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Mark Potter

How do you find the money necessary to effectively manage your business? How do you know if a business opportunity is worthwhile? When should you invest in a stock, bond or company? Do you fear the financial side of growing your organization?

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How do you find the money necessary to effectively manage your business? How do you know if a business opportunity is worthwhile? When should you invest in a stock, bond or company? Do you fear the financial side of growing your organization?

This finance course will take the mystery out of financial analysis and help you make the right business decisions. In order to establish your company you need to secure funding. Once you have money, you need to determine the most efficient and effective use of your capital. You also need to have the knowledge to have professional and engaging conversations with finance professionals who control access to funding.

In this course, you will discover a variety of options for funding your business and how to successfully negotiate financial opportunities. You will learn how to value and evaluate ideas to determine the appropriate benefits and costs in order to screen them correctly. Finally, you will learn how to value a business and the securities you can use to potentially fund your organization.

This course is part of the Business Principles and Entrepreneurial Thought XSeries.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Tools and techniques for funding a growing business
  • How to evaluate an idea for a new product or service and determine cost and benefits
  • How to value a stock, bond, and company for business opportunities

Syllabus

None

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Explores funding and financial management processes relevant to business
Develops knowledge of funding and financial management for business growth
Taught by Mark Potter, an instructor recognized in the field
Part of the Business Principles and Entrepreneurial Thought XSeries

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Financial Analysis for Decision Making with these activities:
Review statistics and probability concepts
Review statistics and probability concepts to enhance your ability to analyze and interpret financial data.
Browse courses on Statistics
Show steps
  • Review descriptive statistics
  • Review inferential statistics
  • Review probability distributions
Review basic financial accounting principles
Review basic financial accounting principles to ensure you have a strong foundation for understanding the financial aspects of business management.
Browse courses on Financial Accounting
Show steps
  • Review the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement
  • Learn the basic accounting principles
  • Practice applying the principles to real-world examples
Develop a business plan to secure funding
Start a business plan to practice applying what you learn in the course and familiarize yourself with the process of securing funding.
Show steps
  • Identify your business idea and target market
  • Research the market and competition
  • Develop your product or service
  • Create a financial plan
  • Write your business plan
Five other activities
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Show all eight activities
Attend a workshop on financial modeling
Attend a workshop on financial modeling to gain practical experience and learn from experts.
Show steps
  • Research and find a relevant workshop
  • Register for the workshop
  • Attend the workshop
  • Participate in the exercises and discussions
  • Follow up after the workshop
Value a business using different methods
Practice valuing businesses using different methods to gain proficiency and sharpen your analytical skills.
Show steps
  • Learn the different valuation methods
  • Apply the methods to different businesses
  • Compare and contrast the results
  • Make recommendations on the best valuation method to use
Volunteer at a financial literacy organization
Volunteer at a financial literacy organization to gain practical experience and help others improve their financial literacy.
Show steps
  • Research and find a relevant organization
  • Apply to volunteer
  • Attend training
  • Volunteer your time
  • Evaluate your experience
Create a presentation on how to evaluate a business opportunity
Create a presentation to deepen your understanding and articulate the process of evaluating a business opportunity.
Show steps
  • Gather information on the opportunity
  • Analyze the market and competition
  • Identify the potential risks and rewards
  • Make a recommendation on whether or not to pursue the opportunity
  • Present your findings to a group
Mentor a younger entrepreneur
Mentor a younger entrepreneur to reinforce your understanding of the course material and develop your leadership skills.
Show steps
  • Find a mentee
  • Establish goals and expectations
  • Provide guidance and support
  • Track progress and make adjustments
  • Evaluate the experience

