Teaching Methods That Actually Stick
We've spent years figuring out what works when teaching business model fundamentals. Turns out, the old lecture-and-memorize approach doesn't cut it anymore. People learn best when they're working through real scenarios, making decisions, and sometimes even failing in a safe environment. That's what we've built here.
How We Teach Finance Differently
Each method we use has been tested with hundreds of students across Australia. Some techniques worked brilliantly. Others didn't. Here's what made it into our 2025 programs.
Case Analysis Sessions
You'll dissect real Australian businesses that succeeded or failed based on their financial models. We're talking about actual companies with publicly available data, not made-up examples.
Simulation Exercises
Run your own virtual business over a simulated three-year period. Make budgeting decisions, respond to market changes, and see consequences play out in weeks instead of years.
Peer Review Workshops
Present your financial projections to classmates who'll challenge your assumptions. It's uncomfortable at first, but this is where the real learning happens.
Industry Walkthroughs
Guest practitioners join us quarterly to explain how they actually apply these concepts. No sales pitches, just honest conversations about what works in practice.
Project-Based Learning
Build a complete business model canvas for a concept you're interested in. By the end, you'll have something tangible that could actually guide a future venture.
Adaptive Pacing
Progress at your own speed through core concepts, then sync up with your cohort for collaborative work. We've found this balance works better than forcing everyone onto the same timeline.
Small Groups, Big Conversations
We cap our discussion groups at twelve people. Any larger and some voices get lost. Any smaller and you don't get enough diverse perspectives.
These sessions run every fortnight throughout the program. You'll bring questions about what you're learning, share insights from your practice work, and help others work through concepts they're struggling with.
What surprised us most when we started these groups back in 2023 was how much people learned from each other's mistakes. Someone shares a budgeting error they made in the simulation, and suddenly five others realize they were making the same mistake.
- Facilitated discussions with structured time for everyone to contribute
- Problem-solving sessions where groups tackle complex financial scenarios together
- Feedback rounds that help refine understanding before moving forward
- Question queues so quieter participants don't get overshadowed
Who's Teaching These Programs
Our instructors bring different backgrounds to the table. Some came from corporate finance. Others built and sold their own businesses. What they share is practical experience applying these concepts in Australian markets.
Sienna Kirkpatrick
Lead Instructor
Sienna spent twelve years as a financial controller for mid-sized Australian companies before transitioning to education in 2021. She's particularly good at explaining cash flow management because she's dealt with it going wrong more times than she'd like to remember. Her simulation exercises are based on real situations she encountered, which makes them uncomfortably realistic. Students often say her sessions feel more like mentorship than traditional teaching.
Margot Lindgren
Workshop Facilitator
Margot handles our case analysis workshops and brings fifteen years of consulting experience to every session. She's worked with over forty Australian businesses on financial restructuring and knows exactly which questions to ask to make you rethink your assumptions.
Making Theory Actually Useful
We structure every learning session around application rather than absorption. You'll spend less time taking notes and more time working through problems that mirror what you'd face when building or managing a business.
Our September 2025 cohort will be the first to use our revised curriculum, which cuts theoretical content by thirty percent to make room for more hands-on work. This shift came from student feedback showing that people retained concepts better when they immediately applied them.
Weekly Practice Sets
Short exercises that take twenty to forty minutes. They're designed to reinforce specific concepts before you move forward, with detailed feedback provided within three days.
Monthly Projects
Larger assignments where you build complete financial models or business cases. These take real effort but give you portfolio pieces you can actually use later.
Open Office Hours
Drop-in sessions twice weekly where you can get help with anything you're stuck on. No appointments needed, just show up when you need guidance.
Resource Library
Templates, worksheets, and reference materials that you keep access to after the program ends. We update these quarterly based on changing business conditions.
Ready to Learn Through Doing?
Our next program begins in September 2025. Enrollment opens in June, with spaces limited to maintain our small group sizes. If you want to understand business models through practical application rather than passive learning, this might work for you.
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