Aishwarya Jayal
Verified Expert in Finance
Finance Expert
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Toptal member since December 12, 2022
Aishwarya is an SPJIMR and Cornell exchange MBA graduate in finance with 7+ years of experience in strategy, business planning, and financial services. She has collaboratively built an early-stage startup from scratch, worked with industry leaders like Deloitte, and is adept in financial modeling, asset optimization, and business transformations. Aishwarya appreciates the opportunity to work remotely with passionate entrepreneurs and management teams to unlock growth in their organizations.
Education Highlights
Case Studies
Feasibility Analysis of a $40 Million Production Facility
Market Research for Entry in the Indian E-grocery Market
Business Model of a $500,000 Cloud Kitchen
Expertise
- Business Modeling
- Business Transformation
- Cost Reduction & Optimization (Cost-down)
- Financial Modeling
- Financial Writer
- Pitch Decks
- Process Design
- Strategic Planning & Execution
Work Experience
Head of Strategy and Finance
An Early-stage Tech Startup (Stealth)
- Raised equity funding: created a thorough lean startup canvas, a business plan, detailed financial projections, and DCF valuations and handled investor communications and pitches.
- Built a scalable business structure: set up business entities and strategic partnerships, crafted equity structures—such as shares, employee stock ownership plans, and restricted stock units—negotiated contracts, and ensured statutory compliance.
- Created pricing, marketing, and cash flow strategies, designed and set up functional processes, managed active cash flows, and led operational finance and legal priorities with partner teams.
Senior Manager – Strategic Initiatives and Planning
Godrej Group Companies
- Grew the portfolio by around $19 million through in-depth financial risk analysis and partner negotiations.
- Reduced business overheads by 17% through zero-based budgeting, designing real-time dashboards, modifying accounting entries and SAP systems, setting annual targets, and leading regular reviews.
- Developed capital strategies through extensive historical data analysis, creating effective KPIs to release profitability and unlock around 15% liquidity.
- Enhanced cash flow by around 15% and net promoter score by around 20% through customer-focused solutions targeting increased retention and loyalty-driven sales.
- Optimized non-core costs by about 7% by creating an effective baseline through zero-based budgeting and setting up new accounting, monitoring, and review processes.
- Created several comprehensive Excel-based cost-estimation models to accurately project overheads, non-core costs, asset requirements, workforce, and dynamic inventory pricing.
- Launched multiple productivity and skill-development programs with active usage and approval ratings of more than 85%.
- Leveraged the Prosci 3-phase change process to quantify the cost of change, defined organizational structures, created KPIs, and led change communications.
Audit Senior Assistant
Deloitte
- Audited at least seven clients—based on the US generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP)—including financial statements, special purpose audits, and benefit plan audits across real estate, telecommunications, and FMCG industries.
- Became one of 12 top performers selected to test and implement the audit software and align key stakeholders for a seamless adoption.
- Received Applause and Spot Awards for high-quality, consistent deliverables at Deloitte.
- Mentored colleagues actively by facilitating new-hire audit training and continued coaching on all client-specific deliverables.
Education
Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance (Minor in Marketing)
SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) - Mumbai, India
Accelerated Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance
Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management - Ithaca, New York, USA
Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Business Administration
Christ (Deemed to be University) - Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Certifications
Designing Growth Strategies
PMI, NASBA Registered Education Provider | via LinkedIn
Change Management Foundations
PMI, NASBA Registered Education Provider | via LinkedIn
Agile Foundations
PMI Registered Education Provider | via LinkedIn
Skills
Finance
Financial Modeling, Market Research, Revenue & Expense Projections, Fundraising, Cost Reduction & Optimization (Cost-down), Cash Flow, Forecasting, Market Opportunity Analysis, Valuation, Working Capital Management, Accounting, Corporate Finance, Portfolio Analysis, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)
Output Software
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint
Industry Expertise
Early-stage Startups
Other
Business Modeling, Strategic Planning & Execution, Financial Reporting Dashboards, Business Planning, Process Design, Business Continuity Planning (BCP), Corporate Strategy, Portfolio Analytics, Business Transformation, Innovation Strategy, Pitch Decks, Pitch Deck Consultant, Business Models, Startups, Change Management, Financial Transformation, Business Plan Consulting, Financial Writer, Design Thinking, Blue Ocean, Organizational Strategy & Design, Business Strategy, Fixed Asset Management, Financial Risk Management, Business Analytics, Agile, Organizational Change Management (OCM), Change Leadership, Strategic Partnerships, Scalability, Market Research & Analysis, Growth Strategy Consultants, Growth Strategy, Product Growth, Budget Modeling, Feasibility Studies, Construction Estimation, Business Feasibilities, Finance, Stock Analysis, Dashboard Design, Revenue Strategy, Project Management, Data
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