Staging environment

Financial Statements Explained Simply

From Rookie to Pro in 6 Lessons.

This course is no longer available.

Explore other courses

Hosted by

Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel

Demystifying finance for 600,000+ people each week.

Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel

Demystifying finance for 600,000+ people each week.

Our alumni work at:

Course overview

Accounting is the language of business

Yet, the vast majority of professionals can't read financial statements.

This 2-week course will teach you how to find, read, and interpret financial statements like a pro.

These skills will make you a better investor and accelerate your career.

Who is this course for

Investors who want to learn how to analyze a business and manage their own portfolio.

Ambitious leaders and professionals who want to advance their careers by gaining fluency in financial statements.

Entrepreneurs who want to learn how to see their business through the eyes of an investor.

Investors who want to learn how to analyze a business and manage their own portfolio.

Ambitious leaders and professionals who want to advance their careers by gaining fluency in financial statements.

Entrepreneurs who want to learn how to see their business through the eyes of an investor.

Key outcomes

Locate important information

You'll discover where to look for trusted data that leads to stellar financial decisions.

Analyze financial statements

You'll know what each item represents on an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement — and how the financial statements work together.

Identify Yellow + Red Flags

Learn how to identify warning signs in financial statements that can reveal trouble on the horizon.

Think like an investor

Learn the key numbers & metrics that the best investors focus on when they analyze a business.

Separate noise from signal

You'll be able to quickly identify the key variables that truly matter in the long-run.

Calculate useful ratios

Learn how a few simple calculations will empower you to analyze financial statements in minutes.

What’s included

Live sessions

Learn directly from Brian Feroldi & Brian Stoffel in a real-time, interactive format.

Lifetime access

Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to.

Community of peers

Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.

Certificate of completion

Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.

Maven Guarantee

This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.

Course syllabus

Week 1

Jan 8—Jan 14

📺 Introduction to Accounting Webinar

📄
📺 Prework - Introduction to Accounting Webinar

Balance Sheet: 🏗️ Foundations

We start with an overview of the three financial statements. We then look at the balance sheet in detail. We review every line item and then analyze the balance sheets of several public companies.

📄
Balance Sheet: 🏗️ Foundations

Income Statement: 🏗️ Foundations

On day 2, we study the income statement. We walk through the statement line by line. We then examine the income statements of several public companies.

📄
Income Statement: Foundations

Office Hours: 🗣️ Ask us anything

Join us for a 1 hour discussion to cover any topic that you'd like

Week 2

Jan 15—Jan 21

Cash Flow Statement: 🏗️ Foundations

Day 3 starts with an overview of the statement of cash flows. We study each line in detail and then analyze the cash flow statements of several well-known businesses.

📄
Cash Flow: Foundations

Balance Sheet: 🔎 Advanced Analysis

On day 4, we return to the balance sheet for a more rigorous analysis. We calculate several helpful ratios, learn how to spot yellow + red flags, and analyze several complex balance sheets.

📄
Balance Sheet: Advanced Analysis

Office Hours: 🗣️ Ask us anything

Join us for a 1 hour discussion to cover any topic that you'd like

Week 3

Jan 22—Jan 24

Income Statement: 🔎 Advanced Analysis

On day 5, we return to the income statement for a more detailed discussion. We learn how to calculate margins, spot warning signs, and analyze several tricky income statements.

📄
Income Statement: Advanced Analysis

Cash Flow Statement: 🔎 Advanced Analysis

On day 6, we cover the cash flow statement again, this time with a much more rigorous analysis. We calculate ratios, learn how to spot yellow flags, and analyze several complex cash flow statements.

📄
Cash Flow Statement - Advanced Analysis

♻️ Putting it all together

It's time to put your new skills to the test! Each student will analyze the financials of a company of their choosing. We will review the submissions together and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of several businesses.

📄
♻️ Putting it all together

Bonus

Office Hours: 🗣️ Ask us anything

Join us for TWO bonus 1-hour bonus session.

