Financial Model Review

Problem

A model can look polished and still be dangerous. This skill reviews whether the assumptions, structure, scenarios, and logic are strong enough to support a real decision.

Audience

• Primary: investors, diligence teams, and finance-heavy reviewers
• Secondary: operators reviewing planning or fundraising models

When to Use

• Reviewing a startup, deal, or operating model before using it in a memo or decision
• Stress testing growth, margin, burn, or pricing assumptions
• Looking for missing scenarios, broken logic, or false precision
• Translating a spreadsheet into a model review memo with clear verdicts

When Not to Use

• Building a model from scratch
• Market or competitor research without a model artifact
• Drafting the final memo when the model review is only one input: use deal-memo-drafting
• Synthesizing many mixed source documents: use research-synthesis

Required Context

Gather or confirm:

• the model itself, or a faithful export of its assumptions and outputs
• what decision the model supports
• the business model and revenue engine
• the main value drivers or operating levers
• the time horizon
• whether the user wants an investor or operator framing

Useful but optional:

• prior versions, management guidance, or historical notes from Open Brain

Process