Wayland Build Financial Model

Build a Financial Model

Estimated time: 60-90 minutes

This workflow builds a 3-statement financial model with explicit assumptions and sensitivity analysis. The arc is: gather the brief, infer the assumption blocks that drive everything, build a forward P&L, tie in cash flow and balance sheet, then run sensitivity (bear/base/bull) on the key assumptions. Review checkpoints let the user refine the P&L assumptions, the tied statements, and the sensitivity before shipping.

Generative steps are driven by pitch-fin-model (assumptions, sensitivity) and the finance statement skills finance-pl, finance-cashflow, and finance-balance-sheet.

Steps

Step 1: Kickoff and Brief (uses: pitch-fin-model)

Open the workflow and gather the brief. Ask the user for: business stage, current revenue and burn, planning horizon (12 / 24 / 36 months), and any known constraints or commitments. Explain that you will build a P&L, cash flow, and balance sheet with assumption blocks and sensitivity. Do not proceed until you have the stage, the numbers, and the horizon.

• Input: user-provided stage, current revenue/burn, planning horizon, constraints
• Output: a captured brief block
• Key focus: get the horizon and current run-rate numbers nailed down first

Step 2: Infer Assumption Blocks (uses: pitch-fin-model)

From the brief, infer the core assumption blocks: the variables that drive the whole model (growth rate, CAC, churn, margins, hiring plan, etc.). Present the inferred assumptions with reasoning and invite the user to override with what they actually want to vary.

• Input: the brief from Step 1
• Output: the core assumption blocks, confirmed or overridden by the user
• Key focus: surface the few variables everything else depends on

Step 3: Build Forward P&L (uses: finance-pl)

Run finance-pl in forward-P&L mode using the brief and the confirmed assumptions. Produce a month-by-month forward P&L with each assumption cited inline so the user can trace any number back to its driver. Show the P&L.

• Input: the brief from Step 1, the assumption blocks from Step 2
• Output: a month-by-month forward P&L with inline assumption citations
• Key focus: every line traceable to an assumption; no unsourced numbers

Step 4: Review and Refine P&L (uses: finance-pl)

Present the forward P&L and ask the user to refine the assumptions or proceed to cash flow and balance sheet. If they refine, re-run the P&L step with the prior P&L plus feedback and the assumptions, then present again. Allow up to three refinement passes.

• Input: the forward P&L from Step 3, user feedback, the assumption blocks
• Output: approved (possibly revised) forward P&L
• Key focus: lock the P&L assumptions before deriving the other statements

Step 5: Build Cash Flow (uses: finance-cashflow)

Run finance-cashflow in forward-cash-flow mode, deriving the cash flow statement from the approved P&L and the assumptions. Account for timing differences between revenue/expense recognition and cash movement.

• Input: the approved forward P&L from Step 4, the assumption blocks
• Output: a forward cash flow statement tied to the P&L
• Key focus: cash timing, not just accrual; reconcile to the P&L

Step 6: Build Balance Sheet (uses: finance-balance-sheet)

Run finance-balance-sheet to build the balance sheet from the P&L, the cash flow, and the assumptions, so all three statements tie together (cash flows to the cash line, retained earnings reflects cumulative net income, etc.). Show the cash flow and balance sheet together.

• Input: the forward P&L, the cash flow from Step 5, the assumption blocks
• Output: a balance sheet that ties the three statements together
• Key focus: the three statements must reconcile, not just coexist

Step 7: Review and Refine Statements (uses: finance-balance-sheet)

Present the tied cash flow and balance sheet and ask the user to refine or proceed to sensitivity. If they refine, re-run the balance-sheet step with the prior balance sheet plus feedback, the P&L, and the cash flow, then present again. Allow up to two refinement passes.

• Input: the balance sheet from Step 6, user feedback, the P&L, the cash flow
• Output: approved (possibly revised) tied statements
• Key focus: confirm the statements reconcile before stress-testing them

Step 8: Run Sensitivity Analysis (uses: pitch-fin-model)

Run pitch-fin-model in sensitivity-analysis mode over the three statements and the assumptions. Produce bear / base / bull scenarios on the key assumptions, showing how each scenario moves runway, revenue, and the bottom line. Show the analysis.

• Input: the P&L, cash flow, balance sheet, and assumption blocks
• Output: bear / base / bull sensitivity on the key assumptions
• Key focus: vary the few assumptions that matter; show the impact on runway

Step 9: Final Review and Ship (uses: pitch-fin-model)

Present the sensitivity analysis and ask the user to ship the model or refine the sensitivity. If they refine, re-run the sensitivity step with the prior analysis plus feedback and the assumptions, then present again (up to two passes). On ship, assemble the final model (assumptions, forward P&L, cash flow, balance sheet, sensitivity) and output it.

• Input: the sensitivity analysis from Step 8, user decision
• Output: the assembled financial model
• Key focus: deliver a complete, reconciled, stress-tested model

Expected Outcome

A complete 3-statement financial model: explicit assumption blocks, a month-by-month forward P&L, a reconciled cash flow and balance sheet, and a bear/base/bull sensitivity analysis, assembled into one model package.