♻️ Putting it all together

What students are saying

Don't Take Our Word For It:

Our Alumni Are Raving Fans

Student Improvement: Before & After

Our alumni rated their understanding before & after the course on a 1 - 10 scale.

What Course Alumni Think:

"I REALLY enjoyed the course -- it was worth every penny!"

Mo Gazipura

Investor | Cohort 1 Student

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Two Thumbs WAY UP."

Brent Groh

CEO | Cohort 2 Student

"This course is OUTSTANDING. I came away with a MUCH greater understanding of financial statements."

Harlan Havig

Investor | Cohort 2 Student

Brian & Brian are genuinely fun people who love teaching and REALLY care about student outcomes."

Helena Wu

Investor | Cohort 2 Student

"This is an amazing course that everyone should take. Brian and Brian make the learning process interesting, efficient, and fun! Highly recommended!"

Sunny Sharma

Investor | Cohort 1 Student

"If you want to learn how to break down the key financial documents of a company, this course is a must. You will walk away a better investor."

Igli Laci

Investor | Cohort 2 Student

If you are a serious investor you need to be able to read a company's financial statements. Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel made it painless and fun."

Oz Miro

Cohort 1 Student

I found the course to be AMAZING. Worth every dollar. They made a complex topic very easy to understand."

Alberto Aguilera

Cohort 1 Student

Course Schedule

2 weeks, 3.5 to 4 hours each week

January 8th, 2024
The three-week course kicks off!
Mon, Jan 8 - Balance Sheet 1
Wed, Jan 10 - Income Statement 1
Mon, Jan 15 - Cash Flow Statement 1
Wed, Jan 17 - Balance Sheet 2
Mon, Jan 22 - Income Statement 2
Wed, Jan 24 - Cash Flow Statement 2
Thurs, Jan 25 - Putting it all together
Monday & Wednesday
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm EST
9:00 AM - 10:15 AM PST
5:00 PM - 6:15 PM BST
10:30 PM - 11:45 PM IST

Every class starts with 30 minutes of instruction followed by 45 minutes of case studies, Q&A, and homework review.

Each class is followed by an optional 30 minutes of small group discussion.
Office Hours!
Thursdays
Ask us anything format!

Thursday, Jan 11th, 12 PM - 1 PM EST
Thursday, Jan 18th, 12 PM - 1 PM EST

100% Risk-Free

Money Back Guarantee

If you attend the sessions, actively participate, and still don’t find the course valuable, we’ll happily refund your payment in full. Simply let us know before the end of the 4th class, and we will issue you a speedy refund.

Meet your instructor

Brian Feroldi

Brian Feroldi is a financial educator, author, speaker, and YouTuber. He has an MBA in finance and has been investing since 2004. Brian is the author of the best-selling book, Why Does the Stock Market Go Up?

Brian’s career mission statement is “to spread financial wellness.” He loves to help other people do better with their money, especially their investments. He has written more than 3,000 articles on stocks, investing, and personal finance for the Motley Fool.

Brian Stoffel

Brian Stoffel is a teacher at heart. Brian has been investing for more than a decade and he has written more than 4,000 articles for The Motley Fool.

Brian worked as a middle school teacher in Washington DC for more than 5 years. He and his wife had a "mini-retirement" in Costa Rica and now spent a portion of their year there in a containership home. Brian plans his life and his investments around "antifragile" principles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Take This Course?

Here's What You'll Learn.

What Others Say About Brian & Brian:

Brian Feroldi has a unique gift for explaining complex subjects in plain English. This course can help anyone to understand how to read and interpret financial statements like a pro even if they never studied accounting before.

Annie Duke

Author, Speaker, Decision Strategist, and Former Professional Poker Player.

Brian Feroldi is an outstanding financial educator. He not only helps folk understand the fundamental principles of investing, but also demonstrates how to apply these principles to real-life companies. I have no doubt this course will enrich all those who take it.

10-k Diver

Investor, Financial Educator

Brian’s the real deal. From finance to finance writer to finance instructor. You’re lucky to learn from him.

Codie Sanchez

Founder Contrarian Thinking, Investor, Entrepreneur

Brian Feroldi is a great teacher and he knows financial statements inside and out.

