Picture yourself stepping out of the structured, predictable environment of corporate finance and into the dynamic and sometimes chaotic world of startup finance. It’s a completely different game where many startups prioritize fast growth and market share over early profitability. This guide breaks down how startups approach funding, track financial performance, and handle risks differently…
May 2025 – Corporate Finance Institute® (CFI), the #1 rated online provider of finance and banking training, is excited to announce the launch of AI Tutor, a CFI-trained AI assistant designed to revolutionize the way finance professionals learn. Seamlessly embedded into CFI’s learning environment, AI Tutor delivers instant, personalized support powered by OpenAI, CFI’s expert-created…
What Drives Success in Private Equity? In this episode of Careers in Finance, we unpack the strategies behind some of the biggest PE deals in history, from Blackstone’s transformation of Hilton Hotels to the Dell Technologies buyout. But it’s not just about big names and bold moves. We explore how private equity firms approach value…
How Do You Pivot From Aerospace Engineering to Venture Capital? In this episode of Careers in Finance, Denisia Pereira shares her remarkable journey from studying aerospace engineering to leading venture operations at TopDown Ventures. She opens up about working in microfinance in Honduras, navigating business school with a global lens, and learning to speak founders’…
The Economics of Unsold Inventory Have you ever wondered why that shirt you’ve been eyeing suddenly dropped from $49.99 to $29.99? Or why some products go on clearance while others never seem to go on sale? These pricing decisions significantly impact a retail company’s financial performance. When stores have excess inventory at a season’s end,…
The FP&A field continues to evolve rapidly, transforming from a purely analytical function into a strategic business partnership role. Whether you’re considering an FP&A career, looking to sharpen your skills, or aiming for a leadership position, navigating this path requires targeted resources. We’ve curated this collection of our most valuable FP&A career articles to support…
In this episode of FinPod, we break down how the CFO role is transforming and what that means for ambitious finance professionals. From FP&A to board-level strategy, today’s CFOs are expected to lead digital transformation, navigate complex markets, and drive business growth beyond the numbers. We unpack the real skills that future CFOs need to…
EBITDA vs. Cash Flow: What’s the Difference? Finance professionals frequently refer to EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) as a proxy for cash flow, but that’s not quite the full story. While both EBITDA and cash flow are often used together in financial analysis, they measure very different things. What is EBITDA? EBITDA…
What are Financial Modeling Assumptions? What makes a financial model useful? It all starts with the assumptions you build it on. Financial modeling assumptions are the inputs that drive forecasting. Think of assumptions as the foundation or starting points that shape the rest of the model’s outputs, such as forecasted revenue, expenses, and cash flow….
In this FinPod episode, we discuss how startups approach funding, growth, and risk differently from established companies. From venture capital and bootstrapping to unit economics and financial modeling, learn the core strategies behind building a scalable business in uncertain conditions. We explore real-world case studies highlighting what differentiates successful startups, including Amazon, Airbnb, Shopify, and…
