Who This Helps
Junior analysts who want their work to actually get used. You've run the numbers. Now you need to present them so the board says yes. This is for anyone tired of seeing their analysis sit in a drawer.
Mini Case
Meet Viktor. He's a junior analyst at a growth-stage startup. He ran a scenario envelope for the next 12 months. His base case showed 18 months of runway. But his downside case? Only 9 months. Viktor presented both scenarios to the board with clear triggers: if monthly burn hits 12% above plan, cut hiring by 20%. The board approved his recommendations in one meeting. No follow-ups. No confusion.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Define your single board-level signal. What one number matters most this cycle? For Viktor, it was monthly net burn.
- Build your scenario envelope. Create three scenarios: base, upside, downside. Write explicit assumptions for each.
- Set runway triggers. For each scenario, define the trigger that forces action. Example: if cash drops below 6 months, pause all non-critical hires.
- Map action branches. For each trigger, write exactly what happens next. No ambiguity. The board needs to know the playbook.
- Defend one tradeoff. Pick one capital allocation choice. Show expected impact with numbers. Viktor chose to delay a new product line to extend runway by 3 months.
Avoid These Traps
- Hiding bad news. Boards respect honesty. Show the downside scenario clearly.
- Too many signals. Pick one primary signal. Don't overwhelm with 10 metrics.
- Vague triggers. "If things get bad" is not a trigger. Use specific numbers like "if monthly burn exceeds $50k."
- No action plan. Triggers without actions are just warnings. Always pair them.
- Ignoring assumptions. Every scenario needs explicit assumptions. Write them down.
- Skipping the tradeoff. Boards want to see you've thought about tradeoffs. Show your logic.
- Forgetting the audience. Board members are busy. Keep it simple. One page max.
- No follow-up plan. After approval, what's next? Define next steps and owners.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you'll have a one-page board finance memo that gets approved. You'll know your single signal, your scenario envelope, and your trigger tree. Your analysis will turn into execution. And you'll feel like Viktor: the analyst who made the board say yes.