Profitability and Efficiency

Platform businesses of all kinds are hot in the startup world, but even pipeline businesses can benefit from the principles that make a platform business model successful.

An interim CFO has, on average, six to eight months to complete the job set forth by the company, meaning the first 30 days will be critical to accomplishing the goals for the position and setting a good long-term strategy for the company.

Freelance finance consultants are delivering high-quality results for clients at a lower cost than traditional consulting firms. How do they manage to do it? One of Toptal’s most in-demand finance freelancers, Michael Ng, explains how freelancers are able to outdo their more established competitors when it comes to communication, expertise, and ROI.

Many organizations that think they’re data-driven are still in first gear. How do you go from simply collecting a lot of data to setting up a business analytics function that actually tells you how to tweak your model to improve profitability?

How can PE funds effectively deploy $1.5 trillion in dry powder? One solution: outsource certain types of work to high-quality freelance private equity consultants. Consultants can enhance a PE team’s firepower both internally and externally.

Given the outbreak of COVID-19 and its disruptive impact on supply chains, many are looking to diversify their manufacturing locations. We provide an analysis of the pros and cons, current state, and outlook for major markets outside of China.

Many American businesses have been forced to close or drastically cut back operations due to an unprecedented pandemic affecting the entire globe. Thankfully, the government, communities, and even private business have stepped up.

Financial distress can quickly escalate during times of economic stress. What are the steps to take to protect against downside risks while preserving upside optionality?

What are the real financial impacts of a pandemic like COVID-19? Using data from past pandemics and recent research, we estimate the current and projected costs.

Some industries like healthcare and utilities are naturally recession-proof. However, if you operate in more cyclical sectors, there is a range of initiatives that you can implement to make your business more resilient to economic shocks.

What happened to Blackberry? The company, once the most valuable in Canada, has effectively been a zombie stock for a while. Is the picture painted by the stock a fair one, particularly for a company whose revenues are up 20% YoY?

Recession-proof industries either provide an absolute necessity that consumers will always keep purchasing, or have characteristics that are conducive to experiencing increased demand in downturns.

To understand the recent decline in prominence of large banking conglomerates we must first understand the innovation history of the industry. This provides clues towards the paths banks must take for an innovative future.

Running out of cash is one of the main reasons why startups fail. More established companies can also be affected. We outline the importance of managing cash, key metrics, and actions to improve performance.

Impactful applications of IoT are certain to emerge in the near future. We explore how finance professionals should think of the value it can generate for their business by creating a thought framework.

Valuation of private fintech startups is a step-by-step process that requires a holistic assessment of macro industrial factors and micro assumptions about the startup’s future prospects. Learn how to value fintech companies in a practical step-by-step manner with this working example for payments unicorn Transferwise.