

Santa Cruz sits on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, the seat of Santa Cruz County and home to the University of California, Santa Cruz. Its beaches, surf culture and seaside Boardwalk draw steady tourism, supporting hotels, restaurants and retail. Organic farms, food and beverage makers, outdoor and surf brands and a growing tech community tied to Silicon Valley shape the local economy, along with wellness practices and contractors across the county.
Santa Cruz tourism and hospitality businesses face summer peaks and demanding California payroll requirements. Food, beverage and surf brands need inventory costing and channel margin analysis, and tech ventures need investor ready reporting. PSG provides accurate monthly bookkeeping and fractional CFO support for seasonal cash planning, budgets and pricing so independent Santa Cruz businesses can grow sustainably.
California requires most LLCs and corporations to pay an annual minimum franchise tax, charges state sales and use tax through the CDTFA, and has strict payroll and wage rules. Several cities also impose their own business or gross receipts taxes.
General information only, not tax advice. Rules change, so confirm specifics with a tax professional.
Yes. We work with Santa Cruz 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, California 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 Watsonville, Campbell, Morgan Hill, Cupertino and Gilroy.

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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.