Eloquens Interviews: Marcus Small
Want to find out key financial modelling insights from the experts? World-leading Excel coach and financial modeller, Marcus Small, shares his knowledge in our latest Eloquens author interview.
Financial modelling is at the heart of an organisation’s future planning. By converting market assumptions into numbers, it helps businesses make better financial decisions while also enabling analysis of other organisations. It’s, therefore, not surprising that a huge amount of time and money is spent on financial modelling education and model creation.
That’s where Marcus Small– also-known-as TheSmallMan – comes in. A true expert in financial modelling, Microsoft Excel, and founder of the globally recognised Excel site thesmallman.com, Marcus provides courses, models, and tutorials to help thousands improve their finance skills.
As one of the top know-how sharing authors on Eloquens.com, we interviewed Marcus to find out more about the financial modelling world and get some key insights.
Hi Marcus! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?
My name is Marcus Small – TheSmallman – as I
was growing up. I am based in BrisVegas, a lovely city on the east coast of Australia.
I hold an ANU Masters Degree in Finance and a ‘Visiting Doctorate in Skiology’ gained through Whistler, Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Beaver Creek and the Hukuba Valley, all visited this past northern winter (true story).
How did you get into financial modelling, and why do you think that it’s important?
Modelling consistently and with forethought, ultimately gives organisations flexibility in making sound operational decisions.
I did not choose financial modelling – it chose me. I learnt my craft at PWC and Investment banking in the UK. I am inherently a lazy soul and I was forever trying to get Excel to do my work for me so I could sample the barista action of London’s Square Mile. Increasingly I was able to build my knowledge to the point where my reporting happened over night while I was not at work. I was ahead of my time with passive income. 😊
How do you share knowledge & help others in your field on a daily basis?
I run my Excel blog theSmallman.com which is about sharing with the world what I find interesting in the Excel space. Over many years, it has grown to be one of the largest Excel blogs on the internet. I conduct Excel face to face training for accounting bodies all over the country and abroad. Sharing my knowledge on financial modelling, dashboard design, Microsoft’s power tools and VBA is very liberating as I get to give back to the community that has given me so much.
Based on your observations in the past few years, could you tell if people’s interest in sharing know-how publicly in your field has been gradually increasing?
The wealth of Excel knowledge online has exploded the past few years.
With the rise and rise of YouTube, many people have created easy to follow tutorials. The forums continue to be a font of up to the minute knowledge and new Excel websites are opening every day. There is a healthy online community and already there is a rich source of information online. I can only see it getting bigger and better with time.
Why have you decided to use an Eloquens.com Author Channel to share your Best Practices 💎?
Eloquens provides a platform to share my most treasured works. I have been impressed with the clean, seamless process of uploading and sharing my materials. I am very happy I joined Eloquens and only wish I had done so sooner.
Do you anticipate any future trends or changes in your field?
Moving away from the serious stuff now! You share your best know-how on our site, would you be able to share your best joke?
Never criticise anyone until you have walked a mile in their shoes. That way if you are critical, you will be a mile away and you will have their shoes!
Another off-piste question for you, Marcus…You seem to like Skiing 🎿 ! Where do you plan to go this coming northern Winter?
I am a skiing tragic and I have booked a holiday in Verbier, Chamonix, St Anton, St Moritz, Telluride, Jackson Hole and Park City. January to March are quiet in the training space, so I like to leave and recharge my batteries… as you can see… I go large.
And that’s a wrap! Thanks to Marcus for the interview, you can check out his best Best Practices 💎 on his Eloquens Author Channel.
We’re always happy when our authors share their know-how, so that you #DontReinventTheWheel.
Keep your eyes peeled for our next expert author interview on the Eloquens blog 👀
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