About Us 2020-07-29T14:15:38+00:00

Debra A. Young-Snowdale

Founder of ExclusiveCFO

Debra Snowdale is an accomplished and enthusiastic executive with over 20 years experience in Finance and Management. As the Principal of ExclusiveCFO she provides strategic financial leadership and fundamental hands-on operational assistance to her clients in the Silicon Valley.

During her consulting career she has supported acquisitions (buy and sell) and fundraising, analyzed and presented cash runway and alternatives to boards, negotiated contracts, implemented financial infrastructure appropriate for the organization, managed client staff or provided her own, performed as a technical accounting resource, shared her extensive network of professionals to meet the needs of her clients.

Expertise in fundraising, presentations, valuations, metrics, comparables, investor confidence, negotiations, cohesive productive remote sites, leveraging cloud solutions, strategic and operating plans, reporting & analysis, modeling, cash & runway management through milestones and growth, change management, right-sizing, SEC Reporting, white papers, audit preparation & closure, employee communication, morale and development.

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Industries have included technology, medical device, capital equipment, SaaS, game development, digital content delivery, energy management software, clinical trial software. Clients pre-revenue through $B. Traditional through completely virtual companies.

As a consultant Ms. Snowdale has a unique blend of experience she brings to the varied and challenging opportunities of her clients. Prior to focusing on her consulting career, Debra held positions with public, multinational and venture-backed companies in the roles of CFO and VP Controller.

As CFO of the public “restart” Vermillion Inc, formerly Ciphergen Biosystems Inc, Debra facilitated raising a $20m PIPE while rebuilding a vacant Finance Department, implementing SOX and outsourcing IT support. At ViOptix Inc, a Venture-Backed medical device startup, as CFO Debra implemented the Companies procedures supporting first sales in the US, through Canada and in China, prepared budgets, forecasts, cash management. She also managed the marketing, clinical and sales support personnel, driving results towards the CEO’s vision. Debra was instrumental in raising both venture capital and a venture loan.

Ms. Snowdale was hired by the new CFO of ADAC Labs, a public company, to turn around the Finance function, enabling the acquisition by Philips Electronics Inc where she was promoted to CFO of the Nuclear Medicine Business and retained to lead the integration.

Debra has also held positions with Applied Materials, Somnus Medical Technologies, Silicon Valley Group and Ernst & Young LLP. She is a member of Financial Executives International (FEI), Association of Bioscience Financial Officers (ABFO) and an Ernst & Young Alumni. Debra is a graduate of Manukau Technical Institute, NZ. She received her Chartered Accountancy (CA) in New Zealand before moving to the US in 1993.

ExclusiveCFO helps businesses like yours achieve success.

Experience you need – when you need it.

We’ve provided Silicon Valley-based finance support for over 10 years.

Since its inception in 2008, ExclusiveCFO has been supporting entrepreneurs through middle market businesses achieve their near and long-term business goals.

All of our team members come from diverse cultural and industry backgrounds and have an extensive blend of experience to offer our clients.

Our Specialty is Private Companies:

Formation to Series A

  • Founder Advisory, Finance for Non-Finance Management; Business Plan; Strategic Financial Plan; Fundraising Convertible Notes & Priced Rounds, Traditional or Digital (ICO); Contracts & NDAs; Cash Runway Management; Investor, Banking & Other Relationships; Hiring; Bookkeeping; Payroll; AP; AR; KPIs & Cash Forecasting; Cap Tables & Dilution Analysis, Grants Management; Insurance

Series B to Exit

  • Updating Strategic Financial Plan; Operating Budgets & Frequent Forecasts; Fundraising Equity & Debt, Traditional or Digital Offerings; Cash Investments Strategy & Management; Live Dashboard Metrics; Accounting; Revenue Recognition; Investor & Other Financial Reporting; Board Meeting Preparation & Presentations; Building Space; Hiring, Performance Management, Terminations, Incentive Plans; Audit; Valuations; Cap Tables; Acquisition Due Diligence; M&A Process Management

Breadth of Experience:

  • Client Business Models Have Included – SaaS, E-Commerce, Software Platforms (C2C, B2C, B2B), Mobile App, Wearables, Manufacturing, Services, Distribution, Accelerator
  • Client Industries Have Included –Technology, Online Market Places, Media, Education, MedTech, Medical Device, Color Cosmetics, Fashion, Startup Incubation, Capital Equipment, Semiconductor, Telecommunications, Energy/Clean Tech, Gaming, Event Production, Big Data
  • Client Locations Have Included – San Francisco Bay Area (30) and Los Angeles CA(5). Across the States – Chicago IL (2), Boston MA (2), Miami FL (1). Various Countries – Mexico (2), Canada (2), Germany (3), The Netherlands(2), Switzerland(1), Poland(2). Investors world wide

Achievements for Clients

  • Managed M&A process, coordinating pitch document, prepare strategic plan, data room organization, creating reports required by potential acquirers, due diligence responses, valuation & dilution discussions ……for multiple clients, buy and sell, in full and partial, with and without Investment Bankers.
  • Analyzed rapid growth needs, raised Growth Capital Loans, managed Cash Conversion Cycle to minimize burn.
  • Right-sized global $80M private company for PE, implemented management information, reduced cash burn, supported breakout growth
  • Prepared Strategic Plans to present to VC/PE/Banks, supporting fundraising process private & public, equity & debt
  • Advised and facilitated separation of two companies and its employees, retaining the best talent for my client
  • Prepared and presented budget to Board including cash analysis/runway and proposed actions, executed actions
  • Upgraded Finance Processes using cloud-based technology – paperless!
  • Brought 5-year audit to conclusion with issued clean financial statements
  • Improved fiscal accountability & authority developing department level reports with explanations and forecast tools
  • Strengthened contracts and non-disclosures. Evaluated sites for facility move, lease renegotiation
  • Prepared purchasing and travel policies to move spending approval to beginning of process…not at check signing!
  • Sourced and managed Procurement Specialists for reliable manufacturable products, Contract Manufacturing & In-House
  • Handled HR matters of all natures at all levels
  • Upgraded IT provider, tax, legal, bank and other external resources to strategic partners
  • Prepared and filed Form 10-K within 50 days for large accelerated filer, performed technical accounting, wrote white papers
  • Provided Technical Accounting training to in-house Bookkeepers to prolong their tenure.
  • Negotiation of pricing and terms with customers, vendors, landlords, etc. Supported Sales, customer visits