FinanceTalking
Commercial Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Online Financial Training Courses
Our online financial training courses are written and designed in-house to be practical, concise and engaging. They are great as a stand-alone learning tool, as a pre-course requirement or to consolidate your previous learning.
We break down each course into bite-sized chunks so that you can do 5 or 10 minutes at a time on your smartphone, tablet or laptop anywhere you like so long as you have an internet connection and headphones.
Our personalised approach means that you can email or phone your tutor if you have questions.
Demo coming soon...
Financial Management
Online Courses
The Basics of Business Finance – Essentials Online Course
2-3 Hours Introductory SkillsThis course is designed to give you a good understanding of the basics of business finance. You will learn how businesses are funded and what the money’s used for; how they make profits and generate cash; how to measure business performance; where to find the information you’ll need. You’ll see how income statements and balance sheets work and you’ll also understand key financial jargon, concepts and commonly used financial metrics.
- Develop a good understanding of the basics of business finance
- Learn lots of key concepts and financial language
- See how financial statements work and how they are used
- See how to calculate commonly used financial metrics
Budgeting and Forecasting – Essentials Online Course
2-3 Hours Introductory SkillsLearn all about budgeting and forecasting. This course will help you understand how to go about preparing a budget including what information you’ll need to ask for before you start and how to review your numbers for reasonableness. You’ll see how to use typical monthly reports and learn how to input to the forecasting process.
- Learn to prepare and review a budget
- Understand the role of forecasting
- Be familiar with cost types and behaviours
- Gain confidence using budgets including variance analysis and other month-end issues
Investment Appraisal – Essentials Online Course
2 Hours Introductory SkillsUnderstand investment appraisal from first principles. We cover payback period, ROI, NPV, IRR and making the business case. We also show you how to think about the inputs to your spreadsheet and how to challenge the assumptions to ensure that you’re making the best possible decisions.
- Be able to assess a project from a financial point of view
- Understand what’s expected of you and how the process of project appraisal works
- Use appraisal methodologies such as payback period, ROI, NPV and IRR effectively
- Be able to make a compelling business case
How to Analyse a Company – Coffee Break
Coffee BreakLearn how to analyse a company in just 20 minutes with a series of 6 steps that will give you a quick and easy view of how a company’s doing.
Whether you’re looking from the point of view of a supplier, a lender, an investor or a potential employee, by the end of the course you’ll be in a good position to make an assessment of how the business is performing, whether it is financially sound and what the future is likely to hold.
Understanding Shareholder Value – Essentials Online Course
2 Hours Introductory SkillsBy the end of the course, you will have a good understanding of shareholder value, including what it means from a shareholder’s point of view; what it means from a company’s point of view; the levers a company can pull to create more value; making the link with strategic actions that drive value creation and communicating shareholder value.
- Understand what shareholder value really means
- See how companies drive value internally and externally
- Understand the cost of capital and efficient balance sheets
- Make the link with strategic actions that drive value creation
If you work in a listed company environment you may also be interested in the following courses:
Introduction to Companies, Funding & the Capital Markets – Essentials Online Course
2-3 Hours Introductory SkillsThis course covers the basics of financial markets and instruments; how the capital markets work and the role of key participants; how companies access the capital markets and what it means to be a listed company.
- Understand capital markets, how companies issue shares and bonds and how they are traded
- Appreciate the role of investment banks
- See the perspectives of key participants such as sell-side analysts, ratings agencies and investors
- Learn lots of financial jargon and concepts
We offer certificates for all our courses, including the online courses that we include to enable you to consolidate your learning.
Most CPD is now self-certified (e.g. accountancy, law etc) so we don’t offer CPD “points” for particular organisations. However, our courses would certainly meet most organisations’ CPD requirements.
Interesting & Engaging Training Courses
All our public courses are run in small groups with experienced tutors who are adept at adjusting the course material to suit the delegates on the day.
Your tutor will be enthusiastic and knowledgeable with a talent for making complex concepts simple.
Most importantly, you will return to work with the tools in place to implement your learning and really make a difference.
- Thanks for an extremely enjoyable day yesterday; you really made the learning experience easy, the course was well structured, professionally delivered, and your genuine enthusiasm was infectious!
Open Courses for Non-Financial Managers
Introductory Skills
Finance for Non-Financial Managers Intro London
1-Day Introductory SkillsBUY ONE PLACE GET ONE HALF PRICE – Email us to book.
This course, designed for non-financial managers, uses the FinanceTalking accounting game to show you how accounting works. By the end of the day you will have a good understanding of how the income statement (P&L), balance sheet and cash flows fit together. You will appreciate the role of financial management and you will see how to apply your learning to a real company example. We teach in small groups so that you can be sure of individual attention.
- Get to grips with how accountants think and be able to use the language of finance
- Understand how the key financial statements fit together
- Appreciate the relationship between profits and cash flows
- Understand the key drivers of profitability
- Be able to link the numbers with underlying business activities
- Gain an understanding of both management information and financial accounts.
Developing/Leadership Skills
Commercial Finance for Non-Financial Managers London
2-Days Developing SkillsBUY ONE PLACE GET ONE HALF PRICE – Email us to book
This two-day course is ideal for business managers who would like to be more financially skilled. Starting from scratch, you’ll understand the key financial concepts that are of crucial importance in the boardroom. And we break these concepts down to see what they mean for you in your role. We cover the big picture; how accountants think; how the numbers help you understand performance; budgeting and forecasting; and investment appraisal – everything you need to know to make better business decisions.
