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Starrlight

Starrlight logo

Empowering Alternative Investment Firms with Strategic Advisory Expertise

Your trusted, versatile partner for Outsourced CFO & CCO solutions
to drive growth, improve operations, and manage compliance

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Why Choose Starrlight Advisory?

Starrlight Advisory was founded in 2024 to bring institutional-grade financial and compliance solutions to alternative investment firms. Starrlight’s mission is to empower your operations with the energy and expertise needed to catalyze growth. Starrlight is your trusted partner across the full spectrum of your firm’s and fund’s life cycle, delivering professional, personalized service that helps you thrive in a competitive marketplace. Starrlight has experience working with funds operating in these asset classes: private equity, growth equity, venture capital, private credit, real assets, SBICs, hedge funds, and registered evergreen funds.

Unmatched Leadership

We’ve held leadership roles at GPs and LPs. We understand market dynamics, product design, business and regulatory challenges, and investor demands.

Institutional Grade Solutions

Starrlight delivers robust, scalable, and compliance-ready services, tailored to the unique needs of your firm and investors.

Personalized Support

Whether navigating regulatory complexities or optimizing financial operations, Starrlight provides hands-on, customized guidance every step of the way.

Proven Expertise

Our team has diverse experience working in alternative investments, including private equity, private credit, growth equity, venture capital, SBICs, and hedge funds.

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Overcoming Challenges, Empowering Growth

At Starrlight Advisory, we understand the unique challenges alternative investment firms face in today’s dynamic environment. Our solutions are tailored to address your pain points and unlock opportunities for growth and stability.

Talent Shortages

Struggling to find qualified professionals? We offer end-to-end, vertically integrated solutions to keep your operations running smoothly without the burdensome costs of full-time hires.

Regulatory Complexity

From navigating new adviser SEC registration, to establishing and overseeing your compliance program, to filing your regulatory forms, we have your regulatory and compliance needs covered.

Rising Costs

Our services provide high-caliber expertise without the extensive costs of building and maintaining an in-house team.

Firm and Fund Launch

Launching a new firm and/or fund is laborious and complex. Starrlight’s proven capabilities enable your firm and fund to get off the ground expeditiously and thoughtfully.

Strategic Solutions for Your Firm’s Growth

Starrlight Advisory provides comprehensive Outsourced CFO & CCO services to alternative investment firms and their managed funds. Whether you’re building a new fund or managing complex growth, our expertise ensures seamless support tailored to your needs

OCFO Services
Firm OCFO
IR & BD
  • Evaluate Product Structure and Terms
  • Capital Formation
  • LP Reporting
Treasury
  • Manage Banking Relationship
  • Expense Allocation and Payment
  • Wire Verifications
Finance
  • Quarterly FS
  • Annual Budget
  • Optimize Expenditures
  • Manage Insurance Policies
HR & Benefits
  • Manage PEO / PR Provider
  • Optimize Benefits Program
  • Analyze Comp Structure
Tax
  • Oversee Tax Compliance
  • Optimize Retirement Plans
  • Evaluate PTE
Fund OCFO
Operations
  • Oversee Middle Office / Trade Ops
  • Bank Loan Settlement
  • Optimize Sub-Line / NAV Line Terms
  • Review Deal Term Sheets and Structuring
  • Manage Fund Liquidity
  • Manage Capital Calls/Distributions
  • Manage Insurance Policies
Treasury
  • Manage Banking Relationship
  • Expense Allocation and Payment
  • Wire Verifications
Financial Reporting
  • Oversee Fund Admin
  • Review Fee Calculations
  • Review Monthly/Quarterly FS and LP Statements
  • Assist in Quarterly Valuations
  • Manage YE Audit and Fund Auditor
Tax
  • Oversee Fund Tax Advisor
  • Review Fund Tax Compliance Reporting
  • Review Deal Tax Structuring
OCCO Services
Compliance
SEC Registration
  • Manage Firm SEC Registration
  • Serve as Firm OCCO
  • Engage Compliance Consultants
  • Draft Compliance Policies and Procedures
Ongoing Compliance
  • Serve as Firm OCCO
  • Manage SEC Filings
  • Marketing Materials Review
  • Oversee Compliance Consultants
  • Manage Annual 206(4)
  • Ongoing Support
  • Annual Training
IT & Cyber Security
Cyber & IT
  • Identify Cyber Consultant
  • Assist in Formation of WISP and IRP
  • Oversee Vendor Due Diligence Output
  • Annual Awareness Training
  • Review Risk Assessments
  • Evaluate IT Infrastructure and Consultants