Career center

Learners who complete Financial Analysis for Decision Making will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Financial Analyst
Financial Analysts work in many industries, with some of the most common being investment banking, commercial banking, and insurance. In this role, you will use financial data to assess risk, identify trends, and make recommendations for investment. Taking this course can help prepare you for the field by introducing you to tools and techniques commonly used by Financial Analysts. You will gain experience valuing stocks, bonds, and businesses, which will be particularly helpful if you are interested in a career in investment banking, where you will help companies raise capital. This course can help you build a foundation in financial analysis that can help you launch your career and prepare you for the CFA Level 1 exam.
Investment Banker
Investment Bankers work with companies to raise capital, either through debt or equity. In this role, you will work closely with a company's management team to assess its financial needs and develop a plan to raise capital. You will also work with investors to find the right buyers for the company's securities. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to value businesses and how to structure financial transactions. This knowledge will be instrumental in helping you make recommendations to the companies you work with.
Commercial Banker
Commercial Bankers work with businesses to provide loans and other financial services. In this role, you will assess the creditworthiness of potential borrowers and make recommendations on whether to approve loans. You will also work with businesses to manage their cash flow and develop financial strategies. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to analyze financial statements and how to make sound lending decisions. This knowledge will be essential in helping you manage risk and make the right choices in approving or denying loans.
Private Equity Analyst
Private Equity Analysts work with private equity firms to evaluate investment opportunities. In this role, you will analyze financial data and make recommendations on whether to invest in a particular company. You will also work with the portfolio companies to help them grow and improve their financial performance. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to value businesses and how to assess their investment potential. This knowledge will be essential in helping you make sound investment decisions for your firm.
Venture Capital Analyst
Venture Capital Analysts work with venture capital firms to evaluate investment opportunities. In this role, you will analyze financial data and make recommendations on whether to invest in a particular startup. You will also work with the portfolio companies to help them grow and improve their financial performance. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to value startups and how to assess their investment potential. This knowledge will be essential in helping you make sound investment decisions for your firm.
Financial Consultant
Financial Consultants work with individuals and businesses to develop and implement financial plans. In this role, you will help clients achieve their financial goals, such as saving for retirement, buying a home, or starting a business. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to analyze financial statements, develop financial plans, and make recommendations on investment and insurance products.
Financial Planner
Financial Planners work with individuals and families to develop and implement financial plans. In this role, you will help clients achieve their financial goals, such as saving for retirement, buying a home, or funding their children's education. Taking this course can help prepare you for the CFP certification, which is the gold standard for Financial Planners. You will gain experience with financial planning tools and techniques, as well as learn how to develop and implement financial plans.
Investment Manager
Investment Managers work with clients to manage their investment portfolios. In this role, you will make investment decisions and manage risk for your clients. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to value assets, how to build portfolios, and how to manage risk. It will be helpful if you wish to pursue the CFA or CAIA certification.
Equity Research Analyst
Equity Research Analysts work with investors to provide research and analysis on stocks. In this role, you will analyze financial data and make recommendations on whether to buy, sell, or hold a particular stock. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to value stocks and how to develop investment recommendations. The CFA or CAIA certification is typically required.
Portfolio Manager
Portfolio Managers are responsible for managing investment portfolios for their clients. In this role, you will make investment decisions and manage risk for your clients. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to value assets, how to build portfolios, and how to manage risk.
Management Consultant
Management Consultants work with businesses to improve their performance. In this role, you will analyze financial data, identify inefficiencies, and make recommendations on how to improve operations. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to analyze financial statements and how to develop business recommendations.
Business Analyst
Business Analysts work with businesses to improve their performance. In this role, you will analyze financial data, identify inefficiencies, and make recommendations on how to improve operations. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to analyze financial statements and how to develop business recommendations.
Financial Auditor
Financial Auditors work with companies to ensure that their financial statements are accurate and reliable. In this role, you will review financial records, test internal controls, and make recommendations on how to improve financial accounting processes. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to read and understand financial statements and how to identify potential risks.
Risk Analyst
Risk Analysts work with businesses and financial institutions to identify and manage risk. In this role, you will analyze financial data and make recommendations on how to mitigate risk. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to identify and assess financial risk and how to develop risk management strategies.
Corporate Finance Analyst
Corporate Finance Analysts work with companies to raise capital, manage risk, and make financial decisions. In this role, you will analyze financial data and make recommendations on how to improve the company's financial performance. Taking this course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in financial analysis. You will learn how to read and understand financial statements, how to value companies, and how to develop financial models.

Reading list

We've selected 13 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Financial Analysis for Decision Making.
This practical guide helps entrepreneurs understand how to manage the financial side of their businesses. It covers topics such as financial planning, budgeting, and fundraising.
This classic investment book provides timeless principles for making sound investment decisions. It valuable resource for students looking to learn how to invest wisely.
This classic textbook provides a detailed guide to security analysis. It valuable resource for students looking to learn how to value stocks and bonds.
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of investment analysis and portfolio management. It valuable resource for students looking to learn how to make sound investment decisions.
This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of managerial finance. It valuable resource for students looking to learn how to make sound financial decisions in a business setting.
Provides a practical guide to financial management for small businesses. It valuable resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Provides a clear and concise overview of financial markets. It valuable resource for students looking to learn about the basics of investing and financial markets.

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