The Talent Drought: Why Northern Michigan Businesses Struggle to Hire Financial Help — and What to Do About It
Running a business in Northern Michigan comes with its unique perks — community pride, lifestyle balance, and a genuine sense of local connection. But for many small business owners, one persistent challenge quietly undermines their growth: hiring qualified financial talent.
Whether you’re in Traverse City, Cadillac, Petoskey, or Muskegon, chances are you’ve run into the same problem — finding someone who can manage your books, understand your cash flow, and help you scale wisely. And it’s not just you. It’s a regional trend.
📉 The Local Talent Shortage Is Real
Northern Michigan is home to incredible tradespeople, hospitality professionals, and entrepreneurs. But when it comes to financial roles like controllers, accountants, or CFOs, the talent pool is shallow and aging:
Limited supply: Many licensed CPAs and seasoned controllers have either retired, relocated, or chosen to work remotely for out-of-area firms.
Rising demand: With more businesses opening and expanding post-COVID, the need for strategic financial insight has exploded.
Big city competition: Qualified professionals often get poached by downstate firms or urban employers offering remote flexibility and higher pay.
The result? Hiring a full-time, experienced financial leader is nearly impossible for most small and medium-sized businesses in the region — especially at a cost that makes sense.
🧠 What Happens When You Try to “Figure It Out” Yourself?
We’ve heard it all:
“I just do the books on weekends.”
“My cousin set up QuickBooks for us.”
“We’re waiting until tax season to clean things up.”
But DIY finance can cost you more than you realize:
You’re not set up properly
Cash flow surprises
Unclear pricing and margin insight
No proactive forecasting
Constant reactivity instead of confident planning
🧭 You Don’t Need a Full-Time Hire — You Need a Wayfinder
At Wayfinder Partners, we built our firm for exactly this situation. We’ve been in your shoes, and our team includes CPAs, controllers, and CFOs who have helped dozens of businesses navigate the financial fog.
We’re based right here in Northern Michigan — and we combine local understanding with national-level financial experience.
We offer:
Bookkeeping that’s accurate, timely, and connected
Fractional controllers who organize and interpret your numbers
CFO services that bring clarity, confidence, and direction — without a full-time salary
🔦 Here’s What You Should Do Next:
If you’re frustrated trying to manage your books, forecast your growth, or explain your margins to your lender or investor — let’s talk.
You can book a free 15-minute Waypoint Session with us and see if we’re the right partner to help you scale with confidence.