Income|Outcome® Blog

Our blog covers a range of topics around business acumen and business simulations. For HR and L&D professionals, we explore strategies to engage learners and improve financial literacy in the workplace. For curious learners, we provide simple explanations of financial concepts like income statements and cash flow—because understanding business finance shouldn’t be intimidating.

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The ROI Challenge™: Turning Business Acumen into Real-World Action

What happens after the workshop? The ROI Challenge™ helps learners apply business acumen in their real-world roles—and track measurable results.

The ROI Challenge™: Turning Business Acumen into Real-World Action

What the Research Shows: Learning With Others

October 23, 2025

What the Research Shows: Learning With Others

Learning sticks when people think together — not just listen.

When Executives Get Less Time, Learning Has to Work Harder

When Executives Get Less Time, Learning Has to Work Harder

Executives often get the shortest training—but they still need real business insight. Here’s how right-sized learning makes the most of limited time.

How Work Has Changed—and Why Learning Must Catch Up

How Work Has Changed—and Why Learning Must Catch Up

Work used to move in straight lines. It doesn’t anymore. Survey to Mastery helps L&D teams adapt to faster roles and real-world learning needs.

The ROI Challenge™: Turning Business Acumen into Real-World Action

The ROI Challenge™: Turning Business Acumen into Real-World Action

What happens after the workshop? The ROI Challenge™ helps learners apply business acumen in their real-world roles—and track measurable results.

What Is ROI? Hidden Value & Real Business Examples

What Is ROI? Hidden Value & Real Business Examples

“ROI is more than a percentage — it’s proof of business acumen. Explore hidden value, real-world ROI examples, and how leaders can connect training and decisions to measurable business impact.”

How Companies Use the Income|Outcome Simulation for Business Acumen

How Companies Use the Income|Outcome Simulation for Business Acumen

Discover 20 powerful ways to use Income|Outcome to improve business acumen, financial literacy, and strategic alignment across your organization. From onboarding to KPI discussions — this simulation drives results.

Put Income|Outcome in Your Business Acumen Toolkit

Put Income|Outcome in Your Business Acumen Toolkit

Like a good multi-tool for business acumen, Income|Outcome simulations build functional competencies across financial literacy, strategic thinking, decision-making, and more.

CTL: How Will You Handle Tariffs

CTL: How Will You Handle Tariffs

Explore how tariffs affect your pricing, margin, and customer relationships with this interactive Tariff Response Simulator. Test trade-offs and see how different management and customer types react to your decisions.

If Tariffs Are Impacting Your Business, Your Business Acumen Solution Needs to Change

If Tariffs Are Impacting Your Business, Your Business Acumen Solution Needs to Change

If tariffs are delaying projects, raising costs, or complicating pricing, your business acumen training should reflect it. Here’s how to bring it into the room.

The Impact of Tariffs: Long-Term Strategy (Part 3 of 3)

The Impact of Tariffs: Long-Term Strategy (Part 3 of 3)

Tariffs don’t just raise costs—they reshape long-term strategy. Explore how they affect CapEx, pricing, and alignment across teams, with or without a simulation.

The Impact of Tariffs: Cash Flow (Part 2 of 3)

The Impact of Tariffs: Cash Flow (Part 2 of 3)

Tariffs create more than cost increases—they tie up cash, delay payments, and increase financial risk. Learn how to surface these pressures in the classroom or simulation.

The Impact of Tariffs: Raw Materials (Part 1 of 3)

The Impact of Tariffs: Raw Materials (Part 1 of 3)

When tariffs hit raw materials, pricing, sourcing, and supplier strategies shift fast. Explore how Income|Outcome workshops help teams make smarter decisions under real-world trade pressure.

Visual Finance Comparison: Apple and Microsoft

Visual Finance Comparison: Apple and Microsoft

Apple and Microsoft manage cash flow differently—a visual, side-by-side look at two tech giants through the lens of Visual Finance.

CTL: Using Visual Finance to Compare Companies

CTL: Using Visual Finance to Compare Companies

Go beyond the numbers. Compare two companies using Visual Finance and see how differences in cost structure, asset use, and profitability drive business results.

Blind Spots in Leadership: How Strengths Become Risks

Blind Spots in Leadership: How Strengths Become Risks

When star performers and leaders have blind spots, the impact can be serious. Explore how IO for Leaders helps senior teams recognize and address blind spots that affect judgment, strategy, and cross-functional trust.

Blind Spots in Business: Why Misguided Perceptions Hurt Performance

Blind Spots in Business: Why Misguided Perceptions Hurt Performance

Employee misconceptions about business performance can impact decisions, morale, and collaboration. Learn how business acumen training helps leaders address these blind spots and drive better outcomes.

Decisionscapes: Your Choices Impact the Decision-Making of Others

Decisionscapes: Your Choices Impact the Decision-Making of Others

Explore the idea of decisionscapes—how every business decision reshapes the terrain for yours and others decisions, and why awareness is key to smarter, cross-functional choices.

EBIT vs. EBITDA: Which Tells the Better Story?

EBIT vs. EBITDA: Which Tells the Better Story?

EBIT and EBITDA are both used to measure operating performance—but they aren’t the same. Learn the difference, when to use each, and what they really tell you about a business.

CTL: The EBITDA Storytelling Challenge

CTL: The EBITDA Storytelling Challenge

Two companies. Same EBITDA. Different story. This analysis breaks down what’s hidden beneath the surface—and what it means for capital intensity and future risk.

CTL: Working Capital

CTL: Working Capital

Estimate the cash impact of improving your company’s receivables, inventory, and payables. This short exercise helps you understand working capital and identify quick wins.

