Strategic Finance & Decision Support
Understanding the financial and operating implications of growth, investment, capital allocation, and other consequential business decisions.
SweetwaterConnect with Howie ↗Perspective • Experience • Connections
See the numbers.
Shape what's next.
Sweetwater brings together financial perspective, operating experience, and professional relationships—helping business leaders frame important questions, connect the dots, and move forward with greater clarity.
Discover Sweetwater ↓
The Sweetwater bridgePerspective → possibility
The Sweetwater Perspective
Important business decisions rarely fit neatly within one report, one function, or one professional discipline. Sweetwater looks beyond the numbers to understand the broader situation, identify what matters, and connect people with the perspective and resources that may help.
Part financial rigor. Part operating judgment. Always human.
Experience That Connects the Dots
Financial depth.
Practical perspective.
Howie's background spans more than 25 years across corporate finance, FP&A, operations, strategic advisory, and complex financial analysis. That experience shapes how Sweetwater approaches conversations, relationships, and business questions.
Forecasting, Cash & Business Planning
Connecting revenue, expenses, hiring, working capital, liquidity, and alternative scenarios to help leaders see the choices ahead.
Executive, Board & Stakeholder Communication
Translating complex financial information into clear narratives, meaningful insights, and focused business conversations.
Growth, Transition & Cross-Border Perspective
Drawing on experience across global companies, growth-stage businesses, entrepreneurial organizations, and periods of business change.
Who Sweetwater Connects With
Built around relationships,
not transactions.
Sweetwater develops relationships with business leaders, founders, finance professionals, bankers, attorneys, accountants, investors, and other trusted advisers.
These connections create opportunities to exchange perspectives, explore ideas, identify useful resources, and bring the right people together when an important business need arises.
- 01Business leaders navigating growth or change
- 02Professional advisers seeking a broader financial perspective
- 03Founders and executives building their leadership networks
- 04Finance professionals exchanging ideas and experience
- 05Organizations looking for the right expertise or connection
Not every conversation needs to become an engagement. Sometimes the most useful outcome is a clearer question, a new perspective, or an introduction to the right person.
Conversations Worth Having
Start with the question,
not the solution.
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How should we think about the financial implications of our next stage of growth?
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What is our forecast really telling us about the choices ahead?
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How should leadership frame a complex financial decision?
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What information will the board, lender, or investor need to understand?
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Who else should be part of this conversation?
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Is there an adviser, specialist, or resource that may be better suited to the situation?
Sweetwater creates space for thoughtful conversations, practical perspectives, and useful connections.
About Howie
Financial rigor.
Practical judgment.
Meaningful relationships.
Howie Lau, CPA, CVA, is a finance executive, strategic adviser, and connector with more than 25 years of experience across corporate finance, FP&A, operations, financial modeling, and complex financial analysis.
His career has included global companies, growth-stage businesses, entrepreneurial organizations, and advisory environments. Across these experiences, Howie has developed a practical ability to understand the financial story, identify what matters, and translate complexity into clearer choices.
Howie is known for listening carefully, connecting the dots, and bringing the right people and perspectives together. His approach is grounded in professional judgment, curiosity, collaboration, and a genuine interest in helping others move forward.
CPA • CVA • MBA • Stanford Executive Program
Howie is fluent in Cantonese and professionally proficient in Mandarin, with experience working across the United States, Asia, and other international markets.
Connections & Collaboration
Bringing the right people
into the conversation.
Sweetwater is built on the belief that complex business needs are rarely solved by one person or one discipline.
Howie maintains relationships across accounting, tax, banking, legal, investing, operations, technology, and professional services. When appropriate, he helps business leaders and advisers identify perspectives, resources, and connections that may be useful.
Sweetwater may also collaborate with professional advisers when an additional financial or operating perspective would strengthen an important client conversation.
Have a perspective to share, an idea to explore, or someone Howie should know?Let's connect. ↗Connect with Howie
Good conversations
create new possibilities.
If you would like to exchange perspectives, explore a potential collaboration, or simply stay connected, Howie would be glad to hear from you.