CIM or financial package: which one you need first
The two documents do different jobs. Knowing which one your deal needs first saves money and time.
A CIM tells the story. A financial package proves it. Buyers read the first and underwrite off the second, which is why the order you build them in matters.
Start with the numbers when the file is unclear
If the books need work, building the narrative first means rewriting it once the real figures land. Clean the financials, then write around what they actually say.
Start with the CIM when the numbers are solid
When the accounting is already reliable and the constraint is presentation, the CIM does the heavy lifting. It frames the opportunity, sets the buyer universe, and controls the first impression.
Most deals need both
Buyers move fastest when the story and the support arrive together. A deck without schedules invites a document request list; schedules without a narrative invite the buyer to write your story for you.
Want a read on your own file?
Thirty minutes, a straight answer on what your file needs, and a fixed price.