Building Financial Clarity Through Real Analysis
We started helping analysts tackle valuation challenges back in 2018 because we noticed something odd. Most training programs taught formulas, but nobody was explaining the decision-making process behind choosing DCF over multiples, or when to adjust terminal growth assumptions.
That disconnect between textbook theory and actual desk work is what we set out to fix.
How This Started
The idea came from a frustrating afternoon in 2017. An analyst working on a tech company valuation couldn't figure out why her peer group multiples kept giving wildly different results than her DCF model. Both methods should have pointed in roughly the same direction.
Turns out, she was comparing software-as-a-service companies with traditional software vendors. The revenue recognition timing alone threw everything off. But her training program never covered how to spot these differences.
We spent the next year mapping out what analysts actually needed to know versus what typical programs were teaching. The gap was bigger than expected.
What Makes Our Approach Different
Instead of lecturing about theory, we walk through real valuation scenarios where things go sideways and you need to figure out why.
Context Over Calculation
Anyone can plug numbers into a template. We focus on understanding when a specific valuation method actually makes sense for the business you're analyzing. Industry matters more than people realize.
Assumption Testing
The hardest part of valuation is defending your assumptions when someone asks tough questions. We practice that uncomfortable conversation because it happens in every real engagement.
Pattern Recognition
After analyzing dozens of companies, you start noticing patterns in how different sectors behave. We accelerate that pattern recognition by showing you what to look for across various industries.
People Behind the Programs
Our team includes folks who've worked in equity research, corporate finance, and investment banking. What they have in common is spending years doing valuation work before teaching it.
Darya Volkov
Spent eight years covering industrials at a research firm before joining us in 2020. She's particularly good at explaining why comparable company analysis sometimes leads you astray.
Freya Lindgren
Background in M&A advisory where she built valuation models for middle-market transactions. Joined our team in 2019 and redesigned how we teach precedent transaction analysis.
Recent Project Analyses
Healthcare Valuation Challenge
In November 2024, we worked through a pharmaceutical company analysis where patent expiration timelines completely changed the terminal value calculation. Participants learned to model revenue cliff scenarios and adjust growth assumptions accordingly. The key lesson was about building flexibility into your models when regulatory factors dominate.
Pharmaceutical Sector
Retail Business Model Shifts
January 2025 session focused on a retailer transitioning from brick-and-mortar to omnichannel. The challenge was deciding how to weight historical financials versus forward projections when the business model itself was changing. We examined how margin structure evolves during these transitions.
Retail Analysis