Hi, I'm Mercedes Cruz

Strategic Financial Leader. Problem Solver. Partner to Growing Businesses.

I’ve spent 24 years helping business owners understand their finances well enough to make confident decisions. From small businesses just figuring things out to companies pulling in eight figures, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.

But here’s what really matters: I care about your success as much as you do.

MY STORY

How I Got Here

I didn’t start out planning to become a CFO. I started out trying to figure out how my brain worked.

I’m dyslexic. I also had a speech impediment as a kid. My mom is a teacher, so she made sure I learned, but I had to learn differently than everyone else. I couldn’t just read something once and have it click. I had to break it down, look at it from every angle, find my own way through.

That challenge became my greatest strength.

Now, when I look at a business’s finances, I don’t just see numbers. I see patterns, opportunities, and solutions that others miss. I approach every problem from multiple angles because that’s how I’m wired. Where other CFOs might apply the same strategy they use for every client, I find the approach that actually works for your specific situation.

I’ve been doing this work for 24 years. I was the CFO for the construction company that built Resort World Las Vegas, one of the biggest hotel projects in the United States over the last decade. We worked with over 4,000 subcontractors. I managed the finances for a massive, complex operation.

But here’s what I learned from that experience: size doesn’t matter as much as care does.

Whether you’re running a $1 million business or a $100 million business, you deserve someone who treats your company like it matters. Because it does.

WHAT I BELIEVE

What I Believe About Business and Finance

Intentional Over Transactional

I'd rather serve 15 clients exceptionally well than 50 clients halfway. I keep my client roster small on purpose so I can give each business the attention it deserves.

Clarity Over Complexity

Financial strategy shouldn't require a translator. I explain things in plain English (or Spanish, if that's easier for you) so you actually understand what's happening with your money.

Partnership Over Hierarchy

When you hire me, you're not getting someone who talks at you from a corporate ivory tower. You're getting someone who sits beside you and helps you figure it out.

MY APPROACH

How I Work With Clients

When I take on a new client, I don’t jump straight into spreadsheets and financial models. I start by understanding your business.
What do you do? Who do you serve? What keeps you up at night? What are you trying to build?

I’ll often spend 8 hours or more just getting to know your business before we even talk about an engagement. Sometimes I’ll realize we’re not the right fit, and I’ll walk away without charging you a penny. I’d rather find that out early than waste your time or mine.

But when we are the right fit, you get my full attention.

What Working With Me Looks Like:

I answer my own phone. One of my clients called me on a Sunday night at 9pm to leave a message, and I picked up. He asked why I answered, and I said, “Because you called me.” That’s the kind of relationship I have with my clients.

I treat your business like it’s my own. When I’m in meetings, reviewing your books, or building your strategy, I’m thinking about your company with the same care I’d give my own.

I’m available across time zones. I work with clients in Hawaii, New York, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico. I’m up by 5am most mornings, so time zones aren’t a problem.

I speak your language. Literally. I’m fully bilingual in English and Spanish, so if you’re more comfortable discussing your finances in Spanish, we can do that.

MY CREDENTIALS