Tailored to Your Needs

1
Plan & Strategize

Evaluate your firm’s unique phase and needs.

2
Design & Architect

Develop a customized proposal to streamline operations and address key needs.

3
Implement & Execute

Establish efficient processes and tackle operational and compliance hurdles.

4
Monitor & Oversee

Provide ongoing management to ensure long-term success and adaptability.

Meet the Starrlight Team

At Starrlight Advisory, our team combines decades of experience in alternative investments, financial operations, and compliance. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the industry, we provide personalized, hands-on guidance to help your firm thrive.

Richard Schnuerer
Richard Schnuerer
Founder
Richard Schnuerer has operated for nearly two decades across the three legs of the private markets stool, including as a CFO & CCO of several GPs, an institutional LP at Merrill Lynch, and a manager in professional services firms. This upbringing catalyzed Mr. Schnuerer to found Starrlight Advisory in 2024. Our mission is simple: to complement the pedigree of your investment team with an institutional caliber professional services firm that will serve as your versatile operating partner. Mr. Schnuerer has a diverse background in alternative investments, most recently lifting out of the GP side. His representative GP experience includes serving as CFO & CCO of Courage Capital and Savant Growth as well as the Head of Finance/Operations and CCO of GroundForce Capital. Mr. Schnuerer has been an integral part of numerous fund formation and capital raising initiatives and oversaw fund mandates spanning across private equity, growth equity, private credit, venture capital, hedge, and SBIC. Prior to his GP experience, Mr. Schnuerer operated as an institutional LP within the Chief Investment Office at Merrill Lynch where he conducted business and operational due diligence on alternative investment managers and their private funds. His tenure at Merrill resulted in evaluating over 60 GPs and 100+ funds. Mr. Schnuerer began his career in the professional services industry, including roles at Deloitte and KPMG in their audit and advisory businesses focusingon investment management and banking clients in New York and London. Mr. Schnuerer graduated from The Ohio State University where he double majored in Accounting and Finance and minored in Economics. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio and New York).
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Martha Girton
Martha Girton
Managing Director
Martha Girton, Managing Director, joined Starrlight Advisory in 2025. Most recently, Mrs. Girton served as the Director of Investor Relations and Reporting at Courage Capital from August 2019. Prior thereto, Mrs. Girton spent 16 years providing business consulting services to several privately held international and domestic ventures and held the position of Chief Financial Officer for a startup company. Her career began in public accounting and included serving as an accounting professional at some of the most highly regarded healthcare companies, including HCA, LifePoint and HealthTrust. She has amassed significant expertise in international, federal and state tax compliance and litigation as well as a strong background in information technology, including the analysis and transition of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Mrs. Girton is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a BBA in Accounting from Belmont University.
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Brad Denzel
Brad Denzel
Director
Brad Denzel, Director, joined Starrlight Advisory in 2025. Most recently, Mr. Denzel served as a Director of Fund Services at TMF Group in Raleigh, North Carolina, from August 2021, administering and assisting 30+ GPs and 100+ Funds in the private equity, private credit, venture capital and SBIC space. Prior thereto, Mr. Denzel spent 5 years at GBQ Partners, a regional CPA Firm in Columbus, Ohio, providing assurance advisory services primarily for Ohio-based manufacturing companies, both private and public. Mr. Denzel graduated from Miami University where he majored in Accounting and minored in Information Systems & Analytics. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio and North Carolina).
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Sarah Beth Stocks
Sarah Beth Stocks
Vice President
