I help business owners and VC-backed founders prepare for and execute M&A deals from zero to closure.

We're Singapore's fastest-growing CFO advisory firm, featured by Business Times, CNA938, MoneyFM, TechInAsia, and Straits Times.

Here's what makes us different: 

We don't just build your finance function - we take M&A deals from zero to closure. Whether you need a CFO function that attracts investors, or you're ready to execute a transaction, we handle both sides of growth and exit.

I believe every business owner deserves both financial clarity and deal execution expertise when opportunity strikes. Too many great companies either miss deals because their finances aren't ready, or can't execute when the right buyer appears.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY:

"Paloe has been an invaluable partner in Dreamcloud's journey to acquisition. Sam Lee and his team clearly have the right ethos, and they were a real asset to have on the team." - Daniel Lim, CEO, Dreamcloud (acquired by Temasek/UST JV)

"They were there when we need to rush out documents and were always willing to go the extra mile to support us. His experience in the fundraising process helps to position the company towards a successful fundraising exercise." - Zhi Zhong, CEO, Geniebook (Series A led by EV Growth and Lightspeed)

"Sam has deep experience in digital business models that helped Express Melody pin-point our key growth drivers." - Jerry Chen, CEO, Express In Music (acquired by Tokyo-listed USEN)

Ready to explore your exit strategy? Book my M&A primer session - learn how to optimize your valuation, navigate the deal process, and understand what money actually hits your pocket after liabilities and post-deal obligations.

Sam Lee

Paloe | CFO Advisory has been ranked #55 on Singapore’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2026 list by The Straits Times  and Statista.

We're grateful. And honestly, a little humbled.

If you’ve been following our journey, you’ll know the last 3 years weren’t about chasing growth at all costs.

We were busy doing the “unsexy” work:
Building strong delivery standards
Training our team properly
Tightening our internal processes
Getting sharper on what we say yes to, and what we say no to

Because in CFO work, fundamentals matter.

If your foundation is shaky, scaling just makes the cracks louder.

The image that keeps coming to mind is bamboo. For a long time, bamboo looks like it’s doing nothing. But underground, the roots are growing deep. Then one day, it shoots up fast. That’s how this phase feels for us.

Deep roots first. Then responsible scaling.

To our clients, partners, and the team that has poured their heart into the craft, thank you for trusting us.

Onwards, with calm confidence, and good governance.

#Paloe #CFOAdvisory #SingaporeBusiness #FinanceLeadership #ScalingUp

Sam Lee Chengyi

CEO, Paloe CFO Advisory | I help businesses become transaction-ready | M&A, VC, IPO preparation | #55 Fastest Growing Company in Singapore by Straits Times and Statista

Paloe is one of the fastest-growing CFO advisory firms in Singapore and as our client base grows, we’re expanding our talent pool in Kuala Lumpur.

We’re hiring: Accountants and FP&A Analysts in KL :)

If you’re exploring your next step in finance, here’s what’s different about this seat:
Most roles expose you to one set of problems in one company.
At Paloe, you’ll work with multiple fast-growing companies as your clients which means you get sharper faster: reporting, forecasting, cash, investor decks, board-level thinking… the full muscle.

And culture matters to us. Ours is deeply ingrained:
Safe - you can ask, challenge, learn quickly
Ownership - you’re trusted to run with things
Fulfilling - your work clearly impacts real decisions

If you’re keen, DM me and we can chat.

If you know someone solid, tag them or forward this, I’d really appreciate it.

#Hiring #KualaLumpur #FinanceJobs #FPnA #Accountant #CFOAdvisory #CareerProgression #SingaporeStartups

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I came across a TikTok video about "turtle theory" that hit me hard.

Turtles don't rush. They don't care who's ahead of them. They just keep swimming, one stroke at a time. Through calm waters and chaos, they never change their pace or direction. And somehow, they always reach shore.

Because speed means nothing without the right direction.

A few years ago, I was tasked with transforming our firm from "growing at all costs" to scaling properly. We went through what I call the 3S phases: Soldiering On, Sustaining Growth, and now Scaling Up.

Did the shareholders (including myself) wish things moved faster? Absolutely.

But this video reminded me we've done well. We found our direction first. Now we're swimming one stroke at a time, confident we'll reach shore.

