'The 30,000-Foot View'
Foundational financial acumen means understanding how money moves through the business—how choices affect revenue, costs, cash flow, and ultimately performance. At this level, learners build confidence reading financial statements, interpreting results, and making decisions that support financial health.
Most people do—whether they realize it or not. From frontline staff to middle managers, everyday decisions shape performance. That’s why business acumen matters at every level: to connect individual choices to company-wide outcomes.
Employees don’t need to be finance experts—but they do need to understand what Finance is trying to achieve, and how their decisions can support—or derail—those priorities. They need to understand how their actions affect profitability. And they need to see how their choices enable or constrain the work of other departments.
Understanding the Income Statement and Balance Sheet is foundational for interpreting a company’s financial health.
Recognizing the difference between cash flow and profit helps in managing both day-to-day operations and long-term sustainability.
Knowing a company’s cost structure (fixed vs. variable costs) is essential for pricing, profit margins, and efficiency.
Understanding the financial implications of the competitive landscape helps in strategic decision-making and positioning.
Metrics like Return on Sales or Return on Assets reveal profitability and operational efficiency, providing insights for improving financial performance.
Familiarity with the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) relevant to your company ensures alignment with its specific financial goals and priorities.
Empower every employee to make decisions that drive profitability. Participants learn to understand financial statements, key metrics, and the overall impact of their decisions on the financial health of the company.
4 - 6 hours
Online OR In-Person
This workshop helps participants develop a big-picture understanding of finance. In an interactive simulation, employees learn how their everyday decisions impact the bottom-line results. The workshop enhances skills in team-building, communication, strategic thinking, and empathy, providing participants with the tools to make better business decisions.
8 hours
In-Person Only
A comprehensive one-day workshop that introduces formal finance tools, including budgets and cash flow forecasts. This takes the awareness of financial results as shown in the P&L and Balance Sheet, and moves it into planning for the future. Includes formal planning and analysis tools such as Budgeting, Cash Flow Forecasts, and Unit Cost Analysis.
Building financial acumen is key to ensuring your team understands how their actions impact the company's success. These workshops lay the groundwork for clear, informed decision-making that supports your organization’s goals.
"Business acumen is a 3-sided discipline. It's the ability to understand how the pieces of a business fit together, including knowing where to find the data and how to use it; make your decisions with a clear expected outcome; and check whether the financial results matched what was expected."
