ClearlyKept is a Charlotte, NC-based managed accounting and fractional CFO firm founded on the belief that small and mid-sized businesses deserve the same quality of financial partnership that Fortune 500 companies receive from their in-house finance teams.
Ashley Love spent 15 years working in accounting and finance at Big Four firms, inside fast-growing franchise brands, alongside venture capitalists, and eventually as a CFO and CEO herself. She understood the financial systems, the strategic decisions, and the pressure that comes with operating a business at the highest level.
But alongside that success, she kept running into the same gap.
Small and mid-sized businesses were doing the real economic work, creating jobs, building communities, and carrying risk every day. But too many were stuck with one of two options: a solo bookkeeper who could record transactions but couldn't help them plan, or a large accounting firm that treated them like a small fish in a very large pond. Neither was the answer.
In November 2025, she founded ClearlyKept.
"Clearly" reflects what we stand for: clear numbers, clear decisions, and a clear path forward. "Kept" reflects how we work. This isn't a transactional relationship. Partnerships are kept.
Today, ClearlyKept serves growing businesses across the United States, with deep expertise in franchising, professional services, retail and consumer brands, and software and technology. We combine managed accounting services and fractional CFO guidance under one roof, so every client gets both precision and perspective.
To bring order, insight, and momentum to your financial operations.
When your finances are clear, when you understand your numbers and trust your reports, everything else gets easier to decide.
Clean books and reliable reporting mean you make choices with a clear picture of what's ahead, not uncertainty.
When your financial partner is proactive, you spend less time chasing answers and more time running your business.
Financial clarity is a launchpad. It lets you move faster, act bolder, and build with conviction.
We took our cue from the best service experiences in the world, the kind where you feel genuinely taken care of, where you're anticipated rather than reacted to. We apply that ethos to accounting. You shouldn't have to chase your financial partner for answers. You should hear from us first.
We speak plainly. No jargon, no vague answers, no hiding behind complexity. When your numbers look great, we'll tell you why. When they don't, we'll tell you that too, and we'll bring a plan. You deserve honesty from your financial partner, especially when it's hard to hear.
The word "Kept" in our name is a promise. We don't treat clients like transactions. We invest in understanding your business, your goals, and the people behind them. We show up as a consistent, trusted presence, not a vendor you hear from at year-end.
Behind every P&L, every balance sheet, and every cash flow forecast is a person who built something and is working hard to protect it and grow it. We never lose sight of that. Our work is technical, but it is ultimately in service of the humans behind the numbers.
Experienced operators, strategic advisors, and people who genuinely care about the businesses they serve.
After 15 years leading finance for franchise brands, M&A deals, and high-growth companies, Ashley built ClearlyKept to give growing businesses access to CFO-level financial clarity. The kind of partnership that used to require a full-time hire.
Garrett spent years at Gartner as a research director analyzing why finance technology fails to deliver results. He joined ClearlyKept to put that research into practice, connecting data-backed analysis to hands-on financial strategy so the numbers actually inform how the business moves.
Every business owner deserves to understand their own finances. We eliminate jargon, simplify complexity, and communicate in plain language, because a financial report you don't understand is just noise.
We don't operate like a service provider. We operate like a member of your team. We show up proactively, invest in understanding your business deeply, and measure our success by your progress, not by the hours we bill.
There is no shortcut to accurate financials. The detail matters. The reconciliation matters. The number that looks small in isolation can be the signal that changes a major decision. We take that responsibility seriously.
Financial clarity is not an end state. It is a launchpad. When your books are clean, your forecasts are sound, and your strategy is aligned, you stop hesitating on decisions you should already be making. That's the outcome we're working toward.
ClearlyKept serves growing businesses in franchising, professional services, retail, and technology. If you want a financial partner who shows up before you ask, plans with you rather than for you, and takes your business as seriously as you do, let's talk.
