Business Finance Foundation

Week 1: Introduction to Business Finance

 • Module 1.1: Overview of Business Finance

 ◦ Definition and importance of business finance

 ◦ Key financial concepts and principles

 • Module 1.2: Financial Statements

 ◦ Understanding the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement

 ◦ How to read and interpret financial statements

 • Module 1.3: Time Value of Money

 ◦ Concept of time value of money

 ◦ Present value and future value calculations

Week 2: Financial Planning and Analysis

 • Module 2.1: Budgeting and Forecasting

 ◦ Importance of budgeting in business

 ◦ Techniques for effective forecasting

 • Module 2.2: Financial Ratios and Analysis

 ◦ Key financial ratios (liquidity, profitability, solvency)

 ◦ How to analyze and interpret financial ratios

 • Module 2.3: Break-Even Analysis

 ◦ Understanding fixed and variable costs

 ◦ Calculating and interpreting the break-even point

Week 3: Financing and Investment Decisions

 • Module 3.1: Sources of Business Finance

 ◦ Equity vs. debt financing

 ◦ Short-term and long-term financing options

 • Module 3.2: Capital Budgeting

 ◦ Techniques for evaluating investment opportunities (NPV, IRR, payback period)

 ◦ Making informed investment decisions

 • Module 3.3: Cost of Capital

 ◦ Understanding the cost of equity and debt

 ◦ Calculating the weighted average cost of capital (WACC)

Week 4: Advanced Topics and Practical Applications

 • Module 4.1: Risk Management

 ◦ Identifying and managing financial risks

 ◦ Techniques for hedging and risk mitigation

 • Module 4.2: Financial Markets and Instruments

 ◦ Overview of financial markets

 ◦ Understanding different financial instruments (stocks, bonds, derivatives)

 • Module 4.3: Final Project and Review

 ◦ Developing a comprehensive financial plan for a business

 ◦ Peer reviews and feedback