Business Budget Essentials Programme
A six-month practical course starting October 2025, designed for business owners and finance managers who need to build reliable budgeting systems from the ground up.
Who This Is For
You're running a small to medium business and finding that budgets feel more like guesswork than planning. Maybe you've tried spreadsheets that never get updated, or forecasts that were obsolete by month two. This programme gives you frameworks that actually work in messy, real-world conditions.
What You'll Build
By March 2026, you'll have working budget systems tailored to your business. Not theoretical models — actual tools you can use Monday morning. We focus on cash flow tracking, variance analysis, and building forecasts that don't crumble when reality hits.
Six Months of Applied Learning
The curriculum balances theory with hands-on application. Each module builds on the previous one, and you'll work with your own business data throughout — which means everything you learn has immediate relevance.
Foundation Systems
We start with chart of accounts structure and basic categorisation. Sounds boring, but if this part's wrong, everything else breaks. You'll learn how to set up tracking that actually tells you useful things about where money goes.
Cash Flow Architecture
Most businesses fail because they run out of cash, not because they're unprofitable on paper. This module teaches you to build rolling thirteen-week cash forecasts and spot problems before your bank account does.
Variance Analysis
Plans never match reality perfectly — that's fine. What matters is understanding why. We'll teach you systematic approaches to analysing budget vs actual, identifying patterns, and adjusting your approach based on what you find.
Scenario Planning
The final module covers building flexible models that help you test decisions before making them. What happens if that client delays payment? If you hire someone two months early? You'll have tools to answer these questions with reasonable confidence.
Who's Teaching This
Three practitioners who've spent years helping Australian businesses sort out their financial operations. They've seen what works and, more importantly, what doesn't.
Dempsey Quade
Lead Instructor
Dempsey spent twelve years as CFO for manufacturing companies before consulting. He specialises in cash flow systems for businesses with complex inventory and seasonal patterns.
Harlan Vesper
Budget Systems
Former controller who now helps businesses build budgeting frameworks. Harlan's background in retail and hospitality means he understands high-volume, low-margin operations.
Breccan Thorne
Forecasting Specialist
Breccan worked in corporate planning for a decade before moving to small business advisory. His focus is on building forecasts that remain useful even when circumstances change quickly.
Programme Structure and Expectations
Classes run Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 PM AEST, starting October 14, 2025. Sessions are held via video conference, recorded for later review. You'll need to commit about four hours weekly — two for the session itself, and roughly two more for exercises and applying concepts to your own business.
This isn't passive learning. Each week you'll work with actual financial data, build models, and get feedback on your approach. The programme works best if you have at least twelve months of business operations behind you — we need real numbers to work with.
- Twenty-four live sessions over six months
- Weekly practical assignments using your business data
- Small cohort sizes (maximum 15 participants)
- Direct feedback on your budget models and forecasts
- Access to templates and frameworks you can adapt
- Recording library available through December 2026
