The Forum Business Finance Essentials
Presented by
The 2024 Cohorts Are Now Full!
Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming events and programming updates, including when applications will open for the 2025 cohorts.
The Forum Business Finance Essentials
Presented by
A learning experience for women, trans-femme & non-binary entrepreneurs looking to build their business financial management skills
What if you could learn to read the story of your business, one number at a time? What if business finance was less of a mystery? How would that change the connection you have to your business, and shape the decisions you make and how you feel about them?
The Forum Business Finance Essentials presented by TD Bank Group will build your financial confidence and capabilities, and help you connect more deeply to your business financial well-being. The program has also been designed with acknowledgement of the systemic barriers faced by women, especially Black and Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ people.
The Forum Business Finance Essentials 2024 cohorts are now FULL. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming events and programming updates, including when applications will open for the 2025 cohorts.
This program provides access to:
.
6 live sessions of The Finance Cafe - a unique learning experience created by Shannon Pestun, a proud Cree Métis woman, business strategist, and former banker, and Shauna Frederick, a chartered professional accountant and CFO
Gail Lynch, CEO and Founder, Zero Bar Cocktail
Online tools and resources provided by The Finance Cafe to help you better understand and manage your business finances.
.
12 months of mentorship to help you reach new milestones and achieve your full potential.
Thanks to the generosity of TD, our Presenting Sponsor, The Forum Business Finance Essentials is being offered as a free learning opportunity.
We invite women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs, especially Black and Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals to apply for this unique opportunity to connect and learn with a supportive cohort of peers in 6 virtual sessions held over 3 weeks.
You’ll be welcomed into a virtual learning environment that supports social and emotional well-being. A place where we aim for non-judgment and curiosity, where learning is shared and space is created for you to apply new thinking to build a company you love.
And because we know that access to financial capital is the biggest barrier women face along our entrepreneurial journeys, the program also explores the impact of stereotypes and bias when raising capital, and provides strategies to help you be more successful when pitching to lenders and investors.
All participants in the program will also gain free access to 12 months of mentorship, which includes 1:1 advice, support, and insights ($300 value).
In completing this program, not only will you have the knowledge and skills to achieve your financial goals, but you will have the opportunity to build connections within a community of diverse women entrepreneurs.
We invite women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs, especially Black and Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ individuals to apply for this unique opportunity to connect and learn with a supportive cohort of peers in 6 virtual sessions held over 3 weeks.
You’ll be welcomed into a virtual learning environment that supports social and emotional well-being. A place where we aim for non-judgment and curiosity, where learning is shared and space is created for you to apply new thinking to build a company you love.
And because we know that access to financial capital is the biggest barrier women face along our entrepreneurial journeys, the program also explores the impact of stereotypes and bias when raising capital, and provides strategies to help you be more successful when pitching to lenders and investors.
All participants in the program will also gain free access to 12 months of mentorship, which includes 1:1 advice, support, and insights ($300 value).
In completing this program, not only will you have the knowledge and skills to achieve your financial goals, but you will have the opportunity to build connections within a community of diverse women entrepreneurs.
The Forum Business Finance Essentials 2024 cohorts are now FULL. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming events and programming updates, including when applications will open for the 2025 cohorts.
The Forum Business Finance Essentials covers:
Lived Experience & Mindset
Explore the role of lived experience in entrepreneurship and the influence our money mindset has on decision-making.
Goal-Setting
Discuss the importance of aligning personal and entrepreneurial goals.
Financial Storytelling
Investigate the dynamics of profit and the different stories it tells, and the role of financial statements and how they build a story.
Cash & Solvency
Delve into how to turn profit into cash and keep your business profitable.
Preparing for the Future
Determine how to prepare your business for the future with goals, projections, and budgets.
Financing
Learn about the different types of financing for your business and how to assess what is right for you.
When is the program?
The Forum Business Finance Essentials 2024 cohorts are now FULL. Subscribe to our newsletter to be notified of upcoming events and programming updates, including when applications will open for the 2025 cohorts.
What’s Included:
- Guided weekly online sessions: Each session will build upon the previous one so you can see how the numbers relate to each other, and how they come together to write your business story.
- Self-guided learning: Complement the peer-to-peer sessions with 1.5 hours of applying the learnings to your own business financials.
- Tangible tools: Easy-to-use templates, formulas, videos and quizzes provided online to support you in applying your learnings.
