A great candidate looks like:
* Analytical (maths/physics/chemistry/coding/PPE background).
* Slope not intercept: extensive prior financial experience not required.
* Reading:
o Can give an excellent book recommendation in finance, history or philosophy.
* Willing to get their hands dirty (e.g., understanding SKU sell-through dynamics, stock takes)
* Can code or is willing to learn.
Example tasks include:
* Modelling:
o at a high level, e.g., doing a deep dive with me on how Walmart, Costco, Amazon's capital cycles worked as they were growing.
o at a low level, e.g., cash flow forecasts, when do we need to fundraise, costs of setting up a new warehouse, effects of tariffs.
* Building monthly management accounts.
* Being a financial team of (nearly-)one: reconciliation (with the operations team helping), stock takes, asset count, inventory financing.
* Planning (e.g., for setting up d2c warehouses in America).