The goal of this curriculum is to close the context gap — the difference between understanding state-government finance and reading a private-sector company the way someone inside it reads it. Without this, lane-narrowing, outreach targeting, interview answers, and offer evaluation all run on guesswork.
Topics are ordered by leverage, not alphabet: the earlier items unlock decisions the later items build on. You can evaluate any offer once A + B are internalized.
ISOs vs NSOs vs RSUs, vesting mechanics, strike prices and 409A, exercise cost, tax treatment, QSBS, liquidation preferences, worked examples at Series B / C / public, negotiation levers. The numerical foundation for evaluating any offer.
TOPIC A To doSeed / A / B / C / D / growth / pre-IPO / IPO — what each stage means operationally, headcount/revenue markers, venture math, dilution, burn and runway, why companies raise, recent market dynamics (ZIRP → correction → now).
TOPIC C To doCFO / VP Finance / Head of FP&A / Strategic Finance / BizOps / Chief of Staff — what each role actually does at different company stages, team sizes, scope, comp, career arcs.
TOPIC G To doAnatomy of an offer, equity numeric reasoning, competing-offer leverage, pension trade-off as negotiation lever, red flags in offers, when and how to push.
TOPIC D To doARR, NRR, GRR, burn multiple, magic number, Rule of 40, CAC payback, LTV/CAC, the finance calendar at a growth-stage SaaS company, board materials, investor relations at private companies.
TOPIC E To doAI foundation models, applications layer, infrastructure; fintech; sports tech; sports team business; biotech/healthtech. Who's who, funding, moats, risks.
TOPIC F To doHow growth-stage companies source, typical interview loops, case formats, financial modeling exercises, culture fit, references and backchannels.
TOPIC H To doDeep dives on tier-1 companies as they emerge. Current funding, leadership, product direction, Glassdoor/Blind read, recent press, hiring signals. Builds alongside the rest of the curriculum.