virtual CFO, B2B, Consolidation, IT Services, eCommerce, Music Streaming, Microsoft Power BI, Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI Agents, Healthcare Services, Debt Financing, Pitch Decks, Fundraising Strategy, Startups, Fundraising Consultant, Investment Banking, Scenario Analysis, Fund Accounting & Administration, Waterfall Modeling, Communication, LLC Agreements, Distribution Management, Legal, Compensation Plans, Bankruptcy & Insolvency, Business Restructuring, Consulting, Audits, Reviews, Product Development, Multi-Entity Consolidation, Financial Close, GAAP, M&A Due Diligence (Financial), Profit Optimization, Margin Optimization, Capital Allocation, Inventory, Deal Sourcing, Deal Structuring, Unit Economics, Market Sizing, Go-to-market (GTM) Strategies
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