

Chapel Hill is in Orange County, North Carolina, one corner of the Research Triangle alongside Durham and Raleigh. The University of North Carolina and its health system dominate the local economy, feeding a steady flow of life science startups, research consultancies and healthcare practices. Franklin Street and nearby districts support restaurants, bars and retailers, while professional services, property managers and home service businesses serve faculty, students and a highly educated population.
Research spinouts and life science startups need grant accounting, investor reporting and disciplined runway management. Medical and professional practices focus on collections and profitability, while campus area merchants and landlords manage academic calendar swings. PSG maintains accurate monthly books, builds cash forecasts and offers fractional CFO support on fundraising, budgeting and growth for Chapel Hill founders and owners.
North Carolina has a flat state income tax, a corporate income tax, and a franchise tax, with sales tax rates varying by county. Growing employers register for state withholding and unemployment insurance as they hire.
General information only, not tax advice. Rules change, so confirm specifics with a tax professional.
Yes. We work with Chapel Hill companies through a dedicated team that is entirely US based, combining Big Four accounting experience with years of operating experience across industries. Your team closes the books on a regular schedule, works inside the accounting tools you already use and looks at your numbers the way an operator would, not just a bookkeeper.
Typically bank and card reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable, payroll support, North Carolina sales tax tracking and monthly financial statements you can act on. Growing companies can add fractional CFO support for forecasting, budgeting and cash planning.
Usually when decisions start to outgrow the books: raising capital or bank financing, opening a new location, making key hires, tightening margins or preparing for a future sale. A fractional CFO adds forecasting and strategic guidance without the cost of a full time executive.
We also work with businesses in Durham, Apex, Cary, Burlington and Raleigh.

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“If you want to sleep better at night, hire Phoenix Strategy Group.”

“PSG and David Metzler structured an extraordinary M&A deal during a very chaotic period in our business, and I couldn't be more pleased with our partnership.”

“PSG saved my dream. They helped us get our financials in order and renegotiate our lending agreements, pulling us through a tough financial crunch.”

“As our fractional CFO, they accomplished more in six months than our last two full-time CFOs combined. If you're looking for unparalleled financial strategy and integration, hiring PSG is one of the best decisions you can make.”

“Hire PSG if you want to make your life easier and have accurate data.”

“As a home service business owner, understanding complex financials and Unit Economics always seemed overwhelming—until we started working with Phoenix Strategy Group.”









240+
Portfolio Companies
$200m+
Raised over the Last 12 Months
100+
M&As Transacted
5+
IPOs

Hi! I'm Sam, a financial leader who's managed operations from startups to $40M enterprises.
I've led licensing deals with Disney, Marvel, and Viacom, while overseeing products across 35,000 retail stores. Through SHK Financial, I've helped 15+ high-growth companies succeed, including recovering $2M in receivables for a major client and rebuilding a $10M ARR company's accounting system in 6 months. Now, as Chief Accounting Officer at PSG, I oversee 50+ revenue streams and help launch many successful 8-figure businesses.
My journey started uniquely - while studying finance at Fresno State, I taught both chess and accounting to students, teaching me that success in finance, like in chess, is all about strategic thinking and seeing several moves ahead.