Financial Forecasting

Conventional profit optimization methods could cause your company to miss out on opportunities to grow. This four-step approach will help your business make the most of its strengths to boost margins for years to come.

To impress risk-averse investors, you have to prove that you’re ready for whatever may come.

More than a year after the onset of COVID-19, organizations must shift from temporary stopgap measures to more robust cybersecurity strategies and technologies. Here’s how to keep your company safe.

Many financial models fail because they rely on optimistic assumptions and ignore the risks presented by uncertain variables. This six-step guide illustrates how to avoid these pitfalls and develop practical, accurate financial models to inform your decision-making.

A financial forecast is a map that leads investors to the end goal. Most forecasts fail because they assume the ability to capture a market without detailing the assumptions to get them there. Startup financial models must be granular, with no missing steps from points A to Z.

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.

Burn rate is one of the simplest, yet most fundamental metrics that investors and startups focus on. It pertains to the total cash spend of the business per month, which demonstrates both growth progress and potential runway that the business has to survive. This article introduces the burn rate concept and the tactics that can be applied to optimize it.

One of the most important and challenging aspects of forecasting is handling the uncertainty inherent in examining the future. Every CEO, CFO, board member, investor, or investment committee member brings their own experience and approach to financial projections and uncertainty, influenced by different incentives. Oftentimes, comparing actual outcomes against projections underscores the need to explicitly recognize uncertainty. Monte Carlo simulations are an extremely effective tool for handling risks and probabilities, used for everything from constructing DCF valuations, valuing call options in M&A, and discussing risks with lenders to seeking financing and guiding the allocation of VC funding for startups. This article provides a step-by-step tutorial on using Monte Carlo simulations in practice.

Forecasting sales is an activity often performed inaccurately, with growth figures either being anchored around a target of "inflation + x" or an unrealistic round number plucked from thin air. In this tutorial, we explain the process of sales forecasting and how a correct process can help businesses in other areas, beyond just setting top-line targets.