A Conversation with Ryan Chenier, Founder & CEO of Mastery Fractional CFO Services
I recently sat down with our fractional CFO, Ryan, to talk about what sustainable growth really looks like, how to make confident long-term decisions, and why values- not just numbers, should guide the investments that matter most. At Pine Creek Homes, we spend a lot of time talking about quality, craftsmanship, and building things that last, but none of that happens without clear thinking behind the scenes. Financial decisions shape businesses, homes, and lives long before walls go up or keys are handed over. Ryan works with business owners at every stage of growth, often stepping in when decisions feel both high-stakes and deeply personal.
THE MAN BEHIND THE ROLE
Before we get into numbers and strategy, tell us a bit about your path. What drew you into the CFO role, and what kind of work motivates you today?
“I’ve always liked building things. I’ve always liked strategy and making things come together and work better. When I was a kid, I played a lot of sports, football for example, and even when I was very young, I would work on plays for the coach to try to win games.
As I got older and moved into the business world, that focus shifted toward how to make a living and support a family. I had early success as a salesperson and learned how important it is to understand what people need and relate to them.
Over time, I noticed accountants were becoming more central to how businesses operated. In the late 90s, most CEOs came from sales or operations backgrounds. Around the turn of the century, that changed. I took my MBA, focused on finance, and developed the ability to quickly see what’s working in a business, where there’s opportunity, and what needs to change.
I like fractional CFO work because I get to work with smaller companies, learn about the people behind them, and help them fulfill their goals. That’s very rewarding.”
WHAT LASTING BUSINESSES DO RIGHT
You’ve worked with businesses at many stages. What do the ones that last tend to get right early on?
“At the beginning, a business has to be strong operationally. You have to be good at what you do. That’s how you build something sustainable as an owner-operator.
To grow beyond that, you need business development—bringing in work, building a team, and supporting growth. As complexity increases, finance becomes essential. Operations comes first, business development second, and finance third.
In construction, once a business reaches roughly two to five million dollars in annual revenue, relying on only a bookkeeper and tax accountant creates problems—cash flow challenges, stress, and lack of clarity. That’s when outside financial expertise becomes critical.”
From a financial perspective, what signals that a company is building for the long term rather than short-term wins?
“Companies that build for the long term reinvest part of their profit back into the business. Instead of maximizing short-term margins by cutting everything, they invest in people, marketing, systems, and capacity.
The business has to be prepared to operate at the next level before it gets there. That often means reinvesting ahead of results.”
COST VS. INVESTMENT
When people are making major financial decisions, where do you most often see them go wrong?”
“People skip proper risk-reward analysis. They want decisions to be black and white, but finance rarely works that way.
A budget helps clarify risk, reward, and outcomes. Whether personal or business, it shows what’s coming in, what’s going out, and what’s left. When you understand the risks and rewards, you can move forward with confidence. When you guess, mistakes are more likely over time.”
How do you help clients clearly distinguish between a cost and a true investment?
“Some costs are fixed and required, like rent. Others are discretionary. If an expense isn’t required to operate and you’re choosing to spend money intentionally to generate a return, that’s an investment.”
GUIDANCE THAT MATTERS
For someone making one of the largest investments of their life, what financial blind spots should they watch for before committing?
“Think it through and do the basic math. Don’t just look at the upfront cost—consider taxes, utilities, maintenance, and how it fits into your income and lifestyle.
When the numbers are laid out, blind spots disappear. Financial planning introduces guardrails, shows risks clearly, and allows you to plan ahead. If it works financially, you can proceed with clarity and confidence.”
What does good financial guidance actually look like when decisions are both emotional and logical?
“There’s always logic and emotion, and both matter. Emotion often represents fear, and that’s not a bad thing.
Good guidance acknowledges emotion while providing structure. Emotion shouldn’t be ignored, but it also shouldn’t run the decision. Emotion should be used as a tool, not allowed to use you.
When my wife and I bought our first home, I didn’t want to buy. We looked at house after house, and every time the realtor asked what I thought, I said no. She kept asking why, and more importantly, she kept listening. Eventually, while standing in the basement of what became our first home, she said, “Ryan, you told me exactly what you wanted.. a house like this, in this neighborhood, with these features. This is your house. You just need to decide.”
She used my own logic to cut through the emotion that was holding me back. That’s what good guidance does. It listens carefully, respects what matters to you, and applies structure and clarity so the decision you make aligns with both your goals and your values.”
WHAT LASTS
When you look 10, 20 or 30 years out, whether in business or life… what principle should guide someone’s major financial decisions?
“Your core values. You have to know what matters to you as a human being, what you believe in, what gives you energy, and what you want for yourself and the people around you.
When you’re clear on your values, they become the filter for your decisions. You won’t always know exactly where you’re going or what the outcome will be, but if something aligns with what you believe in and what you’re working toward, it gives you confidence to move forward.
Values act like an internal compass. They keep you grounded when things feel uncertain and help you stay true to yourself over time. Even when the path isn’t perfectly clear, that compass helps guide you to where you need to, both in business and in life.”
Whether you’re growing a business, building a home, or planning for what comes next, the common thread is clarity. As Ryan reminds us, good decisions aren’t about chasing short-term wins or avoiding emotion—they’re about understanding risk, thinking things through, and staying anchored to what matters most. When financial guidance is paired with values, it becomes less about reacting and more about building intentionally. And in both work and personal life, that kind of clarity is what allows people to move forward with confidence—and build things that truly last.
If you have questions for Ryan, or you are interested in learning more about his work, you can check out his Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin, or Youtube Channel.
