How We Teach Financial Control
A structured approach that turns entrepreneurial chaos into clear money management
Running a business means dealing with numbers whether you like it or not. We've spent years figuring out what actually works when teaching entrepreneurs to budget — not the theoretical stuff, but practical methods that stick even when things get messy. Our approach starts with where you are right now, not where some textbook thinks you should be.
Building Skills That Actually Last
We don't dump everything on you at once. Each phase builds on what you've already mastered, and nothing moves forward until the foundation feels solid.
Reality Check Phase
First three weeks are about understanding where your money actually goes. Not judging, not fixing yet — just seeing the patterns clearly. Most entrepreneurs discover they've been guessing at their numbers, and that's totally normal.
Control Framework Build
Weeks four through nine focus on creating your personal budgeting system. This isn't about following someone else's template — it's about designing something that matches how your specific business operates and how your brain works.
Decision Making Practice
Months three and four get into real scenarios. We work through actual decisions you're facing — whether to hire someone, invest in equipment, or ride out a slow period. The goal is developing judgment, not memorizing formulas.
Systems That Run Themselves
Final phase focuses on automation and maintenance. You'll set up systems that handle routine monitoring while keeping you informed about what matters. By month six, most participants spend less than 90 minutes weekly on money management.
Who's Teaching You
People who've actually run businesses and dealt with the financial mess that comes with it
Rayburn Thistlewood
Small Business Finance
Spent fifteen years managing finances for retail operations before switching to teaching. Specializes in helping product-based businesses handle inventory costs and seasonal fluctuations.
Marlowe Fenwick
Service Business Budgeting
Former consulting firm owner who learned budgeting the hard way through a near-bankruptcy experience in 2019. Now focuses on helping service providers manage irregular income streams.
Dashiell Grimshaw
Growth Phase Finance
Background in venture-backed startups and bootstrapped companies. Works primarily with entrepreneurs navigating rapid growth or major business transitions that mess with established budgets.
Our Teaching Philosophy
Every entrepreneur learns differently, and their business has unique challenges. We don't believe in one-size-fits-all approaches because we've seen them fail too many times.
Sessions mix direct instruction with working on your actual business numbers. No hypothetical examples unless we're illustrating a specific principle — everything else uses your real data.
What Makes This Work
- Small group sizes mean actual attention to your specific situation
- Regular check-ins between sessions keep momentum going
- Access to instructors via email when you hit real-world problems
- Peer learning from other entrepreneurs facing similar challenges
- Practical tools and templates you can adapt immediately
- Follow-up support for six months after program completion
Learning From Real Situations
We study actual cases from past participants to understand what works and what doesn't. Here's what we've learned from helping entrepreneurs take control of their finances.
Turning Around a Construction Business
A Perth-based renovation contractor joined our October 2024 cohort after three years of steady work but inconsistent profitability. They were busy, but money problems kept appearing unexpectedly.
The core issue wasn't revenue — it was timing. Materials got purchased before deposits arrived, subcontractors needed payment before final invoices went out, and there was no system tracking what was actually owed versus what had been paid.
What Changed
- Created job-specific budgets that tracked costs in real-time
- Set up a reserve account for the gap between expenses and payments
- Established clear payment terms that reduced cash flow stress
- Built a simple forecasting system for upcoming months
- Started declining projects that didn't meet minimum profit margins
Methodology in Practice
The transformation came from understanding their specific cash flow pattern rather than trying to force their business into standard accounting practices. Custom solutions beat generic advice every time.
Key Takeaways From Teaching Experience
Start Simple
Complex systems fail under pressure. The entrepreneurs who succeed start with basic tracking and only add complexity when they've mastered the fundamentals.
Know Your Pattern
Every business has a unique financial rhythm. Understanding yours matters more than following industry benchmarks that might not apply to your situation.
Review Regularly
Weekly 15-minute reviews prevent monthly surprises. Consistency beats intensity when it comes to financial monitoring — small regular check-ins work better than quarterly deep dives.