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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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Why Experiential Learning Works In the Classroom and Online

When learning is built around decisions, trade-offs, and consequences, people don’t just absorb concepts—they test them, misuse them, correct them, and remember them.

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Why Experiential Learning Works In the Classroom and Online
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Business Acumen
Financial Literacy & Key Concepts
Learning & Development
Business Simulations
Why Experiential Learning Works In the Classroom and Online
February 12, 2026

Why Experiential Learning Works In the Classroom and Online

When learning is built around decisions, trade-offs, and consequences, people don’t just absorb concepts—they test them, misuse them, correct them, and remember them.

Nikolai Usack Answers 3 Common Questions about Income|Outcome’s Approach to Financial Training
February 9, 2026

Nikolai Usack Answers 3 Common Questions about Income|Outcome’s Approach to Financial Training

Nikolai Usack answers three frequently asked questions about Income|Outcome’s unique approach to financial training. Learn how the simulation-based methodology enhances business acumen, engages participants, and delivers lasting insights into financial decision-making.

How to Rapidly Respond to Changing Conditions in Your Industry
January 23, 2026

How to Rapidly Respond to Changing Conditions in Your Industry

Companies don't operate in isolation. Instead, they operate in fields with three to twenty competitors. And any slight, unexpected occurrence can cause a…

Bemus Landscape Case Study: Building Business Acumen Across Departments
January 10, 2026

Bemus Landscape Case Study: Building Business Acumen Across Departments

Bemus Landscape experiences greater company-wide communication and holistic business understanding after completing an Income|Outcome Business Simulation.

When AI Answers the Wrong Question Perfectly
January 9, 2026

When AI Answers the Wrong Question Perfectly

AI can deliver highly accurate answers to poorly framed questions, making business acumen—the ability to understand how decisions connect to revenue, cost, risk, and long-term consequences—more critical than ever for ensuring organizations ask the right questions in the first place.

CTL: Net Present Value (NPV)
January 2, 2026

CTL: Net Present Value (NPV)

Learn how Net Present Value (NPV) helps teams compare investments and make smarter business decisions. See how finance evaluates long-term ROI.

What Is Net Present Value (NPV)
January 2, 2026

What Is Net Present Value (NPV)

Net Present Value, or NPV is the idea that money today is worth more than the same amount in the future because prices rise and opportunities change.

4 Financial Concepts Every Employee Should Know
January 2, 2026

4 Financial Concepts Every Employee Should Know

Every employee contributes to a company’s financial health—whether they realize it or not. Zingerman’s 10 rules for engaging employees in finance align with Income|Outcome’s philosophy: business acumen should extend beyond leadership. From understanding financial reports to differentiating profit from cash, this post highlights four key financial concepts every employee should know.

What the Research Shows: How Judgment Develops
November 18, 2025

What the Research Shows: How Judgment Develops

Skills-based learning has taken center stage in corporate development—often supported by AI that identifies skill gaps, maps career paths, and recommends learning content. But one question keeps surfacing: where does judgment fit?

What the Research Shows: Gamification in Education and Training
November 4, 2025

What the Research Shows: Gamification in Education and Training

Gamification has become a fixture in workplace learning—from onboarding portals to compliance refreshers and sales challenges. Yet beneath the buzz, the research shows a more complex picture.

Choosing the Best Business Acumen Simulation: The Full Podcast Series
October 29, 2025

Choosing the Best Business Acumen Simulation: The Full Podcast Series

Explore all 16 episodes of our Choosing the Best Business Acumen Simulation podcast series. Learn how to evaluate, select, and maximize simulations for impactful business acumen training.

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
August 6, 2025

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
August 5, 2025

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
July 28, 2025

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
July 28, 2025

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
July 9, 2025

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
June 30, 2025

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
May 26, 2025

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
May 21, 2025

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)
May 21, 2025

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)
May 21, 2025

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)
May 20, 2025

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
May 15, 2025

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
May 14, 2025

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.

When AI Answers the Wrong Question Perfectly
January 8, 2026

When AI Answers the Wrong Question Perfectly

AI can deliver highly accurate answers to poorly framed questions, making business acumen—the ability to understand how decisions connect to revenue, cost, risk, and long-term consequences—more critical than ever for ensuring organizations ask the right questions in the first place.

Learn More
4 Financial Concepts Every Employee Should Know
January 13, 2025

4 Financial Concepts Every Employee Should Know

Every employee contributes to a company’s financial health—whether they realize it or not. Zingerman’s 10 rules for engaging employees in finance align with Income|Outcome’s philosophy: business acumen should extend beyond leadership. From understanding financial reports to differentiating profit from cash, this post highlights four key financial concepts every employee should know.

Learn More
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.

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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.

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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…

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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…

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Answer for the EBITDA Storytelling Challenge
April 17, 2025

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.

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Cost Structure: Direct, Indirect, and the Space Between
March 26, 2025

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Why Experiential Learning Works In the Classroom and Online
February 12, 2026

Why Experiential Learning Works In the Classroom and Online

When learning is built around decisions, trade-offs, and consequences, people don’t just absorb concepts—they test them, misuse them, correct them, and remember them.

Learn More
How to Rapidly Respond to Changing Conditions in Your Industry
January 23, 2026

How to Rapidly Respond to Changing Conditions in Your Industry

Companies don't operate in isolation. Instead, they operate in fields with three to twenty competitors. And any slight, unexpected occurrence can cause a…

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4 Reasons Your Company Should Use Games to Drive Adult Learning
July 15, 2015

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…

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Business Strategy Games and the "Just Do It" Principle
June 21, 2012

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…

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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…

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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.…

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Who knew finance training workshops could be so much fun?
May 9, 2013

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…

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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…

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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…

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