About Black Dog Advisor
Financial leadership built on clarity, discipline, and trust.
Black Dog Advisor helps business owners understand the numbers, reduce uncertainty, and build stronger companies through disciplined financial execution and experienced strategic guidance.
Our People
Meet the team behind your financial clarity.
Experienced financial professionals working together to give business owners dependable reporting, thoughtful guidance, and the confidence to make better decisions.
Zak Sultan
Founder
Larry Calise
CFO
Bob Miles
CFO
Trish Idler
Senior Bookkeeper
Jenelle Meister
Senior Bookkeeper / Client Controller
Madeline Stout
Client Advisor
Zak Sultan
Founder, Black Dog Advisor
The Story
Built to solve a problem owners know well.
Strong businesses should not be held back by unclear financials, disconnected systems, or a lack of strategic support.
Black Dog Advisor was created after seeing the same challenge repeatedly: talented and hardworking business owners building successful companies without a dependable financial foundation beneath them.
The issue was rarely a lack of ambition or effort. Owners often lacked timely financial information, clear reporting, and an experienced partner who could help them understand what the numbers meant for the decisions ahead.
We built Black Dog Advisor to close that gap—combining financial execution, reporting, and CFO-level guidance into one connected finance function designed around the realities of a growing business.
About the Founder
Black Dog Advisor was founded by Zak Sultan, a financial strategist with extensive experience working alongside closely held and growth-stage businesses. After more than a decade in commercial banking and M&A, Zak launched Black Dog Advisor to give owners access to the financial discipline, strategic perspective, and trusted guidance typically found inside a sophisticated finance organization.
Core Values
The standards that guide how we work and lead.
Our values shape how we serve clients, support one another, solve problems, and protect the quality of every relationship and every piece of work.
How Can We Help?
Be a Problem Solver
We take ownership when something is unclear, inefficient, or holding the client back. We bring direction, practical solutions, and the right resources to move the situation forward.
We build trust by making difficult things easier.
Respect, Support, and Elevate
Invest in People
Strong companies are built by strong people. We share knowledge, support growth, give credit freely, and challenge one another with honesty, humility, and respect.
When people improve, the work and the company improve with them.
No Noise. No Drama.
Communicate Clearly
We communicate early, consistently, and with purpose. Information should be accurate, direct, and useful. When something is unclear, we ask rather than assume.
Clear communication prevents confusion and supports better decisions.
Quality Is Non-Negotiable
Protect the Standard
Every report, model, process, and recommendation reflects our name. We work with discipline, check the details, and never sacrifice quality simply to move faster.
Precision builds trust, and trust sustains relationships.
Understand Before You Act
Stay Curious
We ask thoughtful questions, listen carefully, and take the time to understand the business behind the issue before recommending a path forward.
Better understanding leads to better judgment.
Stability Creates Confidence
Be the Calm Voice
Clients rely on us when the path is uncertain. We bring measured thinking, structure, and steady communication so the next decision can be made with greater confidence.
Calm leadership creates clarity and keeps the business moving.
Start the Conversation
Looking for a financial partner who understands where you are going?
Start with a practical conversation about your business, your financial foundation, and the decisions ahead. We will listen, ask thoughtful questions, and give you an honest perspective on what comes next.
No obligation · Practical conversation · Honest perspective