How to structure client meetings that deliver real value (in under an hour)

In today’s climate of uncertainty, financial professionals are doing far more than presenting last month’s numbers. They’re helping clients make real-time decisions about hiring, pricing, investment, and survival. And more than anything, they’re helping clients regain a sense of confidence in where their business is headed.

That means client meetings can’t be a routine walkthrough of the past. They need to be strategic, emotionally intelligent conversations that shape the future.

So how do top advisors like Erica Goode structure meetings that are clear, focused, and genuinely helpful, without becoming overwhelming or repetitive? Here’s her simple but powerful structure, shared in our recent Ask an Expert live session.

Meet Erica Goode

Erica is the founder of Erica Goode, CPA, PLLC and is known as The 15-Hour Accountant, a Fractional CFO for consultants and agency owners. She specialises in helping small business owners with cash flow planning, QuickBooks, and keeping more of their business's money for themselves.

She also hosts the Consultants + Money podcast, where she shares free financial advice every other Tuesday.

Erica's approach is relational, scalable, and built on real-world conversations, not generic frameworks.

1. Start with the client’s agenda, not yours
   
   Every meeting begins with one key question: “What’s on your mind?”
   
   “Odds are your client is already thinking about something. I want to make sure they feel heard… that we answer the one question they brought into the meeting.”
   
   This might sound small, but it sets the tone for a collaborative conversation. It also immediately surfaces the decision, fear, or frustration they might not have voiced in an email or monthly report review.
   
   By beginning here, Erica positions herself not just as a data interpreter, but as a trusted advisor.
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2. Review key numbers (briefly and with intention)
   
   Next, Erica reviews the monthly report. But this isn’t a page-by-page walkthrough. It’s a highlight reel.
   
   “I’m not reading the report line by line. I’m skimming for patterns or red flags, then highlighting what matters.”
   
   Clients receive the report in advance. Some dig into it; others don’t. Either way, Erica has structured her Fathom reports to allow for fast scanning and focused conversations.
   
   Instead of overwhelming clients with numbers, she surfaces the two or three key data points that lead into strategic questions: Where did we overspend? Is revenue dropping? What changed and why?
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3. Forecast live, together
   
   This is where the real advisory work happens.
   
   Erica opens Fathom’s forecasting module and walks clients through live changes, what-if scenarios, upcoming shifts, and planned decisions.
   
   “My clients aren’t sitting on massive reserves. They need to know if they can afford to pay themselves next month.”
   
   She plugs in assumptions the client knows (a new hire, a price increase, a potential client loss) and models the impact on cash flow and runway. This isn’t a theoretical exercise, it’s real-time business planning.
   
   By doing this live in Fathom, she removes guesswork, builds trust, and keeps clients engaged in the numbers that matter most.
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4. Tie it back to their goals
   
   Forecasting isn’t just about mechanics, it’s about clarity. That’s why Erica always anchors decisions back to the client’s personal and professional goals.
   
   Her clients care about being able to pay themselves. About hiring without running out of cash. About keeping their business viable so they can keep doing what they love.
   
   “They’re not huge $10M companies. They’re business owners who want to pay themselves consistently and not run out of cash. That’s what I help them protect.”
   
   This reaffirms the value of the meeting, and of your role as an advisor.
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5. Confirm actions and follow-up
   
   To close the loop, Erica recaps the meeting with a quick email: what she’ll update, what the client needs to act on, and what they’ll revisit next time.
   
   This helps maintain momentum and ensures decisions made during the meeting translate into action afterward.

Bonus tip: A scalable rhythm ‍

Erica meets with top-tier clients monthly, using a consistent format each time. Meetings are 45 minutes long, lean, and repeatable.

“I don’t have a big team. I run a lean, profitable firm working part-time. This structure lets me scale advisory without burning out.”

Her three-tier service model (monthly, quarterly, and reporting-only) allows clients to move up or down depending on their needs, while maintaining a high standard of value.

Want to see Erica’s full process in action?

• Read Erica’s Q&A recap blog
• Watch the full Ask an Expert webinar
• Check out Erica’s Report library  

Confidently shape clearer conversations with your clients. Try Fathom for free.