Cost Structure: Direct, Indirect, and the Space Between

Cost Structure: Direct, Indirect, and the Space Between

Learn how to distinguish direct and indirect costs—and why business decisions depend on getting it right. Includes examples and a practical framework.

CTL: Apply Direct & Indirect Costs to Your Business

CTL: Apply Direct & Indirect Costs to Your Business

Apply what you learned in the Income|Outcome business simulation workshop. Identify, classify, and assess costs in your business using this simple 4-step exercise.

Developing Corporate Finance Skills in Non-Financial Managers

February 19, 2025

Developing Corporate Finance Skills in Non-Financial Managers

—And Expanding Business Acumen in Finance Professionals Bridging the Gap Between Finance and Non-Finance Teams If you're looking for the best way to help…

How to Pitch Employee Engagement to the CFO

February 13, 2025

How to Pitch Employee Engagement to the CFO

Employee engagement is critical for any enterprise, especially in a booming economy with record low unemployment. Everyone understands its importance, but…

Business Acumen: Disruptive Technologies and Innovations

February 5, 2025

Business Acumen: Disruptive Technologies and Innovations

Disruption isn’t just about technology—it’s about business acumen. Companies that understand financial realities, decision-making, and operational execution don’t just survive disruption—they lead it. Here’s why strong business fundamentals are the real competitive advantage.

Decision-making - it's a business acumen competency (2 of 4)

January 13, 2025

Decision-making - it's a business acumen competency (2 of 4)

Strong decision-making requires good information—but how do you ensure you get it? It comes down to business literacy, holistic thinking, and a strong decision-making culture. See how the Income|Outcome simulation helps teams understand the cross-functional impact of every decision.

Decision-making - Broadening the information base (3 of 4)

January 13, 2025

Decision-making - Broadening the information base (3 of 4)

Why do even experts make poor decisions? A study by INSEAD researchers Lobo & Yao found that overconfidence, narrow focus, and lack of experience all play a role. Learn how to improve decision-making through broader data, financial literacy, and experiential learning.

ASTD 2013: Doing is Believing - Business Acumen

January 13, 2025

ASTD 2013: Doing is Believing - Business Acumen

Doing Is Believing: Get Your D.I.B.s on Business Acumen! How can experiential learning highlight the key components of business acumen ? How should…

Business Acumen for Absolutely Everybody

January 13, 2025

Business Acumen for Absolutely Everybody

The Economist has a recent article ("Revisiting Ricardo") that delves into the growing economic inequalities within the world's poorest nations. The piece…

Answer for the EBITDA Storytelling Challenge

Answer for the EBITDA Storytelling Challenge

What’s the best metric for your story—EBIT or EBITDA? In this follow-up to the storytelling challenge, we reveal the answer and explain how context shapes which number tells the better story.

Cost Structure: Direct, Indirect, and the Space Between

Cost Structure: Direct, Indirect, and the Space Between

Learn how to distinguish direct and indirect costs—and why business decisions depend on getting it right. Includes examples and a practical framework.

What is Gross Margin?

January 13, 2025

What is Gross Margin?

Gross margin is a key financial metric that measures the percentage of revenue left after direct costs. Many companies define it differently, leading to confusion. This post explains what gross margin is, how to calculate it, and why it’s essential for business viability. With clear examples and practical insights, this guide helps employees understand how their actions impact a company’s financial health.

What is Days Sales Outstanding?

January 13, 2025

What is Days Sales Outstanding?

DSO measures how long it takes customers to pay after being invoiced. Learn how to calculate it, why it impacts cash flow, and how reducing it can improve your business.

Business Acumen: Supply and Demand in action

January 13, 2025

Business Acumen: Supply and Demand in action

Supply and demand isn’t just theory—it’s reality. When demand surges, prices rise, whether it’s for products or labor. The oil boom in Williston, North Dakota, is a perfect example. In Income|Outcome, participants experience these dynamics first-hand—before encountering them the hard way.

4 Reasons Your Company Should Use Games to Drive Adult Learning

4 Reasons Your Company Should Use Games to Drive Adult Learning

Everyone who works makes business decisions . College deans approve faculty. Distribution managers decide on appropriate inventory. Even the teenager…

Business Strategy Games and the "Just Do It" Principle

Business Strategy Games and the "Just Do It" Principle

Why Experiential Learning is the Best Way to Build Business Acumen Humans learn best by playing and doing —not just by watching and listening . That’s why…

What Type of Year Was it for Your Company’s Training Programs?

December 23, 2011

What Type of Year Was it for Your Company’s Training Programs?

Reflecting on the Past Year: Is Your Training Producing Results? As the new year approaches , we naturally reflect on the triumphs and failures of the…

Prioritizing Learning and Development Activities - How Do You Do It?

September 6, 2011

Prioritizing Learning and Development Activities - How Do You Do It?

People Management and Business Acumen: Setting L&D Priorities A couple of weeks ago, I ran across a great People Management news video from this spring.…

Who knew finance training workshops could be so much fun?

Who knew finance training workshops could be so much fun?

People learn best when they are engaged. Engagement is easy when people are involved in a team competition. A good business simulation like Income/Outcome…

Do Finance managers ever go bankrupt in Income/Outcome?

November 21, 2012

Do Finance managers ever go bankrupt in Income/Outcome?

Mixing Finance with Other Teams: A Lesson from Experience Many years ago, when I was still learning how to run business simulations effectively, I led a…

The “Driving the Car” Joke

September 10, 2010

The “Driving the Car” Joke

‍ Robin Helweg-Larsen, President, Andromeda Training A Joke About How Departments Drive the Company Car A joke I’ve made is about how different…