Making Remote Learning Work for Financial Analysis
When we moved our liquidity and solvency training online in early 2024, I'll admit—I was skeptical. How do you teach ratio analysis through a screen? Turns out, pretty effectively when you get the setup right.
Remote learning isn't just about replicating classroom experiences. It's about building new habits that actually stick. And for financial professionals juggling work and study, that flexibility matters more than you might think.
Talk About Your Learning Goals
What Actually Helps (From Real Students)
Schedule Like It's Real
Block calendar time for your sessions. Sounds obvious, but the number of people who try to squeeze learning between meetings is wild. Treat it like you would an in-person class. Your retention will thank you later.
Your Space Matters More Than You Think
You don't need a fancy office. But you do need somewhere you can spread out financial statements without your cat walking across the keyboard. Good lighting helps too—squinting at cash flow statements for three hours isn't ideal.
Internet Speed Is Non-Negotiable
Nothing kills momentum like a frozen screen during a debt-to-equity calculation. Test your connection before sessions. Have a backup plan. Mobile hotspot saved me more times than I can count in 2024.
Ask Questions in Real Time
Don't wait until the end. When something doesn't click about working capital ratios, speak up. Remote doesn't mean isolated. The chat function exists for a reason—and honestly, someone else probably has the same question.
Practice With Actual Data
Theory only gets you so far. Pull real company financials and work through them. Public companies make their statements available—use them. You'll spot patterns you'd never catch from textbook examples alone.
How Marcus Balanced Work and Learning
"I was managing client portfolios full-time while trying to deepen my solvency analysis skills. Remote learning let me join evening sessions from my apartment in Bangkok. The recorded sessions were clutch when I had to miss live classes for client emergencies. Six months in, I'm handling complex debt restructuring cases I would've passed on before. The flexibility made it possible—I couldn't have done a traditional program."
Tech You'll Actually Use
Not everything needs to be complicated. Here's what our students find genuinely helpful for remote financial analysis training.
Dual Screen Setup
One screen for the lesson, one for your spreadsheets. Game changer for following along with ratio calculations without constantly switching windows.
Note-Taking Apps
Digital notebooks let you search your notes later when you're trying to remember that quick ratio formula at 11pm before a presentation.
Financial Calculators
Keep your trusted calculator handy. Sure, Excel does the math, but sometimes you just want to verify numbers the old-school way.
Reliable Headphones
Noise-canceling if you can swing it. Makes a huge difference when you're trying to focus on complex leverage analysis concepts.
Cloud Storage
Back up your work. Nothing worse than losing three weeks of practice problems because your laptop decided today was the day to restart.
Virtual Whiteboard
For group problem-solving sessions. Being able to sketch out a company's financial position together helps concepts stick better than you'd expect.