Financial Modelling

Any experts on financial modelling here?

I wonder which online course is best for beginners.

I am not new to financial models but have only modelled revenues and opex due to my familiarity with my sector.

Would like to learn how to build a real financial model from scratch.

i don’t have formal accounting experience though I know enough to read and understand financial statements.

I’ve also worked on enough due diligence projects where I have to scrutinize the P&L, have taken courses on project finance, and regularly look at financial statements for my own knowledge.

When I was doing my MBA, these guys came to our school and I took a day course with them: https://trainingthestreet.com/public_courses/corporate-valuation/

Our instructor was Chirag Saraiya and he was great. Highly recommend it.

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I’m no expert. I did make a spreadsheet that I have one sheet of all my recurring bills/expenses and anything else I need to include. Such as $200 per paycheck for food (groceries).

In a way, it’s similar to the YANB “Envelopes” approach. But what my sheet does is it tracks each expense over the previous rolling 12 months so I know the average monthly amount for each one.

The sheet then tells me how much out of each paycheck needs to be direct deposited into my ‘Expenses/bills’ checking account. ( have a separate account for bills/expenses like utilities, another one separately for rent, as my rental agency has authorization from me to take rent out directly each month.

Yes, I even have my rent on automatic withdrawal now.

Another tab in the sheet shows how many hours I actually have to work to pay each expense. Rent is by far the largest right now. I need 32 of my 80 hours just for that. The sheet helped me determine that due to my expense load, I have to work the full 80 hours PLUS 14 hours of Overtime on each check.

Not something I’d have known had I not taken the time to plot out the sheet.

Anyone who knows me well enough would say “Of COURSE you made a spreadsheet, Bill”.

The spreadsheet shows me that I need a passive income of $37,765.37 annually to keep my bills paid and free up most of my time to my own pursuits.

Before anyone asks, it isn’t set up in a way I can easily share it out on Google Sheets yet. I’ve given thought to actually make a prettier version of it to share here somehow for the wealth/money-minded peeps to be able to use.

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https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/15-450-analytics-of-finance-fall-2010/

Other than that, before my math major ptsd really kicks in, it depends on what you’re planning on doing? In college we memorized formulas like Black Scholes for options trading but I’m sure there’s shortcuts rather than starting from scratch. Do you plan on coding yourself or using spreadsheets?

I’m actually not going to be much help as it’s been a looong while and not my area of expertise.

Oh, no I am not going to learn options trading or the Black Scholes formula. I want to learn how to fully value a business using a financial model. Minimal coding but of course, usage of excel is important. Plus sufficient accounting knowledge is something I foresee.

I want to go work in a place where general financial modelling skills are needed, if I am not providing it on my own in the project finance sector.

I went through the same road learning about company valuation. Providing you know some Excel and you are not looking for a certificate or a degree.

I think both Udemy and Lynda have either a free trial or a money back guarantee.

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Not my area, but I do know of these 2 companies that guys study to get jobs in Wall Street:

https://wallstreetoasis.com/courses/

I second this. Udemy is good for foundational courses. Now only if they stop with the scammy original retail prices- all the courses are almost always on discount and sometimes bundled too.

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