Let’s be blunt: high-growth companies don’t just “figure out” their financials. They need structure, controls, forecasts, and someone who can translate investor excitement into actual, scalable business. And that someone? Often a tax pro, an accounting firm, or a virtual CFO who knows how to step into chaos and bring order.

The trick is — how do you find these companies at the exact moment they need you most?

That’s what this guide is about: the databases, signals, and playbook you can use to identify, approach, and land high-growth businesses before your competitors even see them coming.

Where the Data Lives: Databases That Track High-Growth Signals

When companies take on new funding — seed, Series A, Series B, all the way through to late-stage — it’s like a flare in the night sky. It screams: we’re growing, we’re hiring, we need help.

Here are the best places to spot those flares:

• Crunchbase – The gold standard for startup intel. You can track companies by funding round, location, or industry. Perfect for creating prospecting lists.
  
  
• PitchBook – Ideal if you want deeper insights into venture-backed companies. More expensive, but the data on private equity and VC deals is rich.
  
  
• CB Insights – Known for tracking private markets, fast-growing sectors, and disruptive startups.
  
  
• AngelList – Great for spotting early-stage companies looking for advisors and consultants.
  
  
• VC newsletters & databases – Many venture firms publish “who we just funded” updates. Subscribe to them — it’s like a free early-warning system.
  
  
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator – Not a database per se, but excellent for finding decision-makers once you know which companies raised funding.
  

Pro tip: Set alerts on Crunchbase or PitchBook for “new funding rounds” in industries you specialize in. You’ll get notifications every time a deal closes.

What These Companies Need (And Why You’re the Answer)

A freshly funded company has money, momentum, and pressure. Investors expect forecasts, dashboards, and discipline. Founders, meanwhile, are sprinting ahead on product and sales, leaving the financial side dangerously under-supported.

That’s where you come in. These firms need:

• Budgeting & forecasting
  
  
• Risk controls
  
  
• Investor reporting / decks
  
  
• Cash flow management
  
  
• Tax strategy
  
  
• Accounting systems setup & scaling
  

In other words: exactly what virtual CFOs and accounting firms can deliver.

How to Approach Them: A Playbook

Finding the companies is step one. Step two is building trust before they even realize they need you. Here’s a step-by-step outreach playbook:

1. Identify targets. Use Crunchbase/PitchBook to build lists of companies that raised Seed, Series A, or B rounds in the last 30–90 days.
   
   
2. Map decision-makers. Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find CFOs (if they have one), CEOs, COOs, or Heads of Finance.
   
   
3. Engage socially. Don’t cold pitch yet. Comment on their updates, share their funding news, add thoughtful insights. Show up in their feed.
   
   
4. Deliver thought leadership. Create niche content — blog posts, guides, or even a “Virtual CFO for Startups” webinar. Send this as your intro instead of a sales pitch.
   
   
5. Send warm emails. Reference their funding round (“Congrats on your Series A!”), and position yourself as a specialist in helping VC-backed companies scale.
   
   
6. Use story-driven case studies. Instead of saying “we do accounting,” tell the story of how you helped another high-growth firm turn chaos into predictable growth.
   
   
7. Follow up with value. Send a one-page “Startup CFO Checklist” or “3 Metrics Every VC Asks About.” Make your follow-up irresistible.
   

Outreach in Action: Samples You Can Use

To make this real, here are outreach templates you can adapt immediately.

Sample Outreach Email (for Recently Funded Companies)

Subject: Congrats on your Series A — here’s how we help founders scale faster

Hi [First Name],

Congratulations on your recent funding round — exciting times ahead for [Company Name].

I work with venture-backed companies during these exact transitions, helping founders put financial systems in place that investors trust: forecasting, budgeting, cash flow controls, and reporting. The goal is to give leadership confidence while freeing the team to focus on growth.

I’d love to share a quick framework we’ve used to help other Series A–B companies avoid common financial pitfalls. Would you be open to a short call next week?

Best,

[Your Name]

Sample LinkedIn Connection Request

Hi [First Name],

Congrats on [Company Name]’s recent funding announcement! I specialize in helping venture-backed companies set up financial systems that scale with their growth. Would love to connect.

Best,

[Your Name]

Sample LinkedIn Follow-Up Message

Thanks for connecting, [First Name].

Many of the Series A founders I work with are focused on growth but want to ensure their reporting and investor decks are bulletproof. If you’d like, I can share a one-page “Startup CFO Checklist” that breaks down the key systems to set up right after funding.

By combining email + LinkedIn outreach, you’re positioning yourself as the trusted guide right when these companies need you most.

Example Lead Magnet: “The Startup CFO Checklist”

One of the easiest ways to capture founders’ attention is by offering a practical checklist they can use right after funding. It proves you understand their world and gives them a reason to engage with you.

Title: The Startup CFO Checklist (Post-Funding Edition)

What’s Inside:

• 5 systems every investor expects after a funding round
  
  
• The three financial reports that keep VCs confident
  
  
• How to structure cash flow to extend your runway
  
  
• What to include in an investor deck (financial perspective)
  
  
• The biggest mistakes founders make after Series A
  

Make this available as a download on your site or LinkedIn. When a founder grabs it, you’re instantly positioned as the advisor who can help them scale smart.

Positioning Yourself: Become the Go-To Firm for High-Growth Companies

Don’t try to be everything to everyone. High-growth companies want specialists. They want to know you “get” their world.

Ways to position yourself:

• Niche branding. Update your website and LinkedIn headline: We help VC-backed companies scale without financial chaos.
  
  
• Content focus. Publish content on topics like “5 Metrics Every Investor Wants to See” or “How to Stretch Series A Funding.”
  
  
• Client stories. Share anonymized stories of growth-stage companies you’ve helped. Make the pain points relatable.
  

This creates a “gravity effect” — when they go looking for financial help, they’re already thinking of you.

Read: Why Your Firm Isn’t Building Trust Anymore

Pulling It All Together

The easiest way to find high-growth companies isn’t guesswork — it’s a system:

• Use databases (Crunchbase, PitchBook, CB Insights) to spot the signals.
  
  
• Layer in LinkedIn research to find the right humans.
  
  
• Build trust with thought leadership content that speaks directly to their pain.
  
  
• Outreach with personalized, story-driven messages.
  
  
• Position yourself as the virtual CFO/accountant for growing companies.
  

High-growth companies don’t just need accountants. They need partners who understand the pressure of scaling. If you step in early, you’re not just winning clients — you’re embedding yourself as the financial backbone of their future.

CTA

👉 Want to position your firm as the go-to for high-growth clients? CountingWorks PRO helps accountants and virtual CFOs build the systems, content, and outreach playbooks that make landing these clients predictable.

Start here.