Building Financial Models That Actually Work
We've spent the last eight years figuring out why most financial models fail in practice. Here's what we learned and how we're teaching others to build better ones.
How We Got Here
Every good financial model starts with understanding what went wrong before. Our journey began with failed spreadsheets and evolved into a systematic approach that works.
The Problem Discovery
Started as a consulting project in Ho Chi Minh City. Three different manufacturing companies asked for financial forecasts. All three models broke within six months of implementation. We realized traditional approaches missed critical operational realities that Vietnamese businesses face daily.
The Research Phase
Studied over 200 failed financial models across manufacturing, retail, and service sectors. Found common patterns: unrealistic growth assumptions, missing seasonality factors, and poor risk assessment. Started developing frameworks that accounted for Vietnamese market conditions and business cycles.
Testing and Refinement
Worked with 45 small and medium businesses to test our methodologies. Success rate improved dramatically when we focused on conservative projections and built-in flexibility. Companies using our frameworks reported 78% better accuracy in cash flow predictions compared to their previous models.
Teaching What Works
Launched FlowlyMergePoint to share practical financial modeling skills. Our programs focus on real-world scenarios, conservative assumptions, and models that remain useful over time. We teach what we've learned through actual business experience, not theoretical frameworks.
What Makes Our Approach Different
Most financial modeling courses teach Excel tricks. We teach business judgment. Our methods come from years of fixing broken models and understanding why they failed in the first place.
Conservative Forecasting
We start with worst-case scenarios and build upward. This approach has saved our clients from overextending during market downturns and helped them make more realistic business decisions.
- Risk-first modeling approach
- Stress testing methodologies
- Scenario planning frameworks
Operational Integration
Financial models must reflect how businesses actually operate. We teach you to build models that account for supply chain delays, seasonal variations, and the messy realities of running a company.
- Real business cycle modeling
- Supply chain considerations
- Operational constraint planning
Local Market Understanding
Vietnamese markets have unique characteristics that generic models miss. Our frameworks incorporate local business patterns, regulatory requirements, and cultural factors that affect financial performance.
- Vietnam-specific business cycles
- Regulatory compliance modeling
- Cultural factor integration
Practical Implementation
Models are worthless if they're too complex to maintain. We focus on building systems that business owners can actually use and update without hiring consultants every month.
- Simplified maintenance procedures
- User-friendly interfaces
- Automated validation checks
Thaddeus Kowalczyk
Financial Modeling Specialist
Learning from Expensive Mistakes
I've built financial models that cost companies millions when they failed. The worst was a retail expansion model that completely missed seasonal cash flow patterns. Six stores had to close within eighteen months. That failure taught me more about practical financial modeling than any textbook ever could.
Since then, I've made it my mission to understand why models fail and how to build ones that don't. Every framework we teach at FlowlyMergePoint comes from real experience with businesses that trusted their future to a spreadsheet.
Honest Assessment
We discuss what could go wrong before celebrating what might go right.
Practical Focus
Every technique we teach has been tested in actual business situations.
Long-term Thinking
Models should improve business decisions, not just impress investors.
Continuous Learning
Markets change. Models must evolve. We teach adaptation, not rigid formulas.
Ready to Build Better Models?
Our next comprehensive program starts in September 2025. Six months of practical training focused on building financial models that work in Vietnamese business conditions.