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For founders

Understand the numbers, protect cash, and test a decision before committing.

  1. Bring finance into the decision

    Start with the role finance should play while a decision can still change.

    1. When Finance Enters Too LateArticle
    2. Finance functionDefinition
    3. Fractional CFODefinition
  2. Build records you can trust

    Learn why timely accounting comes before useful analysis, and what the main statements tell you.

    1. Why Accounting Cannot WaitArticle
    2. Income statementDefinition
    3. Balance sheetDefinition
    4. Net profitDefinition
  3. Know how much cash is available

    Separate cash, profit, and commitments before deciding what the company can spend.

    1. Cash flowDefinition
    2. Available cashDefinition
    3. Cash commitmentsDefinition
    4. Cash bufferDefinition
  4. Test the weeks ahead

    Build a weekly forecast, then compare what happens if collections slow or payments rise.

    1. Cash-flow forecastingDefinition
    2. Cash scenario planningDefinition
    3. 13-week cash-flow forecastCalculator
    4. Cash runwayDefinition
    5. Cash runwayCalculator
  5. Check whether growth pays

    Test price, cost, and volume together. A higher sales figure is not enough.

    1. Contribution marginDefinition
    2. Break-even pointDefinition
    3. Break-evenCalculator
    4. Gross profit marginDefinition
    5. Margin and markupCalculator
  6. Turn the monthly result into action

    Use the close to identify what changed, decide who should act, and follow up.

    1. What the Monthly Close Is ForArticle
    2. Management reporting packDefinition
    3. Cash conversion cycleDefinition
    4. Working-capital cycleCalculator

Go deeper where you need to

These paths are a starting point. Basics contains 347 definitions across 20 topics. Search for a term or explore a whole topic.

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