We started wolarivent because too many businesses were making critical decisions with spreadsheets that barely held together. Six years later, we're still obsessed with helping people build models that actually work.
What began as a small workshop series in Perth has grown into something we're genuinely proud of. Here's how we got here.
Started with weekend workshops teaching basic financial modeling to small business owners in Western Australia. Most participants had never built a proper forecast before, and honestly, neither had we taught one. We learned together.
COVID changed everything, like it did for everyone. We moved our entire program online, which was terrifying at first. But it meant we could reach people in regional areas who'd never had access to this kind of training.
Launched our advanced modeling program after countless requests from graduates who wanted to go deeper. Added scenario planning and sensitivity analysis modules based on what people were actually struggling with in their businesses.
We're developing specialized tracks for different industries because retail modeling looks nothing like hospitality modeling. Our autumn 2025 cohort will pilot sector-specific programs, starting with healthcare and professional services.
These aren't the values we put on a poster. They're the principles that show up when we're designing curriculum at midnight or helping someone debug their model.
A working model that helps you make decisions today beats a perfect model you'll finish someday. We teach techniques that people actually use in their businesses, not academic theory that looks impressive but goes nowhere.
There's no such thing as a dumb question about financial modeling. If you're confused, someone else is too. Our instructors have all been stuck on the same problems you're facing right now.
The best learning happens when people share what's working and what's not. Our program groups stay connected long after the course ends because they've built something valuable together.
Financial modeling shouldn't require expensive software or advanced degrees. We teach with tools most businesses already have and explain concepts in plain language because that's how real understanding happens.
Most financial modeling courses dump formulas on you and hope something sticks. We started from scratch and built a method that actually works for people who aren't spreadsheet wizards.
Start with your actual business data, not hypothetical examples that bear no resemblance to reality
Build models incrementally so you understand each component before adding complexity
Focus on interpretation alongside technique because a model you can't explain is useless
Practice with real scenarios that mirror the decisions you're actually making
Provide ongoing support because questions come up weeks after the initial learning
We refined this approach over hundreds of hours with real business owners. It's not flashy, but it works consistently across different industries and experience levels.
We're not corporate trainers reading from slides. We've all built models that crashed, made forecasts that were embarrassingly wrong, and learned from plenty of mistakes.
Lead Instructor
Spent twelve years doing financial planning for mid-sized manufacturers before realizing she'd rather teach this stuff than do it full-time. Built her first catastrophically wrong forecast in 2011 and has been fascinated by what makes models work ever since.
Senior Program Developer
Former startup CFO who discovered he enjoyed teaching founders about modeling more than actually being a CFO. Designs our curriculum around the questions people ask repeatedly, because those are the ones that actually matter in practice.