- Mentorship: All participants gain free access to 12 months of mentorship - 1:1 advice, support, and insights for 12 months (a $300 value)
Hear From Our Community
Earlier this year, more than 70 self-identifying women, non-binary, and trans-femme entrepreneurs took part in The Forum Business Finance Essentials program. Meet some of our alumnae and discover how the program has helped them enhance their financial management skills.
Have you participated in this program? We’d love to hear from you! Share your experience below for a chance to win StoryTap free for a year ($6,000 value). With StoryTap, not only can you capture authentic video reviews from your customers, but also increase brand awareness, trust, and engagement. T&Cs apply.
The Forum Business Finance Essentials is made possible by our sponsors & partners
Our enormous thanks to them for their generosity.
Presenting Sponsor
TD, the Presenting Sponsor, is a longtime supporter of The Forum, and a champion for self-identifying women, non-binary and trans-femme entrepreneurs across Canada, sponsoring pivotal programs like
The Odlum Brown Forum Pitch Finale and The Forum Founder’s Circle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I apply to the program?
The Forum Business Finance Essentials focuses on giving you the technical skills you need to help see the story of your business through its finances: where it’s been, where it is, and where it’s going.
You’ll also explore your financial beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes to help you understand why you make the financial decisions you do, and how that impacts the growth, success, and sustainability of your business.
Financial wellness and empowerment is a journey involving self-compassion and community support and this program offers a welcoming and supportive learning experience. We invite self-identified women, non-binary or trans-femme entrepreneurs and encourage Black and Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQ+ people to apply.
What will I walk away with?
By the time you complete the program, you will:
- Have taken part in a virtual learning cohort that supports your social and emotional well-being
- Have the clarity, confidence, and capabilities you need to read and write the story of your business through its finances
- Have been given the space to be curious and apply new thinking to your business, and form a deeper connection with it
- Be better positioned to build a company you love that meets both your personal and business aspirations
- Walk away with strategies to successfully pitch lenders and investors to access capital
Who is the program for?
The program is designed for self-identified women, non-binary or trans-femme entrepreneurs. We especially invite people identifying as Black, Indigenous, and/or 2SLGBTQ+ to join.
What stage of business should I be at?
It’s aimed at helping you understand your company’s financial performance in a new way and is best suited to entrepreneurs whose businesses have been operating for at least one year. This is so that you can apply the learning and concepts immediately to your business.
Do I need to be good at math?
You do not need a background in accounting or finance, or to be strong in math to succeed; you just need a commitment to learn. You’ll see why once we get going!
Does this program cost anything?
No! Thanks to the generosity of our presenting sponsor, TD, this program is free for self-identified women, non-binary or trans-femme entrepreneurs.
In addition to the six-week program, you will also receive access to 12 months of mentorship ($300 value).
What are the dates of the live sessions?
The live online sessions will take place from 9:00 am to 10:15 am PST | 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm EST in two cohorts. Cohort 1 takes place on March 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, and 28, 2024, and Cohort 2 takes place on April 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, and 30, 2024. Please ensure before applying that you will be available to attend all the live session dates and times.
How do I apply?
The Forum Business Finance Essentials 2024 cohorts are now FULL. [Subscribe to our newsletter][1] to be notified of upcoming events and programming updates, including when applications will open for the 2025 cohorts.
How is this program delivered?
This program is delivered in English. Everything is done virtually, including the live sessions, so you can participate no matter where in the world you are.
What is the time commitment for this program?
The program consists of weekly live sessions and self-directed individual learning. Each live session is 1.25 hours; self-directed learning is about 1.5 hours per week.
What do I need to bring to this program?
For this program, you’ll need:
- Access to Zoom
- A laptop with Excel installed to work through the templates
- A calculator
- Financial statements: If possible, bring your latest accountant-prepared year-end financial statements; this will allow you to apply the learning directly to your business. (If you don’t have these, we have created financial statements that you can use throughout.)
- A growth mindset and a commitment to learn and grow
How many women will be accepted into the program?
This program is open to 35 entrepreneurs per cohort. We recommend [applying early][2] to have a better chance of securing a place.
What types of accessibility accommodations or resources are available for the program?
If there are any concerns or requests for specific accessibility accommodations please indicate this on your application form and we will do our best to meet your needs.
For more information on The Forum Business Finance Essentials Program presented by TD please contact [gretchen@theforum.ca][3].