Our story

Why and how a fractional finance director needed to build a smarter way to deliver financial clarity and transformed FDPack into a powerful web application.

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How a fractional finance director built a smarter way to deliver financial clarity

Spencer Smith didn’t set out to build a product. He set out to solve a real problem. 

As a finance director presenting at board meetings chaired by a FTSE leader, he was expected to deliver best-in-class reporting every single month. But the tools were clunky, the data was inconsistent, and the focus was always on the past. The process wasn’t just inefficient – it wasn’t fit for purpose. What businesses really needed was clarity about the future and Spencer knew there needed to be a better way.

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The first FDPack: built out of necessity, refined through experience

The first iteration was a smarter spreadsheet; one that linked real-time actuals with live forecasts and brought everything together into a clear, decision-ready format. It wasn’t flashy. It was functional and what’s more, it worked.

So, when Spencer left the business he’d helped build, it was because he was ready to take the concept further — to shape it into something bigger and more accessible. Sketching out a rough plan for a new kind of financial support on a scrap of paper, he set out to bring his tools and methods — the software and service behind the idea — to the SMEs who’d otherwise never access this level of financial clarity.

Within the week, he had three clients for his software and a service model. It wasn’t just a clever spreadsheet anymore. It was the beginning of something bigger and FDPack was officially born.

Software and a Service: a smarter financial function for businesses

Over the years, Spencer has transformed the original FDPack spreadsheet into a powerful web application; one that integrates with accounting systems, enables real-time forecasting, and gives clients access to live financial insight right down to the last transaction.

There are no delays. No friction. Just decision-ready data, where and when it’s needed.

But FDPack wasn’t just about better numbers. It was built to give business owners something more valuable: a sense of control. A way to lead with clarity, not guesswork. A financial function that doesn’t weigh them down but lifts them up, gives them confidence, and helps them enjoy running their business again.

Because that’s what Spencer set out to create: a simpler, smarter way for business owners to feel in control of their future and the decisions they make.

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I created FDPack 15 years ago as one of the UK’s first virtual FD services, with a clear purpose: to give business owners the financial clarity they need to make confident decisions – delivered simply, accurately, and efficiently. The philosophy behind it was inspired by a principle from Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars: “Simplify, then add lightness.” It’s a mindset l’ve applied to finance – stripping away what’s unnecessary and focusing only on what really matters.

Too many businesses are burdened by complex, costly finance functions that fail to deliver real value. Our approach is different: we reduce cost, cut through complexity, and provide forward-looking insight that helps you run your business better.

Spencer Smith

Clarity over complexity: The FDPack ethos

FDPack was built on a simple belief: financial reporting should empower, not overwhelm. Too often, Spencer encountered board packs with unreliable data, reports misaligned by hundreds of thousands of pounds, and business owners making high-stakes decisions based on guesswork. It was a familiar pattern: overcomplicated systems, unclear forecasting, and no single version of the truth. And often, they didn’t even realise it.

That’s why FDPack exists. Rooted in the ethos of “simplify, then add clarity,” everything we do is about stripping away the noise and giving business owners the insight they need, when they need it, and to make confident decisions.

This isn’t just about cleaner reports or smarter forecasts. It’s about creating a shift in mindset. We help leaders move from reactive to proactive. From hindsight to foresight. From outdated financial admin to a forward-looking virtual CFO service that’s designed for how modern businesses actually work.

A future built on forward-focused decisions

The goal now is to help more businesses experience what a great fractional finance director can offer, powered by a product that helps you forecast properly. Spencer continues to lead FDPack’s evolution, not just as a service provider, but as a thinker, innovator, and mentor to clients who want to understand where they are, where they’re going and more importantly, what to do next.

FDPack gives business owners the clarity to make smart, forward-looking decisions – without the cost or complexity of a full-time finance team. One fixed fee with expert support and forecasting software that updates monthly and helps you plan ahead, stay in control, and save money long term.

Spencer Smith

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What FDPack means to the businesses we serve

At the core of FDPack is a simple motivation: to create something of lasting value. This isn’t about flashy dashboards or writing bloated board packs that state facts that are readily available from the core reports. It’s about building something that becomes essential to how a business runs. The goal has always been to deliver clarity, not complexity; confidence, not confusion.

More importantly, our aim is to give business owners the reassurance that their numbers are not just accurate, but useful. We’ve supported clients through exits, expansions, funding rounds and restructures.  From early-stage teams to multi-million-pound operations, FDPack has become a critical part of how our clients lead their businesses. 

They don’t just get insights. They get foresight. And they don’t waste time translating numbers; they use them to move faster, smarter, and with more confidence.

Where we’re headed next on our journey to financial clarity

We want every SME to have access to clear, forward- looking financial insight; the kind of financial data that helps them plan ahead, make better decisions, and stay in control. That’s it. No jargon, no big teams. Just the right information at the right time, delivered simply, with the added benefit of saving time, money, and stress — not just now, but over the long term.

This is a journey toward clarity, confidence, and control. And we’d love you to be part of it.

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We’re the only UK provider offering both fractional FD expertise and proprietary forecasting software in one clear, cost-effective solution for growing SME’s.

Spencer Smith

We integrate with

FDPack connects with several major accounting platforms and we can build connections to other platforms if required. We synchronise your actual accounting data to update the financial statements displayed by FDPack, ensuring your forecasts and reports are always up to date.