Financial Statements 101

Amid efforts to operationalize their vision, entrepreneurs sometimes overlook or deprioritize an essential aspect of their enterprise’s long-term sustainability – its financial health. Monitoring and maintaining your enterprise’s financial health requires a foundational understanding of financial statements. This introductory course demystifies complex concepts and presents them in a way that is approachable and easy-to-understand no matter your current level of financial knowledge. Through an illustrative case study, you will learn to read balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements - and understand the basics of how they fit together to inform an enterprise’s strategic choices. You will be supported on this journey by Brian Trelstad, a senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School and former Chief Investment Officer at Acumen, who brings his financial expertise from years in the industry. If you want to gain a basic understanding of your enterprise’s finances, make informed strategic and fundraising choices, and build trust with stakeholders through financial transparency, this course is a great place to start.