As we enter our 2030 growth plan, I'm quietly confident we'll get there.

To my team at Paloe | CFO Advisory - We will get there. One stroke at a time.

Family heart. Team standards.

This is one of the hardest culture tensions to hold as a founder.

We want a family culture.
One firm, one family.
But we also need a high-performing team.

Here’s the reframe that helped me reconcile it.

Family is about how we treat people.
Team is about what we expect from roles.

When someone walks through our door, we treat them like family.
With care, dignity, and respect.
That includes employees, interns, clients, partners, and even former employees.

But being “family” doesn’t automatically mean this is the best house for them.
And it doesn’t mean they stay on the team forever.

A sports team still needs performance.
You need to train.
Play your position.
And deliver the outcomes the team depends on.

If performance isn’t there, we may not be able to keep you on the field.

But removal from the team is not removal of care.

We can coach clearly.
Set fair standards.
Give support.
And if it still doesn’t work, we exit with kindness and help the transition.

Because the goal isn’t to win at all costs.
The goal is to win without losing our humanity.

If you’re building culture, try this simple line:
Be family in how you treat people.
Be a team in what you expect from roles.

If this resonated, you’re welcome to follow for practical CFO tips.

#leadership #companyculture #startupsg #founders #teamperformance #peopleops #internships

If you want a successful M&A, don’t chase valuation. Chase what you actually keep.

I’ve seen this happen often.

A founder thinks they’ve agreed on valuation. Everyone feels good. Then the deal progresses and suddenly the “take-home” keeps moving down.

Not because anyone lied outright.
Because M&A has levers. And if you’re not experienced, it can feel like a fast one.

Here are a few of the most common levers to watch.

Earn-out
The headline valuation looks attractive, but the targets are set so high they’re hard to reach. Your price becomes “maybe later”.

Cash-free, debt-free
Sounds clean. But “debt” can include debt-like items, not just bank loans. Leases, unpaid taxes, deferred payments. These can all reduce proceeds.

Minimum cash
The buyer may require a minimum cash balance left in the company at closing. So even if the business has cash, you may not be able to extract it.

Working capital adjustment
If receivables and payables aren’t at the agreed level at closing, the purchase price gets adjusted.

So the real question isn’t “What’s the valuation?”
It’s “How much goes into my pocket, and what obligations still follow me after I sell?”

If this helped, you’re welcome to follow. Every Monday, I share one practical tip to help founders set themselves up for a successful M&A.

Most people saying “VCs aren’t investing” aren’t lying.
They’re just describing a slice of the market.

I met someone yesterday who told me, “VCs have stopped investing already.”

But on the ground, I’m still seeing Series A cheques being written.

So what’s the disjoint?

Some funds really did pause
Yes, a number of funds are no longer deploying.
But that doesn’t mean the market is dry.
There are still funds with meaningful dry powder. They’re simply more selective.

The “nobody is investing” feeling is coming from portfolio pain
Many VCs are watching their existing portfolio struggle to raise the next round.
And when the previous round had very founder-friendly terms and pricing, the next round becomes harder to justify in today’s market.

Valuations eased, and the bar moved to quality plus governance
This is the biggest shift I’m seeing.
Less growth at all costs.
More show me clean numbers, repeatable unit economics, and proper governance.
Governance means how decisions are made and tracked.

Post Series B is where it’s really tight
Some SEA companies can be market leaders locally, but still struggle when competing for international capital and global benchmarks.

Three extra reasons people miss
Fund cycles: some partners are in reserve mode, not new deal mode
Sector bias: money flows into fewer themes, so the rest feels quiet
Headlines: a few big pauses can make the whole market sound frozen

Takeaway for founders raising Series A
Don’t ask “Are VCs investing?”
Ask “Which VCs are investing in my stage, my sector, and my cheque size, and am I ready for today’s bar?”

If this helped, you’re welcome to follow for practical Startup CFO tips.

#SeriesA #Fundraising #VentureCapital #Startups #CFO #SaaS

Buyers don’t really buy your revenue.
They buy what your revenue represents.

When a buyer looks at your topline, they’re quietly asking three questions.

Can this happen again next month
Repeatability. Steady pipeline, steady conversions, not a one-off spike.

Will customers actually stay
Durability. Renewals, contracts, churn, and whether one customer is too big.

