Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Finances are the lifeblood of any organization. Understanding income statements and balance sheets is no longer the sole responsibility of the controller, CFO, or business owner. All functional leaders, regardless of their area of focus, will inevitably face decisions that emphasize the importance of financial data. For example, how do you assess and execute on multiple project opportunities? How long will it take to recoup an investment in a new product or service enhancement? Will your choice be profitable and mitigate downside risk to the organization?
Thankfully, the answers to these questions are not based on emotion or opinion but can be solved using proven ways to measure and evaluate the value of projects with sound financial analysis. Finance for Non-Financial Managers is designed to give the foundational tools to be a more informed leader and strategic contributor who can weigh financial risks and costs when evaluating opportunities and driving new initiatives. We’ll show you how to read and analyze financial statements, estimate project cash flows, compare projects, and make sound financial decisions.
There are no prerequisites for the course and no prior finance knowledge is required; however, this program assumes basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel. Interested participants are encouraged to attend individually or in teams from their organizations.
This program is not currently accepting registrations. Please join our mailing list to learn about other programs currently available, and/or the interest list to be notified the next time it is offered.
Key Takeaways
Meet the Faculty
Additional Information
No matter your functional background – marketing, operations, human resources, engineering, IT – you’ll learn financial concepts in an easy-to-grasp, straightforward manner. Current or prospective managers, hi-potential leaders, business owners, lawyers, medical professionals, and others across virtually any industry sector looking for ways to make more informed business decisions using financial metrics will benefit from attending. Participants include managers with no experience with financial concepts and finance techniques to executives who wish to update their knowledge of basic finance and accounting functions.
This program assumes basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
The course is offered virtually across five half-day sessions.
Day 1:
- Introductions and program overview
- Introduction to Financial Statements and Reporting Quality
- Balance Sheets, Profit and Loss Statements, and Cash Flows
Day 2:
- Analyzing Financial Statements and Trends
- Financial Ratios
- Firm Valuation Methods
Day 3:
- Creating your own pro-forma financial statements
- Making Investment Decisions
- NPV and IRR
Day 4:
- Cost of Capital (WACC)
- Capital Budgeting
- Case Study (Hands on evaluation of investment choices)
Day 5:
- Introduction to Financial Markets
- Raising Capital
- IPOs and Private Equity
Course materials are included in the cost of tuition and will be distributed electronically in advance of the program start date. Participants must have a laptop or tablet computer to access course materials and should have access to Microsoft Excel. This program assumes basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
Program Cancellation
This course is offered contingent upon sufficient enrollment. If a course must be canceled, all registered participants will be notified at least five (5) calendar days before the course’s start date. All registered participants will receive a 100% tuition refund. No fees will be charged for canceled courses.
Individual Cancellation – Refund Policy
Prospective participants who withdraw at least 10 days prior to the start of a course will receive a full refund of tuition paid.
For more information, or to speak with a program adviser, please send an email to executivewake@wfu.edu
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