Sarah Beth Stocks, Vice President, joined Starrlight Advisory in 2025. Most recently, Ms. Stocks served as a Senior Accountant at Courage Capital from May 2022. Prior thereto, Ms. Stocks spent almost three years at RSM providing tax advisory services. Ms. Stocks is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a Master of Accountancy and BA in Accounting from Auburn University.
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Richard Schnuerer
Founder
Richard Schnuerer has operated for nearly two decades across the three legs of the private markets stool, including as a CFO & CCO of several GPs, an institutional LP at Merrill Lynch, and a manager in professional services firms. This upbringing catalyzed Mr. Schnuerer to found Starrlight Advisory in 2024. Our mission is simple: to complement the pedigree of your investment team with an institutional caliber professional services firm that will serve as your versatile operating partner. Mr. Schnuerer has a diverse background in alternative investments, most recently lifting out of the GP side. His representative GP experience includes serving as CFO & CCO of Courage Capital and Savant Growth as well as the Head of Finance/Operations and CCO of GroundForce Capital. Mr. Schnuerer has been an integral part of numerous fund formation and capital raising initiatives and oversaw fund mandates spanning across private equity, growth equity, private credit, venture capital, hedge, and SBIC. Prior to his GP experience, Mr. Schnuerer operated as an institutional LP within the Chief Investment Office at Merrill Lynch where he conducted business and operational due diligence on alternative investment managers and their private funds. His tenure at Merrill resulted in evaluating over 60 GPs and 100+ funds. Mr. Schnuerer began his career in the professional services industry, including roles at Deloitte and KPMG in their audit and advisory businesses focusingon investment management and banking clients in New York and London. Mr. Schnuerer graduated from The Ohio State University where he double majored in Accounting and Finance and minored in Economics. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio and New York).
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Martha Girton
Managing Director
Martha Girton, Managing Director, joined Starrlight Advisory in 2025. Most recently, Mrs. Girton served as the Director of Investor Relations and Reporting at Courage Capital from August 2019. Prior thereto, Mrs. Girton spent 16 years providing business consulting services to several privately held international and domestic ventures and held the position of Chief Financial Officer for a startup company. Her career began in public accounting and included serving as an accounting professional at some of the most highly regarded healthcare companies, including HCA, LifePoint and HealthTrust. She has amassed significant expertise in international, federal and state tax compliance and litigation as well as a strong background in information technology, including the analysis and transition of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Mrs. Girton is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a BBA in Accounting from Belmont University.
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Brad Denzel
Director
Brad Denzel, Director, joined Starrlight Advisory in 2025. Most recently, Mr. Denzel served as a Director of Fund Services at TMF Group in Raleigh, North Carolina, from August 2021, administering and assisting 30+ GPs and 100+ Funds in the private equity, private credit, venture capital and SBIC space. Prior thereto, Mr. Denzel spent 5 years at GBQ Partners, a regional CPA Firm in Columbus, Ohio, providing assurance advisory services primarily for Ohio-based manufacturing companies, both private and public. Mr. Denzel graduated from Miami University where he majored in Accounting and minored in Information Systems & Analytics. He is a Certified Public Accountant (Ohio and North Carolina).
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Sarah Beth Stocks
Vice President
Sarah Beth Stocks, Vice President, joined Starrlight Advisory in 2025. Most recently, Ms. Stocks served as a Senior Accountant at Courage Capital from May 2022. Prior thereto, Ms. Stocks spent almost three years at RSM providing tax advisory services. Ms. Stocks is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a Master of Accountancy and BA in Accounting from Auburn University.
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Let’s Start a Conversation

Whether you’re looking to streamline your operations, enhance compliance, or unlock your firm’s growth potential, Starrlight Advisory is here to help. Contact us today to discuss how we can support your journey.

Request a Proposal