Blake Burge

Content creator. 230,000+ Twitter followers

"The Brians take a refreshingly straightforward approach to market instruction. Their deep knowledge & experience equips them with a unique ability to teach, while their patience enables that teaching to be done in a way that is learnable for all."

Brad Freeman

Investor

The Brians have a talent for making the complex sound simple when it comes to understanding the world of finance and investing. Their breakdown of the financial statements is so easy to understand that I’ve referred their videos to our Learn Grow Invest community members.

Jermaine McDonald

Founder Learn Grow Invest

More feedback on Brian & Brian

Brian and Brian have done a phenomenal job. Simplifying complex tasks is hard, and they nailed it."

Wish Pandya

Analyst | Cohort 2 Student

Clear, concise, and beautifully structured, this should be a required course for every investor."

Dr. Kiran Philip

Physician | Cohort 1 Student

Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel are knowledgeable investors and amazing teachers who truly understand financial statements.

Jessica Ablamsky

Investor

Feroldi and Stoffel know what they’re doing. I wish they’d invest my money.

John Maxfield

Investor, Financial Analyst

I struggled with interpreting financial statements, so this was a solid quick, and deep course. I loved it!"

Carl Malartre

Cohort 1 Student

"I've met a ton of public markets investors. Every single one of them would benefit from your clear thinking. Well done."

Jim O.

Cohort 1 Student

I'd recommend the course for anyone looking to establish a basic understanding of financial statements and investment approaches. Both Brians do a great job of covering a lot of content in a short time while being sure to make time for q&A.

Alexander

Cohort 1 Student

Easy to understand, educative and entertaining, and relevant. I found this more useful than some of the online MBA courses I have taken. Highly recommended for those starting to invest their own money and are looking for a quick introduction to financial statements.

Ritwik Rastogi

Cohort 1 Student

Learning is better with cohorts

Active, not passive

This course focuses on live workshops and hands-on projects

Learn with a cohort of peers

You’ll be learning in public through breakout rooms and an engaged community

Practice the skills

Ensure that lessons have sunk in by practicing the necessary skills and checking for understanding

More Praise for Brian & Brian

Brian is super knowledgeable about stocks and breaks down concepts clearly and simply for anyone to understand.

Sharon Tseung

Investor, Personal Finance Expert

I have followed the Brian’s for years and continue to learn new things from them. They use the perfect blend of academic principles and real-life examples that I can immediately apply to my investment process.

Austin Lieberman

Investor, 35,000+ Twitter followers

I have spent thousands of dollars on courses. Some are good, and some are not. Based on my experience, things that matter most in choosing the right course or instructor are a) Knowledge b) Integrity c) Mission /purpose-driven d) Passion for what they do. Both Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel fulfill these criteria with maximum points.

Rajeev Aggarwal

Former CNBC Journalist

I don't know of any duo with a more perfect combination of in-depth knowledge of financial statements paired with the ability to explain it in a simple and easy-to-understand way. Brian and Brian are the Yoda and Obi-Wan of financial statements (minus all of that Anakin unpleasantness)."

Paul Essen

Investor

Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel are the most amazing educators in the financial industry. They can break down the jargon and explain it like you are 5. Not many can do that, and I'm thrilled that they're coming up with a course that will help a lot of folks understand how to break down financial statements in a very easily understandable way.

Dhaval Kotecha

Investor, Co-Host of Fintwit Summit

Reading and understanding financial statements are key to becoming a good investor. I cannot think of two better teachers of these important principles than Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel, who both have a knack for taking seemingly complex topics and breaking them down into simple, easy-to-understand lessons.

Matt Cochrane

Lead Advisor, 7 Investing

A teacher should never cough what is given in textbook he should cook some fiction and convey the concept..... that's exactly what you guys do so perfectly.

Advait Arora

Professional Investor

I've learned so much from Brian Feroldi and Brian Stoffel over the years. They are WONDERFUL teachers. I know that their students will get A LOT of value from this course.

Mike Mcmahon

Investor