Why Do 3-Statement Models Fall Out of Balance? Every financial analyst has faced it: the dreaded imbalanced 3-statement model. Whether it’s right before a presentation or after hours of work, these errors seem to show up at the worst possible times. Yet imbalances are an inevitable part of building 3-statement financial models in Excel. Knowing…
In this episode of CFI’s Member Spotlight, Nigel Rayford shares his inspiring journey into the finance world, detailing his educational background, career progression, and the impact of COVID-19 on his professional life. He discusses his experiences at Nationwide and Goldman Sachs, his current role at Texas Capital Bank, and the importance of mentorship and representation…
Starting Your Finance Career Journey Finance offers a wide range of career paths but figuring out where to start can feel overwhelming. Should you pursue corporate finance, investment banking, FinTech, or asset management? Each area requires different skills and expertise, making it difficult to know which direction is right for you. The key to success?…
What is the Burn Multiple? Burn multiple is a key financial metric that measures how efficiently a company spends money and turns its spending into new recurring revenue. Understanding the burn multiple helps in assessing capital efficiency and overall company financial health. The burn multiple metric is particularly relevant for SaaS companies, where rapid growth…
Why AI Needs Machine-Readable Financial Data AI tools like ChatGPT rely on structured, machine-readable financial data to generate accurate insights. These models interpret financial statements by recognizing patterns, relationships, and trends in well-organized datasets. When data contains merged cells, inconsistent labels, or missing values, AI tools struggle to extract meaningful information, leading to errors in…
In this episode, Meeyeon, Jeff, and Duncan discuss the newly launched specialization in Investment Banking and Private Equity (IB and PE) at CFI. Join us as we explore the reasons behind the popularity of these fields, the misconceptions surrounding private equity, and the essential skills required for success in both areas. Transcript Meeyeon (00:13) Hi…
The Best FP&A Professionals are Great Communicators The real value of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) lies in turning data into insights that drive better business decisions. The best FP&A professionals, however, don’t just analyze numbers — they communicate their findings clearly and persuasively. Yet, many financial analysts struggle to communicate their findings in a…
Why Scenario Analysis Needs an AI Upgrade Scenario analysis is a critical part of corporate finance, but long hours spent manually adjusting Excel models may soon be a thing of the past. As AI technology advances, financial analysts can streamline forecasting and develop more resilient financial strategies through automated approaches that enhance agility and improve…
In this episode of Careers in Finance, we learn that sometimes, it takes a little bit of grit. Susanne Swaniker, Group Financial Controller at De Beers, takes us through her career journey that started with asking for a meeting with a Deloitte Partner and asking for what she wanted: an auditing job. Her career journey…
What is Operational Risk? You might think of operational risk as something that only affects specific roles or departments. In reality, operational risk affects every corner of an organization regardless of industry. Managing operational risk is part of any effective risk management program. In the banking sector, operational risk refers to the risk of loss…