Can I own this business without you
Transferability. Team, process, and a company that runs even when the founder steps back.

This is why two companies with the same revenue can get very different outcomes in M&A.

Revenue matters.
But the real premium comes from revenue that is repeatable, durable, and transferable.

If this helped, you’re welcome to follow. Every alternate Monday, I share one practical M&A tip to help you get ready.

Team Tuesday 2026 Episode 1

Some teams feel “high-touch” because of process.

Ours feels high-touch because of people.

One of the most common feedback we get from clients is:
“You guys really build real relationships.”

When we looked at our CliftonStrengths as a team, one pattern stood out.

More than two-thirds of our team has Relator as a key strength.

Relator, in simple terms, means:
We value deep, trusted relationships over lots of surface-level connections.

What does that look like in client work?

We don’t rush trust
We take time to understand how you make decisions, what pressures you, and what “good” looks like for you.

We follow through
Relators care about reliability. Not big promises, small promises, kept consistently.

We speak human
We translate finance and ops into plain language. Because a real relationship means you feel safe to ask: “Can you explain that again?”

The business impact is real:
When the relationship is strong, feedback comes faster, issues surface earlier, and decisions get cleaner.

And that’s how we move quickly without drama.

If this helped, you’re welcome to follow for practical CFO tips.

#CliftonStrengths #Relator #ClientExperience #Leadership #CFOtips

Critical Thinking Academy

Provide training and coaching to empower people with Critical Thinking for success.

Master Trainer (Critical Thinking)

One Belt One Road Southeast Asian NGOs Alliance (OBORSEANA)

OBORSEANA promotes trade, investment, education and tourism in the RCEP region. It has physical presence in 11 ASEAN and 5 FTA countries (China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand). It also has 300+ affiliates who have established strong relationship with the government and businesses in their respective country. Approach us if you are interested to scale in the RCEP region.

President - OBORSEANA (Singapore)

Trugem Capital Pte Ltd

Provide ideas, sourcing for investment opportunities, facilitate decision making and conduct regular review of investment portfolio using Critical Thinking processes.

Senior Partner

BRANDS FOR GOOD

"Brands for Good" award aims to recognise companies that does good in order to create a movement to build a more sustainable world for us and the future generation.

Vice Chairman

IES INCA

Entrepreneurship Mentor

BluC 53

Innovation Ecosystem Development and Management Services

Managing Partner

FEGO Biotech Pte Ltd

Develop and commercialize nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products in the area of autoimmune

Board Member

Hey there! I believe in win-win collaboration and have a passion for helping people think critically and expand their horizons. As a Master Trainer and Coach, I specialize in  Critical Thinking skills, which help people to open up their mind to new possibilities.

I'm also an investor who loves to ride trends and make smart investment decisions. My experience and knowledge have led me to be a judge on the BFG Panel, where I help shape the industry by making informed judgments.

When I'm not busy with training or investing, I enjoy speaking publicly and sharing my insights. One of my favorite topics is the four megatrends that are shaping our world:

1) Industry 4.0 & Digital Economy: I delve into how technology is transforming industries and creating new opportunities in the digital age.

2) Climate Change & Low-Carbon Based Economy: I discuss the urgent need to address climate change and explore the potential of a low-carbon economy.

3) Aging Population & Silver Economy: I explore the challenges and opportunities that come with an aging population, highlighting the potential of the silver economy.

4) Geo-politics & Dedollarized Economy: I shed light on the shifting geopolitical landscape and its impact on global economies, including the rise of dedollarization.

If you're interested in any of these megatrends or if you find yourself stuck in a situation, give me a call and let's grab a cup of coffee. I'd be more than happy to help you analyze the problem and offer fresh perspectives.

Beyond my professional pursuits, I believe in the power of practices like meditation, intermittent/prolonged fasting, natural healing through proper foods and exercises, and stoicism. They have had a profound impact on my life, expanding my worldview and bringing inner peace. I truly hope these practices can have the same positive effect on anyone who comes across my path.

In a nutshell, I'm here to inspire and support you. With my expertise in Critical Thinking, my knack for investment opportunities, and my passion for speaking about the four megatrends, I want to help you navigate life's challenges with clarity and purpose. So, let's embrace new horizons together! Cheers!

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