Budget Benchmarking Through Real-World Practice
We don't believe in lectures without context. Our approach centers on hands-on analysis of actual Vietnamese business scenarios, where participants work through real budget data and compare their findings against industry standards.
Financial literacy develops through repetition and practical application—not abstract theory disconnected from reality.
Discuss Your Team's Needs
Two Complementary Learning Pathways
We've found that different professionals absorb financial concepts differently. Some need structured frameworks first. Others learn better by diving into messy real-world data and discovering patterns organically.
Structured Framework Method
Starts with established benchmarking frameworks used across Southeast Asian markets. Participants learn classification systems, variance analysis techniques, and reporting standards before applying them to case studies.
This path suits professionals with accounting backgrounds or those who prefer understanding the "why" before the "how."
- Industry-standard categorization systems
- Variance calculation methodologies
- Peer group selection criteria
- Contextual adjustment techniques for Vietnamese market conditions
- Graduated complexity—starting with single-department budgets
Discovery-Based Exploration
Begins with anonymized datasets from Vietnamese SMEs across sectors. Participants identify patterns, anomalies, and trends without predetermined frameworks—then we introduce formal methodologies to validate their intuitions.
Better for operational managers who understand business operations but lack formal financial training.
- Pattern recognition exercises using actual budget reports
- Collaborative hypothesis testing with peer groups
- Sector-specific ratio discovery workshops
- Gradual introduction of formal terminology
- Emphasis on practical judgment over technical precision
How We Actually Teach Benchmarking Skills
Forget the typical classroom setup where an instructor presents slides for three hours. Our sessions feel more like collaborative problem-solving workshops where everyone contributes observations.
Each cohort works with datasets relevant to their industries—manufacturing, retail, professional services, hospitality. We source these (with permission and full anonymization) from Vietnamese businesses that participated in previous programs.
The first exercise usually surprises people. We present two companies in the same sector with wildly different expense ratios. Instead of explaining why, we ask participants to develop hypotheses. What operational differences might explain a 40% variance in overhead costs?
This reversal—asking questions before providing answers—forces active engagement. You can't passively absorb budget benchmarking. You develop intuition by wrestling with ambiguity.
The September 2025 Intensive Format
Our upcoming program runs across six Saturday mornings (September through October 2025). Each session combines 90 minutes of guided analysis, a 30-minute break with informal discussion, then 90 minutes working in small groups on case studies. Participants bring laptops—we provide datasets, analytical templates, and Vietnamese market context documents.
Between sessions, participants receive optional exercises—nothing mandatory, but most find that spending 2-3 hours reviewing their own company's budgets with fresh eyes yields immediate insights they bring back to the group.
Who Guides These Sessions
We don't use professional trainers who've never managed a budget themselves. Each facilitator has 10+ years of operational finance experience in Vietnamese business environments and understands the specific challenges of working with limited benchmark data in emerging markets.
Thijs Duinkerken
Lead Facilitator
Previously built the FP&A function at a manufacturing company that scaled from 80 to 400 employees between 2017 and 2023. Spent years developing internal benchmarks when external data sources provided little relevant comparison for Vietnamese operational contexts. Now teaches others the shortcuts he learned through trial and error.
Isra Lavrsen
Senior Instructor
Worked as fractional CFO for seven Vietnamese SMEs simultaneously, which gave her unusual perspective on cross-industry budget patterns. Specializes in helping non-finance managers understand financial metrics without drowning them in accounting jargon. Known for asking uncomfortable questions that surface hidden assumptions.
