“We made €100K this quarter — but I only paid myself €1.5K.”

That’s what one Shopify founder said to me last month.

And it wasn’t a one-off.

In fact, it’s one of the most common frustrations I hear from 6–7 figure Shopify sellers trading across the EU and UK.

👉 The revenue’s there.
👉 The sales are flowing.
👉 But somehow, there’s nothing left at the end of the month.

So where is the money actually going?

Let’s break it down.

The hidden cash drains Shopify sellers overlook

When a new client tells me they “made €100K but can’t afford to pay themselves,” I usually find 3 issues right away:

🚩 1. VAT isn’t being factored in properly

• OSS, IOSS, UK VAT — all with different timelines and rules
• Payouts are shown gross, but your VAT liabilities are lurking underneath
• Result? Cash gets “used” before it’s even yours

🚩 2. Gross margin per product is unclear

• Many sellers track total margin, but don’t split it by product, channel, or return rate
• A best-seller might be a loss-leader once ads and refunds are considered
• Without clarity, you can’t prioritise what’s actually profitable

🚩 3. Pay is an afterthought

• “Whatever’s left” becomes the default salary
• No structured plan, no regular draw, no confidence
• It’s exhausting — and often leads to burnout or tax panic

🧠 This isn’t a bookkeeping issue — it’s a strategy gap.

What a Fractional CFO does differently

When we step in as a CFO partner, we flip the process on its head:

✅ Start with your desired monthly draw
✅ Allocate VAT and tax reserves before it’s too late
✅ Build product-level margin visibility in Xero
✅ Create real cash flow forecasts that include stock, ads, team, and pay
✅ Separate “growth capital” from “pay-yourself” funds

One client who was paying herself €1.5K/month now takes home €3K consistently — and still has enough left for restock and tax.

Profit doesn’t just happen. It’s designed.

Before any launch or promotion, I sit down with my clients and look at 3 key numbers:

1. Gross margin by product
   Are you actually making money on what you’re about to promote? A 20% discount can kill an already thin margin.

2. Ads-to-margin ratio
   If you’re spending €1.5K to make €4K… but your margin is 30%? You’re barely breaking even after fees.

3. Cash position + restock runway
   Do you have enough in the bank to restock if it sells out? Or will the “win” create another crisis?

💡 It’s not about slowing you down. It’s about making sure the decisions you make today… won’t hurt you next month.

CFOs support the decisions that shape your future

Last week I ran a poll asking Shopify sellers:

“Where do you wish you had better financial support?”

The top answers?

• Product pricing
• Hiring decisions
• Pay strategy
• Funding or loans

The takeaway?
You’re not short on ideas. You’re short on strategic backup.

And that’s where a CFO comes in — not to replace your gut, but to help you back it up with numbers and a plan.

From overwhelmed to expansion-ready: A real story

When I first met Tom*, his store was flying:

• €82K/month in revenue
• 5 product lines
• Sales across UK + EU
• About to lease a warehouse + hire two new team members

But he admitted:

💬 “I don’t know if I can actually afford this growth.”

His Xero looked tidy — but under the hood?

• No visibility on margin by SKU
• Double-paid UK VAT due to sync issues
• Ad spend was increasing, but ROI was unclear
• Salary was a stab in the dark every month

We helped him:

✅ Rebuild cash flow forecasts with real hiring + warehouse costs
✅ Set up ad spend + margin dashboards
✅ Fix VAT setup and structure reclaim pots
✅ Plan director’s pay as a financial decision — not a guess

His words last week?

💬 “I finally feel like I’m driving the business — not reacting to it.”

Accountants report results. CFOs shape them.

You’ve probably had this experience:

Your accountant sends over your Q3 results.

✔️ Revenue
✔️ VAT filed
✔️ Tax return submitted

But you already lived Q3.
It’s too late to change anything.

A CFO doesn’t wait for the results.

We help you build better ones — in real time.

✅ Flag margin dips before they hurt
✅ Forecast ad spend and restocks in advance
✅ Model scenarios for hiring, pricing, or funding
✅ Help you pay yourself with clarity and confidence

What this is really about

It’s not just about numbers.

It’s about…

❤️ Peace of mind
💸 Permission to finally take a proper salary
📈 Profit that actually shows up in your bank account
🧭 Support when you’re about to make big decisions

That’s what we do.

We don’t just fix spreadsheets.
We give founders the clarity and confidence to build businesses that actually work.

Ready for your Check-Up?

If any part of this post made you think,
“That’s me”…

Let’s talk.

💬 Book a free 20-minute Shopify Finance Check-Up Call.
We’ll look at your setup, what’s working, what’s not — and what quick wins could move the needle.

👉 [Book Your Free Call Now]