We Started With a Spreadsheet and a Problem
Back in 2017, Rowan was sitting in a regional bank office trying to explain why their financial projections didn't make sense. The models looked impressive but fell apart under basic scrutiny. That's when it clicked—most people learn financial modelling through templates, not principles.
So we built something different. Not another course promising mastery in weeks, but a structured learning path that treats financial modelling like the craft it actually is. Started with twelve students in a rented space in Tamworth. Now we're helping people across Australia build models that actually hold up.
Eight Years of Getting Better at This
We've made plenty of mistakes along the way. Here's what stuck and what we learned from the parts that didn't.
The Beginning Was Messy
Rowan left a comfortable banking job to teach financial modelling. Friends thought he'd lost it. First cohort had mixed results—some got it immediately, others struggled with the pacing. Learned more from that first group than any textbook ever taught.
Found Our Teaching Rhythm
After iterating on curriculum structure for two years, something clicked. Students stopped asking for more templates and started asking better questions about methodology. That's when we knew we were onto something. Brought Saffron on board to develop the practical case studies that became our core strength.
Adapted When Everything Shifted
Pandemic forced us online faster than planned. Initially worried we'd lose the hands-on element that made our approach work. Turned out, screen sharing and breakout rooms created opportunities we hadn't considered. Students could review complex builds at their own pace. Who knew?
Expanded Without Losing Focus
Added specialized tracks for different industries after students kept asking for sector-specific approaches. Healthcare finance looks nothing like retail modelling. Makes sense to acknowledge that in how we structure learning paths. Each track maintains the same rigorous foundation, just applied differently.
Still Learning Alongside Students
Now working with our eighth cohort for the year. Financial modelling keeps evolving—new tools, different stakeholder expectations, changing regulatory landscapes. We update materials based on what students encounter in real roles. Next intensive starts September 2025, already reshaping modules based on feedback from autumn participants.
Who's Actually Teaching You
No celebrity instructors or famous names here. Just people who've built thousands of models and figured out how to explain what works. They've all spent years in roles where bad models meant real consequences.
Rowan Kestrel
Spent eleven years building models for regional banks before realizing he preferred teaching the process. Has strong opinions about assumption documentation. Will absolutely call out circular references in your homework. Former students describe his feedback as detailed to the point of excessive, which he takes as a compliment.
Saffron Brennan
Came from corporate finance where she built acquisition models that actually influenced deal decisions. Known for breaking down complex valuation concepts into digestible pieces. Students appreciate her "show your working" approach—you won't just learn formulas, you'll understand why they matter. Maintains that good modelling is 70% structure, 30% formulas.
How We Actually Teach This Stuff
-
Build From Principles
We start with the logic before touching spreadsheets. Students map out model structures on paper first. Sounds old-fashioned but it works—you'll understand why your model does what it does, not just that it produces numbers.
-
Real Cases, Actual Problems
Every case study comes from situations we've encountered or students have shared. Messy data, unclear requirements, changing assumptions—all the fun stuff you'll face in actual roles. No sanitized textbook examples that bear no resemblance to reality.
-
Feedback That Matters
You'll submit models and get detailed review within 48 hours. Not just "good job" comments—actual critique on structure, assumption logic, and presentation. Sometimes it stings. That's how you get better at this.
-
Small Groups Make Difference
We cap cohorts at 24 participants. Means you can't hide in the back and means instructors actually know your name and track your progress. You'll work with the same small group throughout—peer review turns out to be incredibly valuable.