Where I’ve served
Clarity for big decisions.
CFO-level advisory for West Texas businesses.
(West Texas)
Straight answers and steady guidance for the decisions that shape your business.
I’ve spent 25+ years in finance leadership. Now I help business owners make big financial decisions with confidence.
(Meet John)
I’m John Dolan, founder of ThinkSmart Partners. My career has taken me from hospital finance and a hospital turnaround to energy services, a fast-growing payments company, and banking, all here in West Texas.
I take on a small number of clients at a time and treat every business like my own. Outside of work, I’m a husband, father, proud granddad, and a lifelong Red Raider.
Experience across the industries that drive West Texas.
Healthcare & Hospitals
Nearly two decades in hospital finance, from CFO to CEO through a bankruptcy turnaround.
Banking & Financial Services
Bank CFO experience: capital, lending relationships, and regulatory reporting.
Energy & Oilfield
Finance leadership across trucking, rentals, and energy service companies.
Growing Companies
From Inc. 500 growth to acquisitions and planned exits.
How I can help
01
Advisory & Transactions
Buying, selling, merging, or bringing in a partner? I’ll guide you through due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and closing so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to.
02
Planning & Analysis
Strategic plans, budgets, cash flow forecasts, and turnaround scenarios that give you, your lenders, and your investors a clear picture of where the business is headed.
03
Projects & Implementation
Fixing a broken process, rolling out a new system, or cleaning up the books. I work alongside your team to find the bottlenecks and put practical solutions in place.
How we work together
Simple, personal, and built around your decision.
01
A free first conversation
Tell me what’s in front of you. We’ll talk it through, with no cost and no obligation.
02
A clear plan and proposal
You’ll get a defined scope, timeline, and fee before any work begins. No surprises.
03
Hands-on, start to finish
I work alongside you and your team until the job is done, and stay a phone call away after.
Good decisions start with clear numbers. I turn complex financials into plain-English options, so you can move forward with confidence.
Straight Answers
No jargon and no runaround. You’ll always know where you stand and what your options are.
Plans You Can Act On
Every recommendation comes with clear next steps, owners, and timelines.
A Partner Who’s Been There
Turnarounds, acquisitions, and rapid growth: I’ve sat in the CFO chair through all of it.
A career built in the CFO chair, across healthcare, banking, energy, and growing companies.
Years in finance
25+
Leading finance teams since 1999.
Organizations served
10
Hospitals, banks, and growing companies.
CFO roles
8
Trusted to lead the finance function.
What clients say
Trusted when the stakes are high.
“[Client testimonial to come: one or two sentences in the client’s own words.]”
[Client Name]
[Title, Company]
“[Client testimonial to come: one or two sentences in the client’s own words.]”
[Client Name]
[Title, Company]
“[Client testimonial to come: one or two sentences in the client’s own words.]”
[Client Name]
[Title, Company]
Questions
Common questions
What does the first conversation cost?
Nothing. The first conversation is always free. We’ll talk through your situation and whether I’m the right fit.
Do you only work with Texas businesses?
I’m based in Lubbock and rooted in West Texas, but I’m glad to work with the right fit anywhere.
How are engagements priced?
Most work is a fixed project fee or an agreed hourly rate, set out clearly in a proposal before anything begins.
How many clients do you take on?
A small number at a time, so every client gets my direct attention rather than a junior team.
What kinds of decisions can you help with?
Buying or selling a business, raising capital, restructuring debt, turnarounds, forecasting, budgeting, and improving how your finance function runs.
What I stand on
“May we spur one another toward love and good deeds.”
HEBREWS 10:24
Honesty, stewardship, and service. Family first, always. I treat every client’s business the way I’d want my own treated.
Let’s talk through what’s in front of you.
The first conversation is always free.