Financial Fundamentals for Online Business Owners
A practical eight-week program starting September 2025
Running an online business means juggling a lot. And honestly? The financial side trips up more people than they'd admit. You don't need an accounting degree, but you do need to understand what your numbers are actually telling you. This program walks you through the essentials—cash flow management, tax planning basics, sensible growth strategies. Things that matter when you're trying to build something sustainable.
Express Your Interest
Built Around Real Scenarios
We've structured this around actual situations our participants face. Week three, for example, focuses entirely on seasonal revenue fluctuations—because most online businesses deal with peaks and valleys, and planning for them changes everything.
You'll work through your own business data during sessions. Bring your spreadsheets, your questions, your frustrations with QuickBooks. We cover software tools, yes, but more importantly, we talk about what decisions to make based on what those tools show you.
Format: Live virtual sessions twice weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7-9pm AEST) with recorded access. Small group size—typically 12-15 participants—so there's actual discussion, not just lecturing.
Between sessions, you'll have access to templates and worksheets. The kind you can actually use in your business the next day. Profit margin calculators, expense tracking systems, quarterly tax estimators. Practical stuff.
What We'll Cover Together
Eight modules built progressively. Each one assumes you've digested the previous week's material.
Reading Your Business Health
Understanding the difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow. Sounds basic, but you'd be surprised how many established businesses confuse these. We look at your actual numbers and figure out what story they're telling.
Expense Management That Works
Where your money actually goes—and whether it should be going there. We break down fixed versus variable costs, identify waste, and set up tracking systems you'll maintain past week two.
Pricing Without Guessing
How to set prices that cover costs and support growth. Includes competitor analysis, value perception, and—this one's important—knowing when to walk away from unprofitable work.
Tax Planning for Australians
GST, quarterly obligations, deductible expenses. Taught by someone who actually understands ATO requirements. We don't give tax advice—that's for your accountant—but we explain the framework so you're not scrambling every July.
Cash Flow Forecasting
Predicting what's coming so you're not caught short. Seasonal adjustments, delayed payments, planning for slow months. This module typically generates the most "wish I'd known this earlier" comments.
Growth Investment Decisions
When to invest in scaling and when to hold steady. Evaluating whether that new software subscription, team member, or marketing campaign makes financial sense right now.
Callum Thornbury
Fifteen years helping small businesses not make expensive financial mistakes. Former accountant who switched to education because spreadsheets are easier than people—but more rewarding when you help them understand.
Guest: Rhys Valtonen
Joins us for week four. Tax specialist who can explain ATO regulations without inducing sleep. Runs a practice in Melbourne focused on digital businesses.
Who's Teaching This
Callum's worked with over 200 online businesses—ecommerce stores, service providers, content creators, SaaS startups. He's seen the patterns in what works financially and what doesn't. More importantly, he's seen what trips people up repeatedly, which shapes how this program is structured.
Before consulting, he spent eight years at a mid-size accounting firm. Got tired of only seeing clients during crisis moments. These days, he focuses on education and advisory work—helping business owners understand their finances before problems develop.
Teaching style is direct. If something's unclear, he'll rework the explanation until it clicks. No jargon for jargon's sake. If an accounting term matters, he'll explain why. If it doesn't, he won't use it.
September 2025 Cohort
Program runs September 2 - October 23, 2025
We're accepting expressions of interest now for the autumn session. Class size stays small deliberately—better discussions, more individual attention during the practical exercises. Past cohorts have filled by mid-July, so if you're considering it, worth getting in touch sooner rather than later.
Got questions about whether this fits your business stage or situation? That's what the contact form is for. We'll have a quick conversation about where you're at and whether this program makes sense for you right now.