Master the art of forecasting and cost control when the only constant is change.
Most financial leaders would agree that budgeting is easy when business and the economy are stable. When revenues and expenses are expected to remain the same, the process becomes merely an exercise in carrying over what was done before to the current year. However, what happens when we are not sure how the market will react to our product? What happens when the competitive landscape changes?
In this course, we will discuss budgeting techniques and considerations when business lacks stability. Through a combination of theory and real-world examples, we will explore how to build flexibility into our budget—so that it can inform and drive decision-making when we do not quite know what is ahead.
The curriculum delves into the critical shift from static, rigid budgeting models to agile forecasting and proactive scenario planning. It covers techniques for identifying financial risks, modeling variable outcomes, and reallocating resources swiftly to align with shifting strategic goals. By focusing on flexibility rather than absolute precision, this overview provides a roadmap for transforming traditional budgeting processes into powerful strategic tools designed to protect the bottom line and ensure long-term financial stability in an unpredictable business landscape.
Who Should Attend:
CFOs and controllers involved in the budgeting process.
CPA, CFP, CLU, CPCU, MST, MBA
David Peters is the Founder and Owner of Peters Professional Education in Richmond, VA. He is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an Investment Advisor Representative (IAR) with Peters Financial LLC. He brings over 20 years of experience in financial services, including three years in the hedge fund industry and six years in insurance. David was the first Chief Financial Officer of Compare.com, where he served for more than three years. He holds four master’s degrees, contributes frequently to professional publications, and is a nationally recognized CPE instructor and discussion leader for Surgent seminars and a former instructor for Don Farmer. David received the AICPA Outstanding Facilitator Award in 2021, 2023, and 2024 as well as Surgent's Outstanding Discussion Leader awards in 2019 and 2022. He also co-authored the Virginia CPA Ethics course in 2018, 2019, and 2020, which is a requirement for all CPAs licensed in Virginia. Through Peters Professional Education, David is the author and instructor for over 125 recorded on-demand CPE courses and leads private trainings, in-person tax seminars, and quarterly live tax update webinars. His areas of instruction include accounting, finance, insurance, financial planning, and ethics, and he regularly teaches professionals across the United States.
