0088 - Getting to the Good Stuff: Reading Your Financial Statements 101

Course Description

Do you control your business, or does it control you? When you get your financial statements, do you know how to interpret the information or is it like trying to read a foreign language?

This class is designed to help business owners and managers: 1) understand and utilize their financial statements as a management tool 2) learn about cash flow management and how to identify “cash flow killers” 3) understand what parts of the financial statements are most important to the banks that might lend them money and 4) understand the basic types of financing available to small businesses.

It is not necessary to be an accounting expert to succeed in business, but a strong, general understanding will make you a better manager/decision maker for your business.

Course Outline

• What do lenders look for?
• Understanding financial statements
• What is cash flow? 
• Income v. Cash Flow

Learner Outcomes

• Understanding how a financial institution evaluates your business for funding
• Understanding the fundamentals of financial statements to assist in decision making
• Overview of cash conversion cycle in your business

Notes