About Financial Models Lab
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01Decision firstStart with the business question, then build the spreadsheet around it.
02Editable logicAssumptions and calculations are kept visible where the product format allows.
03Business specificRevenue drivers and costs are designed to reflect how that business actually operates.
04Limits statedA model is a planning tool—not certainty, advice, or a guarantee.
About Financial Models Lab
About Financial Models Lab: Financial Planning Built Around How Businesses Actually Work.
We research the operating and financial mechanics behind the business types we cover, then turn that logic into editable financial planning tools and practical business resources.
In one sentence: Financial Models Lab turns business-model research and recurring planning work—forecasting, budgeting, scenario analysis, and investor preparation—into transparent templates you can inspect and adapt.
Purpose
Make financial thinking usable
Reduce setup work so the user can spend more time testing assumptions and decisions.
Product
Structured starting points
Models, plans, dashboards, calculators, and strategic templates for specific use cases.
Method
Inputs connected to outputs
Planning becomes useful when assumptions flow clearly into statements, metrics, and scenarios.
Responsibility
Your judgment remains essential
Every forecast depends on your inputs, market, timing, and professional review.
Why we exist
The hardest part is rarely opening Excel. It is deciding what belongs in the model.
A blank workbook does not tell you which revenue drivers matter, how payroll should scale, when working capital creates a cash gap, or which assumptions an investor will challenge. Rebuilding that structure for every business consumes time before the real planning even begins.
Financial Models Lab exists to provide a considered starting point. Our templates organize common business logic so you can replace generic assumptions with your own, test scenarios, and focus on the decision in front of you.
Important
A structured template can improve the planning process, but it cannot make uncertain inputs certain. Forecast quality still depends on the evidence, assumptions, and judgment you bring to it.
What we build
Tools for the connected parts of a business plan.
Different decisions need different artifacts. Product inclusions and file formats vary, so the individual product page—not this overview—is the source of truth for what a purchase contains.
Financial Models
For each new or materially updated model, we research the business-model archetype or combination, then design the operating drivers, costs, schedules, statements, KPIs, assumptions, and scenarios relevant to that business type.
Business Plans and Pitch Materials
Structured documents and presentation tools that help turn research, strategy, operations, and financials into a coherent narrative.
Dashboards and Calculators
Focused tools for exploring key metrics, startup costs, cash flow, break-even points, and other planning questions.
Custom Services
Tailored planning support for cases where an off-the-shelf structure is not enough. Scope, deliverables, timing, and pricing are agreed separately.
How we develop models
We research the business mechanics before we build the workbook.
For each new or materially updated financial model, we determine which business-model archetype or combination best represents the idea, then select the drivers, schedules, statements, KPIs, and numerical-assumption research required. The depth varies by product and planning purpose, but we keep the model logic traceable.
Define the business idea and decision
Identify what the user needs to plan, compare, explain, or monitor, along with the model boundary and decision-useful outputs.
Select or combine business-model archetypes
Determine whether the idea behaves like a subscription, marketplace, restaurant, retail, service, asset-heavy, location, or hybrid business.
Map revenue, costs, capacity, and cash timing
Trace how customers and operating activity become revenue, expenses, staffing needs, working capital, investment, financing, and cash.
Select statements, schedules, and KPIs
Choose the outputs and supporting calculations that best explain performance for that business model and planning purpose.
Research numerical assumptions and ranges
Define each material input, evaluate suitable sources, normalize comparable evidence, and build editable low, base, and high cases.
Build, reconcile, and scenario-test
Connect inputs to outputs, test statement relationships and sensitivities, and review usability and material limitations.
Read how we research and design financial models, from business-model fit and model architecture to numerical inputs, ranges, source selection, and review.
Co-founders
Built by finance, financial modeling, banking, and systems practitioners.
Financial Models Lab was co-founded by Henry Sheykin and Alex Ryzhkov. Henry brings 25 years of experience across banking, corporate finance, CFO-level leadership, business analysis, and financial planning. For the past 10 years, he has focused on financial modeling and has also worked as a part-time and fractional CFO for companies in the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, supporting budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow planning, valuation, scenario analysis, fundraising, and operating decisions.
Henry Sheykin
Co-founder & Financial Modeling Lead, Financial Models Lab
Alex Ryzhkov
Co-founder & Operations and Systems Lead, Financial Models Lab
Alex brings 15 years of experience spanning banking, business and financial systems, and systems work within large international corporations. Over the past five years, he has worked alongside Henry as a co-founder of Financial Models Lab, helping develop the platform, product operations, internal systems, and the processes used to turn financial-planning research into practical digital tools.
What you can expect
Four commitments that are more useful than a marketing slogan.
01 · Clarity
Inputs, outputs, and purpose are made identifiable.
We design each resource so users can identify what to edit, what the file calculates, and which decision it is intended to support.
02 · Specificity
Business logic is designed around the use case.
A restaurant, SaaS company, retail business, and professional service firm do not earn revenue or incur costs in the same way.
03 · Transparency
Commercial interests and material limitations are disclosed.
We sell Financial Models Lab products. When our editorial content discusses those products, we disclose that relationship where it is relevant.
04 · Correction
Credible reports of material errors are investigated.
If a material fact, link, calculation, or product description appears wrong, contact us with the page and supporting evidence.
Commercial transparency
Financial Models Lab is both a publisher and a seller of planning products.
That commercial relationship is not a conflict we can erase; it is a relationship we must disclose. Articles may link to Financial Models Lab templates, custom services, or related resources. Those links can support our business.
Our editorial standard is that a product relationship must not change the definition of a metric, turn an estimate into a fact, hide a material limitation, or replace independent sources. Product claims are tied to the relevant product description and the actual file delivered.
Questions
Before you use a Financial Models Lab resource.
They are designed for people who need a structured planning starting point: founders, small-business owners, consultants, analysts, investors, and students. The appropriate level of finance and spreadsheet experience varies by product.
No. Templates and articles are educational planning tools. A qualified professional can evaluate your facts, jurisdiction, reporting requirements, tax position, financing terms, and legal obligations.
No. File formats, editable areas, formulas, macros, platform compatibility, and included documentation vary. Check the individual product page and ask support before purchase if a feature is essential.
Use the contact page. Include the URL or product name, the exact item that appears wrong, and a credible source or reproduction step where possible.
Responsible publisher: Financial Models Lab · Last reviewed August 27, 2026.
Plan with a clearer starting point
Choose the business question first. Then choose the tool.
Browse the catalog by business type and verify the included format, features, and compatibility on the individual product page.