Quick Start Guide to

the Financial Modeling

Mastery Course
Maximal Gains for Minimal Effort
These Lessons: READ the Guide to Save Time
You can read this entire module in
written form in the quick reference guide
accompanying these lessons – matches
up very closely.

We tend to explain things in writing and

show you the calculations in the Excel-
based videos.
This Course: Under Construction
As I record this in the middle of 2021, this
Financial Modeling course has changed
significantly.

We’ve been moving over and updating

content from an older, discontinued
course (“Advanced Modeling”) and
making the videos shorter.
This Course: Under Construction
The core parts of this course have now
been revamped, but there are still some
updates and fixes coming.

So Far: Modules 1 – 13 have been

revamped; Modules 14 – 15 will change,
eventually, and we’ll also revise parts of
Modules 7 – 9 (Valuation/DCF).
How to Use This Course Efficiently
• There is a lot of content, but you do not need to finish everything

• Approach: We divide topics into “basic” and “more advanced”

modules – focus on the basic ones for interviews

• Bare Minimum: You’ll need at least 8-10 hours over 1 week to get
much out of this training

• Less Time Than That: See the Interview Guide instead

• Realistic/Better: More like 1-2 hours per day over a month (maybe
30-40 hours total) to complete several substantial case studies
How to Use This Course Efficiently
• This Course: Think of it like a game or TV series with a “main
story” and then many optional episodes / side quests:
How to Use This Course Efficiently
• Quick Review: 8-10 hours

• Main Story: 30-40 hours

• Main Story + Extra: 60-70 hours

• Completionist: 140 hours

• Future Direction: “Completionist” hours will decrease because

we’re streamlining Modules 14 and 15
How to Use This Course Efficiently
• Details: See the written guide – I’m not going to waste your
time restating it in video format

• Tip #1: Read the written Quick Reference Guides and notes in
the Excel files to save time – reading is faster than watching

• Tip #2: Take the practice quiz questions at the end of each
module to test yourself and review the material quickly

• Tip #3: Complete the Before/After Excel files and written

exercises if you can, but skip them if you’re under time
pressure
How to Use This Course Efficiently
• Tip #4: Focus on the BIG PICTURE – not tiny, irrelevant details!

• Common Question: “Aha! You entered $15.197 for this company’s

revenue, but it should be $15.179. Everything’s wrong!”

• Answer: “It makes a very small difference, so it doesn’t change our

conclusions or advice. You’ll never get everything right in real life.”

• It’s very easy to “go down the rabbit hole” with these Excel files –
avoid that! Always ask yourself, “Even if this one number is off, does
it change the investment decision or advice to the client?”
How to Use This Course Efficiently
• Tip #5: This course is changing! So, always refer to the Quick Start
Guide to get the latest details and study plans

• Status: Much easier/faster to update a single written guide than to

re-record this entire video, so check the guide first – you can also
click through to specific lessons via the guide

• And if something seems inconsistent or slightly wrong, think about the

BIG PICTURE rather than tiny details – take Keynes’ advice!