Zenith · Finance Academy
You built a successful business without finance. Now it's the thing that could kill it.
A 12-week cohort programme for US business owners. Read your own numbers fluently. Make decisions with data, not gut. Walk into any bank or investor room with confidence.
You built a successful business without understanding finance. Now it's the thing that could kill it.
Who It's For
For owners whose business works — but whose finances are quietly chaotic.
- Business owner, 30–55, US-based
- Revenue $500K–$10M
- No formal financial training — learned on the job or just hired an accountant
- Decisions made on gut feel and bank balance, not financial data
- Has been told financials are 'messy' or 'unclear' by an investor or bank
- Acquisition School graduates needing financial operating clarity
What We Hear
The exact words owners use.
On understanding
- "I look at the P&L and I honestly don't know what it's telling me."
- "I have an accountant but I don't know what questions to ask."
- "Revenue is going up but I somehow have less cash. I don't understand why."
- "I've never built a budget. I just manage month to month."
On decisions
- "I made a big hiring decision based on nothing."
- "I've been pricing on instinct for 10 years. I'm probably undercharging."
- "I took on debt without really understanding the cost of it."
- "I have no idea what my business is worth. I've never calculated it."
On shame & avoidance
- "Honestly, the finances scare me. I avoid them."
- "I feel like I should know this by now. It's embarrassing."
- "My accountant talks at me and I nod. I have no idea what's happening."
The transformation
- "By Week 4, I'd repriced my services and added 12 points of margin."
- "I built my own 12-month forecast and finally felt in control."
- "I walked into the bank and held the conversation for the first time."
What You Get
12 weeks. From financial avoidance to fluency.
Weekly 90-minute live sessions, monthly 1:1 coaching, and a workbook built around your business — not generic examples.
01
Weeks 1–2 · Financial Foundations
- Reading your actual P&L, balance sheet and cashflow statement
- The three numbers every owner must know cold: EBITDA, gross margin, cash position
- Why revenue growth can mask a dying business
02
Weeks 3–4 · Pricing & Margin
- True cost of service delivery (COGS vs. overheads)
- Identifying your highest-margin services and over-rotating
- Pricing models that protect margin as you scale
- The silent margin killers most owners never see
03
Weeks 5–6 · Cashflow & Working Capital
- Why profitable businesses go bust
- Building a 13-week cashflow forecast from scratch
- Managing debtors, creditors and payment terms for cash preservation
04
Weeks 7–8 · Planning & Budgeting
- 12-month budget tied to your growth plan
- Scenario planning: revenue drop, new hire, new location
- KPI dashboard: the 5 numbers to review weekly, monthly, quarterly
05
Weeks 9–10 · Valuation & Exit Thinking
- How buyers and investors actually value a business like yours
- What your 'exit gap' looks like in financial terms
- Which decisions today will increase your multiple at exit
06
Weeks 11–12 · Capital & Banking
- How to prepare for a bank or investor conversation
- Debt vs. equity: what's right for your stage
- Reading a term sheet: what to accept, what to push back on
Pricing
Transparent structure.
| Structure | Amount | When paid |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $1,500/month | 3-month minimum |
| Cohort flat fee | $4,500 | Upfront (10% saving) |
| Corporate cohort (5+ seats) | $3,500/seat | Custom invoicing |
Example economics
- Cohort of 10 × $4,500 = $45,000
- Two cohorts per quarter = $90,000
- Add 1:1 advisory upsells: +$20,000/month
- ROI: one better pricing decision typically pays for the entire programme
How to think about it
The price point is deliberately approachable. The goal isn't education — it's transformation. By the end, you can hold your own with any bank, investor or buyer.
Why Now
The market is moving.
Owners spend heavily on compliance and bookkeeping — almost nothing on financial literacy.
Lenders require two years of clean management accounts. Most owner-run businesses can't produce them.
Most SME lending and funding programmes require clean financials — millions of businesses need this skill.
Acquisition School proved the same audience pays $6K for transformation education.
There's no practical, owner-first financial coaching for growing US businesses — only textbook courses.
Lavine has seen exactly where financial illiteracy costs owners in M&A and fundraising negotiations.