Transform your finance career with practical modeling skills. If you've ever wanted to master financial modeling and transform your career without spending years figuring it out through trial and error, or wasting thousands on degrees that teach theory but not practical skills, then this course is for you.
This comprehensive guide introduces a proven system that has helped finance professionals work directly with CEOs, investors, and board members by creating professional-grade financial models that drive real business decisions. All this without requiring advanced Excel knowledge or previous financial modeling experience.
Why Financial Modeling Matters
FP&A is one of the best careers out there, and financial modeling is what sets great finance pros apart from basic number-crunchers. It is the key to a better FP&A career that can change your work life.
When you can transform raw financial data into clear, compelling stories about a business's future, you become invaluable to decision-makers. Many finance workers make basic spreadsheets that miss the big picture. Meanwhile, they watch others with better skills get promoted.
Insight: If you want to advance your finance career and gain the respect of executives, you need to master the art of building professional-grade financial models that tell the complete story of a business.
What You Will Learn
This course teaches you how to build three-statement financial models that executives actually use to make decisions—models where everything connects properly. Within a few hours, you could have a complete financial model where changing one number in your revenue assumptions automatically updates your cash flow projection and balance sheet.
Imagine having the confidence to walk into any financial planning meeting knowing your models will stand up to scrutiny and provide genuine business insights, WITHOUT worrying if you've made a fundamental mistake.
You will learn the exact techniques used with startups and 8-figure companies, including professional shortcuts, error checks, and presentation methods that make executives take notice.
Course Curriculum
01. Introduction to Financial Modeling
A comprehensive introduction to the course structure and what you'll achieve. We'll discuss why financial modeling matters for your career and set expectations for your learning journey.
- Course Introduction and Preview
- What Is a Financial Model and Why Do You Need It?
02. Refresher on Financial Statements
Master the core financial statements that form the foundation of any model. Understand how P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statements work individually and—crucially—how they connect together in the real world.
- Introduction to Profit & Loss
- Understanding the Balance Sheet
- Introduction to Statement of Cash Flows
- Cash vs Accrual Accounting
- How Financial Statements Are Affected
03. Building Your First Financial Statements
Roll up your sleeves and create professional P&L and balance sheet templates from scratch. Learn proper formatting, structure, and calculation methods that reflect industry best practices.
- Building a Summary P&L and Balance Sheet
- Building Detailed Profit & Loss and Balance Sheets
04. Building a Statement of Cash Flows
Construct the most misunderstood financial statement—the cash flow statement. Learn the indirect method, proper categorization of cash movements, and how to ensure everything balances correctly.
- The Psychology and Mathematics Behind Cash Flows
- Financial Statements and Their Connections
05. Build a Basic 3 Statement Model
Create your first integrated financial model where all three statements connect properly. See how changes in one statement automatically flow through to the others.
- Connecting the income statement to the balance sheet
- Creating a detailed statement of cash flows
- Creating a summarized 3 statement model
06. Financial Modeling Fundamentals
Master the essential building blocks of professional models. Learn about drivers tabs, proper organization, version control, and the foundational principles.
- Financial Model Structure & Drivers
- Error checks, Color coding & auditing
- Template tabs & Presenting summary financials
07. Optimize Your Model
Transform your model with professional techniques. Implement color coding systems, create robust error checks, build user-friendly instructions, and design summary dashboards.
- Create drivers for P&L and Balance Sheet
- Add an error check & Instructions tab
- Connect Summary Financials
08. Working with Historical Data
Learn to incorporate real financial data into your model. Master the monthly process of updating with actuals and maintaining model integrity through proper version control.
- Why you should include actuals in your financial model
- Actualizing your model
09. Financial Projections
Develop various projection methodologies for revenue, expenses, and balance sheet accounts. Create forecasts that tell a coherent story.
- Projecting Revenue, Headcount, P&L, and Balance Sheet
10. Build a Full 3 Statement Model: Setting up
Apply everything you've learned to create a comprehensive model from scratch. Set up proper structure, drivers, and connections following professional best practices.
- Create drivers for P&L and Balance Sheet
- Link Statements to Drivers
- Create a Statement of Cash Flows
- Summary Financials & Instructions
11. Build a Full 3 Statement Model: Projections & Actualizing
Complete your model with advanced projections and learn the critical process of "rolling forward" with new actuals each month.
- Set projections for Revenue, COGS, Opex, Assets, Liabilities
- Roll forward Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet
- Bonus: Budget vs Actuals Dashboard
12. Course Recap
Course Wrap Up and Key Takeaways.
Meet Your Instructor
Josh Aharonoff, also known as "The CFO Guy," started his career at the Big 4 before opening his own fractional CFO agency. He has used Excel for everything from basic formatting to building complex reports and dashboards that have helped clients raise millions in VC funding. Now, he teaches Excel, finance, and accounting to over 400,000 followers on LinkedIn.
Note: This download includes all course templates, model examples, and comprehensive workbooks with step-by-step guides.
