One aspect of accounting is how all humans who need to make informed and fact-based financial decisions in a world with uncertainty basically have to do accounting. The goal of our accounting sessions is not to train accountants, but to help working professionals realize that the need for accounting is unavoidable as long as someone wants to make informed financial decisions and to show the broad applications of accounting. Topics include:

• What is the purpose of the Balance Sheet and Income Statement and why are they important?
• How is the Income Statement related to the Balance Sheet?
• When is revenue really earned and thus recorded?
• When are expenses really incurred and thus recorded?

This course covers the structure and objective of the firm and the methods that its managers use to evaluate and select value-adding investments.  Through lecture material and interactive examples, you’ll learn how to:

• Model project cash flows and carry out time value of money calculations
• Value common sources of capital (stocks and bonds) and understand the implications of capital structure
• Make investment decisions in a capital budgeting process using metrics such as NPV and IRR
• Gain practical problem-solving skills with financial models and techniques implemented in Microsoft Excel

Real-world dilemmas and ethical decision-making frameworks

This course will equip you to think through challenging situations, come up with your own solution(s) to a given problem, and be able to demonstrate how you got there. You will also be more aware of how our brains are often making decisions for us without being aware that it is happening – and what this can mean for yourself and those around you.

The workplace is a different culture than school, and to be successful you need to be able to successful working in that culture. In this session we’ll talk about six practical skills that will make you more successful in your jobs, including:

• How to build and enhance your credibility
• How to get your best work done—and get credit for it
• How to build positive work relationships with bosses and peers

In this course you will receive career preparation, and in the session you will:

• Identify where you are in the Career Development Framework and choose one next step to take in your career planning
• Apply best practices for informational interviews by identifying target contacts, drafting outreach messages, and preparing meaningful questions
• Practice and refine response to the question, “Tell me about yourself,” in a networking or professional setting

What if your negotiated agreements could be even 1% better, or 5%, or 10%?  How do experts approach competitive conversations differently?  In this interactive session, we’ll look at some negotiation strategies and practical skills that can help you achieve better outcomes.  We’ll also make applications to the work environment, including job offers, and success within the professional world. 

Whether you’re pitching an idea, leading a meeting, or presenting to a client or team, strong communication skills are essential. Yet, many influence efforts fall flat—not because the ideas aren’t good, but because the messaging doesn’t connect. In this session we’ll explore how to craft and deliver influence messages that are clear, persuasive, and memorable. You will learn how to:

• Structure your messaging using persuasive formats and storytelling techniques
• Break down the elements of verbal and non-verbal communication, both in-person and in virtual settings like Zoom
• Design slides and materials that support—not distract from—your message
• Build confidence in your communication

This program includes a business challenge simulation, which allows you to practice key financial analysis tools. The simulation is designed to help you understand how your decisions impact business value and engage in financial discussions with greater confidence. Through the simulation you will learn:

• Connect day-to-day decisions to key drivers of value
• Learn how to effectively drive business growth using financial data and metrics
• Gain conversancy with financial statements
• Analyze projects through the lens of finances and value creation