02 · Planning & valuation
FP&A, Financial Modeling & Valuation
Forecasts, models and valuation built to support decisions: what to hire, when cash gets tight, which scenario to plan for, what the business is worth and which assumptions that value depends on.
The problem
Spreadsheets exist, but they do not answer the question.
- The forecast is a spreadsheet nobody owns. It was built for a fundraise and has not been updated since.
- Cash surprises arrive late. Growth, collections timing or a large annual payment changes the cash position before anyone models it.
- The budget does not explain itself. Numbers are typed in rather than driven by headcount, pipeline or pricing assumptions.
- Valuation is a single number from someone else's model. Nobody can say which assumptions drive it or what would have to be true to support it.
- Board reporting is rebuilt each quarter. Metrics change definition and commentary is written from scratch.
- Unit economics are guessed. CAC, payback, retention and margin are quoted without a consistent method.
What we do
Planning, models and valuation that answer specific questions.
FP&A
- Annual budgets
- Rolling forecasts
- Driver-based forecasting
- Scenario planning
- Sensitivity analysis
- Hiring plans
- Cash planning
- 13-week cash forecasting
- Board reporting
- Investor reporting
Financial modeling
- Integrated financial models
- Three-statement models where appropriate
- Driver-based models
- SaaS operating models
- Unit-economics models
- Fundraising models
- Transaction models
- Capital-planning models
Valuation
- Business valuation
- Enterprise valuation
- Discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis
- Comparable-company analysis
- Transaction-based analysis where appropriate
- Valuation sensitivity
- Capital-structure analysis
- Financing analysis
- Strategic valuation scenarios
Valuation for decisions, not just a number.
Longhand approaches valuation through the operating assumptions that create value: growth, margins, customer economics, capital requirements and cash generation. The objective is not simply to produce a valuation range, but to understand which assumptions matter and what would have to become true operationally to support them.
| Discount rate | 3% | 4% | 5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12% | 46.5 | 51.8 | 58.5 |
| 14% | 34.8 | 37.9 | 41.7 |
| 16% | 26.9 | 28.9 | 31.2 |
| If… | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Steady-state EBITDA margin 5 pts lower | 28.1 | (26%) |
| Margin path arrives one year later | 29.3 | (23%) |
| Revenue growth 3 pts lower every year | 31.4 | (17%) |
| Discount rate 1 pt higher | 33.0 | (13%) |
Built on the same figures as the management report: a seven-year discounted cash flow from forecast revenue of $15.9m, growth tapering from 24% to 8%, EBITDA margin rising from (12%) to 25%, 25% tax on positive earnings and capital expenditure at 2% of revenue. In this example, a 5-point lower steady-state margin reduces value by 26%; a 1-point higher discount rate reduces it by 13%. The operating assumptions matter more than the discount rate, and they are the ones management can act on.
Scope. Our valuation work supports management decisions, planning, fundraising preparation and transactions alongside your other advisers. Longhand is not an investment bank or broker-dealer, does not provide fairness opinions, and does not act as a regulated securities adviser or formal appraisal firm.
What monthly FP&A output looks like.
The homepage shows a monthly management report built on the same figures: P&L against budget, the bridge from EBITDA to cash, the rolling forecast, the 13-week cash view and management commentary. See the management report.
What you get
Deliverables.
Driver-based operating model
An integrated model where the assumptions are visible and editable, with three statements where the business needs them.
Rolling forecast
A 12–18 month forecast, updated monthly from actuals, with scenarios.
13-week cash forecast
A weekly cash view reconciled to the bank, with runway and the decisions it implies.
Valuation analysis
A DCF and market-based view with sensitivity to the operating assumptions, documented so it can be updated.
Board and investor pack
A consistent monthly or quarterly format: KPIs, variance analysis and commentary.
How it connects
Part of one system.
- Bookkeeping & Finance Operations
Forecasts and valuation start from closed actuals. A late or unreconciled close delays every update.
- Finance & Data Infrastructure
Driver models need operating data (pipeline, customers, usage) that is defined and reconciled consistently.
- Finance Automation & AI
Monthly actuals loading, variance tables and pack assembly can be automated once the model is stable.
Discuss a project.
Tell us what you are trying to fix or build: a close that takes too long, a forecast nobody trusts, a valuation question, reporting that is assembled by hand. We will reply with how we would approach it.