Fermo Capital Advisory

Senior finance counsel for port-adjacent and capital-intensive businesses.

Firm. Level. Anchored.

Outsourced controllership and loan and sale readiness, complemented by compliance and risk advisory, for capital-intensive port-adjacent businesses.

25+ yearsControllership, FP&A, accounting, and audit
20+ yearsPort terminal operations and logistics
Big FourCareer foundation in external audit
TrilingualEnglish, Portuguese, and Spanish
When to call us

The pressure owner-operators feel

The banker

Wants a clean, defensible package before extending capital.

The auditor

Needs confidence in controls, continuity, and reporting.

The buyer

Pays for predictability and walks from surprises.

Most finance functions were built for bookkeeping, not for these conversations.

Who we serve

Capital-intensive, anchored to the port

Lower middle-market Owner-led, where finance has outgrown bookkeeping

Port and marine ecosystem

Terminals, marine services, and the businesses that ring the harbor.

Logistics, port-adjacent

Warehousing, drayage, and distribution tied to port flow.

I-4 corridor logistics

Capital-heavy logistics along the Tampa–Orlando spine.

Manufacturing, wholesale, and construction owner-operators are also served on a referral basis.

What we do

Three service lines

Outsourced Controllership

A senior controllership function, on call, without the cost of a full-time hire.

  • A monthly close ready for banker, board, or buyer
  • Decision-grade reporting, not just compliance reporting
  • Controls that hold up to audit and surety review
  • Cash and working capital visibility

Loan and Sale Readiness

Get the company ready to stand in front of a banker, a surety, or a buyer.

  • A defensible financial package
  • Quality-of-earnings groundwork built in advance
  • Forecasts that survive diligence questions
  • A calm, prepared owner across the transaction

Compliance and Risk Advisory

Structure that holds firm against audit, regulator, and surety.

  • An internal controls assessment
  • Audit readiness preparation
  • Recurring compliance support
  • A risk register with mitigation
Why Fermo

Built on depth, not headcount

Built for port and capital-intensive operators

We think natively in CapEx, working capital, fleet, and terminal economics, not generic small business finance.

Work directly with the principal

You deal with a senior advisor throughout, never handed down to a junior team.

Independent by design

We do not sell audit or tax, so we sit beside your auditor and tax preparer with no conflict of interest.

Trilingual by nature

Fluent across the Brazil and Florida corridor, in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Senior counsel from day one, and through every engagement.

How we engage

A simple path to start

1

Initial conversation

A short exploratory coffee or call about the business and the pressure points. No cost.

2

Financial Readiness Diagnostic

A paid diagnostic of your numbers and readiness, with a credit-back that puts its fee toward the engagement that follows.

3

Proposal and engagement

Based on the diagnostic, a clear written proposal and formal engagement letter for the ongoing work. No surprises.

4

Execution and review

The work, delivered, with steady check-ins.

About the founder

Who you work with

A career built at the intersection of Big Four audit and heavy, capital-intensive port and logistics operations.

Andre A. Santos, Founder and Principal of Fermo Capital Advisory

Andre A. Santos

Founder and Principal
25+ years in controllership, FP&A, accounting, and auditing
20+ years in port terminal operations and logistics, with over a decade as Senior Controller
Career foundation in Big Four audit
Trilingual across English, Portuguese, and Spanish
Contact

Let's talk.

A short conversation is the best way to see if Fermo fits.

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