Financial Analysis
Strong businesses are driven by strong financial decisions. This section covers the key metrics, dashboards, and analysis techniques that founders and operators use to drive clarity and performance. You’ll learn how to interpret your numbers, spot trends, and use data to inform smarter decisions.
Key Financial Metrics for Founders
The right metrics give you a true picture of your business health. We cover critical metrics such as gross profit margin, net profit margin, return on investment, customer acquisition cost, and lifetime value — and how to use them to guide strategy.
How to Build a Financial Dashboard
A well-designed dashboard makes financial insights easy to access and act upon. You’ll learn what data to include, how to design a simple dashboard, and how to ensure your team uses it to stay aligned and accountable.
Analyzing Profitability & Margins
Understanding profitability requires looking beyond top-line revenue. We explore how to analyze margins at multiple levels — gross, operating, and net — and how to improve them over time through strategic pricing, cost management, and process optimization.
Identifying Trends & Opportunities
Financial trends reveal the story behind the numbers. Learn how to analyze trends in revenue, expenses, customer behavior, and operational efficiency — and how to turn these insights into actionable opportunities for growth.
Using Financial Data to Drive Strategy
The best strategic decisions are data-driven. We’ll show you how to incorporate financial analysis into your strategic planning process so you can allocate resources effectively and prioritize the initiatives that will drive the highest return.
Articles related to Financial Analysis:
Leading vs. Lagging Indicators
Chartstravaganza: Charts for Small Business
The Rolling 12-Month Analysis
Unit Economics – Finding Your Crown Jewel
Pricing Strategy – Markup vs. Margin
How Much Cash Should Your Business Keep?
The Easy 4-Step Process to Build a Business Scorecard
A Full Business Breakdown
Business Breakdown Part II: Financial Statement Analysis
Business Breakdown Part III: Projections Planning
3 Things You Can Learn from Netflix Q4 Results
Exit Planning Tips and Tricks
The Quarterly View
Building a Financial Review Routine
Do These 3 Things With Your Financials
What’s Your Neighbor Up To? (A Guide to Benchmarking)