10 Year Anniversary!

Dear friends, colleagues and clients,

I feel incredibly fortunate that I am able to write this letter today.  Ten years ago, I took what I call a “left turn” in my career.  I gave up a secure corporate job to follow my dream of building a company of my own. My entrepreneurial spirit – which had been burning as a slow flicker for quite some time – turned into a flame.

I started CFO Alliance with my husband’s laptop, a ton of aspiration and a heart full of nervous hope.  At the time,   I had a toddler and a newborn. It was exhilarating.  It was scary.  And many days it felt totally crazy.

Remarkably, my vision began to take shape! But by no means was it easy or quick.  The first three years were slow and scrappy.   Really slow and REALLY scrappy.   We were on the brink of the Great Recession so timing wasn’t the best. Yet while financial growth in those years was a struggle, building a valuable, solid network of business relationships proved to be easy.  In our great city of Tampa, it seemed everyone was eager to give their support. Something that continues to hold true today.  Over the past 10 years, there has been a community of connectors, supporters, mentors and believers (many of you!) who have been part of our heartbeat and contributed to our success greatly.

Today, we’re an integral component of Tampa’s thriving entrepreneurial and financial ecosystem.  Our city is in the midst of a monumental shift forward, and I’m grateful we are a part of it.

With a single connection in 2011, growth really began to take off. Today, we’ve been honored to serve 175 clients. We’ve led more than $440 million in M&A deals. We’ve been recognized by Inc.5000 as one of the country’s fastest-growing companies and earned the #11 spot in the inaugural Seminole 100.  Moreover, our team is being called on to share their unique talents beyond Tampa’s borders, currently serving clients in six states.  And while Tampa will always be home and the community that made us, we’re poised for our own monumental shift forward, with national expansion of our practice.

All of this success has been possible because of you. And for that, I want to say thank you…for your partnership, your friendship, for your business and for every referral or connection you’ve made for us. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and for your trust.

The last 10 years have been quite a transformative journey! It’s taught us many lessons, shaped our core values and helped us clearly define our company’s mission: helping people prosper. While prosperity comes in many forms, for me, it’s having the freedom to do what I love, every day: helping companies and people reach their full potential. So I thank you again, for this wonderful gift you have given me and the CFO Alliance team.

To our future!

Brooke Evans
Founder and CEO
CFO Alliance, Inc.