- Understand balance sheets and income statements and use them confidently
- Contribute effectively to budgets and forecasts
- Understand key corporate finance concepts such as ROI and cost of capital
- Be able to evaluate investment proposals using concepts such as NPV and IRR
- Make better decisions by understanding the financial impact of your actions
- Be able to speak the language of the boardroom
Commercial Finance for HR Professionals
2-Days Developing SkillsThis two-day workshop is ideal for HR professionals who would like to be more financially skilled. Starting from scratch, you’ll understand the key financial concepts that are of crucial importance in the boardroom. And we break these concepts down to see what they mean for you in your role. We cover the big picture; how accountants think; how the numbers help you understand performance and set targets; budgeting and forecasting; and investment appraisal – everything you need to know to engage more effectively with your business partners.
- Understand key corporate finance concepts such as ROI and cost of capital
- Understand balance sheets and income statements and use them confidently
- Contribute effectively to budgets and forecasts
- Be able to evaluate investment proposals using concepts such as NPV and IRR
- Understand the key drivers of profitability and efficiency and the link with both HR metrics and remuneration
- Make better decisions by understanding the financial impact of your actions
- Be able to speak the language of the boardroom
Commercial Finance for Sales & Marketing Professionals
2-Days Developing SkillsThis two-day workshop is ideal for sales and marketing professionals who would like to be more financially skilled. Starting from scratch, you’ll understand the key financial concepts that are of crucial importance in the boardroom. And we break these concepts down to see what they mean for you in your role. We cover the big picture; how accountants think; how the numbers help you understand performance and set targets; budgeting and forecasting; and investment appraisal – everything you need to know to make better business decisions.
- Appreciate the big picture – the impact of economics, how strategy is set and the impact on forecasting
- Understand key corporate finance concepts such as ROI, the value of brands and marketing investment
- Contribute effectively to price and volume decisions
- Understand balance sheets and income statements and use them confidently
- Contribute effectively to budgets and forecasts and be able to evaluate investment proposals using concepts such as NPV and IRR
- Be able to speak the language of the boardroom
Strategic & Commercial Finance for Business Leaders
2-Days Leadership SkillsStarting with a brief recap, we break down the drivers of shareholder value to understand what they mean for strategy and for you in your leadership role. You will take away the skills you need to engage fully in strategic discussions and corporate finance decisions, enabling you to contribute effectively to your organisation’s financial decision-making processes.
- Understand the big picture – what shareholder value really means and how this feeds through to strategy and investment decision-making
- Appreciate the impact of the economic environment and how this might impact strategy and risk management
- Gain an overview of whole company valuation for listed and private companies and in M&A situations
- Be able to identify key performance indicators, appreciate how they drive the business and see how to set appropriate targets
- Further develop your practical financial management skills
Excellent Venues
Our UK courses are held at wallacespace in central London.
They believe, like us, that learning needs a stimulating environment that shrugs off the constraints of the typical office.
Our UK courses are held in central London
within walking distance from mainline stations.
wallacespace have airy spaces flooded with
natural daylight designed to energise and inspire.
Expect a wonderful selection of delicious food.
Enjoy breakfast, lunch and snacks during the day.
We offer certificates for all our courses, including the online courses that we include to enable you to consolidate your learning.
Most CPD is now self-certified (e.g. accountancy, law etc) so we don’t offer CPD “points” for particular organisations. However, our courses would certainly meet most organisations’ CPD requirements.
Why FinanceTalking
Our financial training courses are designed by our experienced tutors and the way we do it really works.
Your tutor will be enthusiastic and knowledgeable with a talent for making complex concepts simple. Most importantly, we send you away with practical skills that you can put into practice back at work, ensuring long-lasting learning.
You will have access to a virtual classroom with further eLearning and/or briefing papers that will help you consolidate your learning.
- For the first time I feel confident in discussing/challenging colleagues on financial matters
- What a fantastic two days. You made it fly by and were adept at dealing with all of us and our individual requests. You have really improved my knowledge and confidence
Financial Training for Non-Financial Managers
We usually start the course design process with an analysis of your team’s needs. Download our learning needs analysis form here: LNA.
Below you can see a list of the subjects that we cover regularly and some examples of typical assignments.
If you would like to discuss your team's requirements,
please call Miranda Lane on +44 (0)1572 717000
or email miranda@financetalking.com.
Building financial acumen
"We'd like to improve the financial literacy of our divisional MDs so that they can engage fully in the reporting and planning process"
Corporate finance and M&A
"Our COO needs to understand the language of corporate finance in order to be able to evaluate M&A opportunities"
Understanding the City
"We'd like our staff to be familiar with the language of City professionals and understand their perspectives so that they can make their reports more relevant to clients"
Project appraisal
"We'd like account directors to use financial insight and skills in project management and decision-making"
Some of our Clients
arvato | BBC | DHL | Hempel | Lloyds Banking Group |Mouchel | MetLife | NET-A-PORTER | NCI Building Systems | RBS |Volkswagen | wallacespace