Building Financial Models That Actually Work

We teach you how to create forecasts that make sense—not spreadsheets filled with guesswork.

Most people think financial modelling is just about Excel formulas. It's not. It's about understanding business mechanics, spotting assumptions that don't hold up, and presenting numbers that decision-makers can trust. Over the years working with Australian businesses, we've seen what separates models that sit in a drawer from ones that guide real strategy.

Our approach comes from those lessons—teaching you to build models that reflect how businesses actually operate, not textbook theory.

Common Problems We Help You Solve

Revenue Forecasts That Don't Match Reality

You've built a projection showing steady growth. But three months in, actual numbers tell a different story. We teach you how to model seasonality, customer behaviour, and market cycles that reflect what happens in practice—not just optimistic straight lines.

Cost Structures That Change as You Scale

Many models treat costs as fixed percentages. That works until your business hits a new volume threshold and everything shifts. You'll learn to build dynamic cost assumptions that adapt as operations grow, helping you spot cash flow crunches before they happen.

Scenarios That Feel Like Guesswork

Sensitivity analysis shouldn't be random tweaks to see what breaks. We show you how to identify the variables that actually matter, test realistic ranges, and present scenarios that give stakeholders confidence rather than confusion.

Models That Break When Assumptions Change

A good model stays flexible. You'll build structures that let you update key inputs without unravelling the entire spreadsheet—making it easier to iterate as new information comes in or business conditions shift.

Financial analyst reviewing business forecasts and model assumptions
Elodie Sinclair, financial planning professional

Elodie Sinclair

Financial Planning, Melbourne

"Before this program, my forecasts felt like educated guesses. Learning to build assumptions from actual business drivers changed how I approach planning. My models now hold up when we revisit them six months later."

How Our Program Works

We break financial modelling into practical stages—starting with foundational concepts and building toward models you can use in real business contexts.

1

Understanding Business Mechanics

Before touching a spreadsheet, you'll learn how different business models generate revenue, incur costs, and manage cash flow. This foundation helps you ask the right questions when building assumptions.

2

Building Core Financial Statements

You'll construct integrated income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements from scratch—learning how they connect and why certain line items matter more than others depending on the business.

3

Creating Dynamic Assumptions

Static inputs produce rigid models. We show you how to build assumption frameworks that respond to operational changes, seasonal patterns, and strategic decisions—giving you flexibility when conditions evolve.

4

Scenario Analysis and Stress Testing

You'll learn to model best-case, base-case, and downside scenarios in ways that inform strategy rather than just producing different numbers. This includes identifying break-even points and testing resilience under pressure.

Professional reviewing detailed financial model structure

What You'll Be Able to Do

Build three-statement models Create fully integrated financial statements that update automatically when assumptions change
Forecast with realistic assumptions Develop projections grounded in business fundamentals rather than arbitrary growth rates
Perform valuation analysis Apply discounted cash flow and comparable company methods to assess business worth
Present findings clearly Communicate model outputs in ways that stakeholders understand and find actionable
Tamsin Lovett, lead financial modelling instructor

Tamsin Lovett

Lead Instructor, Financial Analysis

"The best models aren't the most complex—they're the ones that capture essential business drivers clearly. That's what we focus on teaching: clarity over complexity, realism over optimism."

Explore the Learning Program