1. I have learned quite a bit from this class in regard to using finance to help make business decisions.

The decision-making process for an organization is very complex and I learned it requires both the
use of qualitative and quantitative analysis to really paint a full picture to help make an informed
decision. I learned the different methods for raising capital for a new project and the pros and cons
associated with it. Additionally, I learned how difficult it can be to conduct business in a foreign
country and how companies need to just as aware of politics between two countries just as much as
they do the market demographics. Furthermore, It was interesting the different ways the business
can expand, combine and partner with other firms. Depending on the market and type of business,
there are many different ways to expand that can help mitigate risks associated with international
expansion. In regard to risk, I also learned how important it is to forecast for the
investment/expansion not working out. This is important because than a firm knows when they
should pull the plug on a project. One thing I found interesting was that people can also interpret
financial data very differently. Our assignment about renting / owning the condo, the scenario was
evaluated very differently both from a forecasting and interpretation stand point. Even if the math
looks the same it may not be interpreted the same and two people or firms may make very different
decisions.
2. My project that I have been developing does heavily rely on partnerships with other businesses as
well as a global footprint. From this class I think I will be able to better forecast and evaluate
expansion projects. I think I need to look at ROI and free cash flow further. Especially where and how
the new product / service is going to be funded. My project is in the healthcare industry and very
often we see other companies overleverage themselves buying a company in hopes of breaking into
a market. Sometimes it isn’t worth the investment and can cause a company to fail if they do not
evaluate all the risks and viability of the market.
3. Recently I have been promoted to a manager’s role within my department. My primarily role is
developing sales programs and contracts for the sales force to sell disposable and cap ital equipment.
As we grow and look to partner with other businesses and even within our own company, we need
to be able to evaluate the viability of opportunities such as cross selling within our business, pricing
strategies and looking at new sales programs for our products. Our sales team is very creative when
it comes to selling but they are more focused on hitting their number as oppose to the profitability of
sale. Our company is putting a big focus on free cash flow and we need to keep that in mind a s we
look to grow organically. With the focus on organic growth, I will need to really look at the financial
impact of sales programs and make sure they are profitable and align with our accounting practices.