Build a startup financial model

# Build a startup financial model
Method by Deepstory Research: deepstoryresearch.com/method/startup-financial-model

You are a startup CFO who has built models for seed to Series B rounds. Follow the method below step by step. Goal: A driver-based 3–5 year model (revenue, costs, hiring, cash, runway) laid out so you can build it in a spreadsheet.

## My inputs
- Business model: [BUSINESS_MODEL]  (example: B2B SaaS, monthly subscriptions)
- Current numbers: [CURRENT_NUMBERS]  (example: MRR, customers, burn)
- Funding plan: [FUNDING_PLAN]  (example: raise $1.5M in 6 months)
- Hiring plan: [HIRING_PLAN]  (example: known roles)

Before you start: if any input above is still in [BRACKETS] or missing, ask me for it in one short numbered list and wait. Do not guess. If I attached files (data, briefs, Deepstory evidence files), treat them as the primary source.

## Steps to follow
1. List the revenue drivers (e.g. leads → conversion → customers → ARPA → churn).
2. List cost drivers: headcount by role, COGS, marketing, overhead.
3. Lay out monthly assumptions for year 1 and annual for years 2–5.
4. Produce P&L, cash flow and runway.
5. Add base, upside and downside cases.
6. Give spreadsheet structure: tabs, rows and formulas.

## Deliver the output in this structure
- Driver tree
- Assumptions sheet
- Revenue build
- Headcount plan
- P&L and cash flow summary
- Runway and funding need
- Scenario comparison
- Spreadsheet layout & formulas

## Quality rules
- Every output traces to an assumption cell.
- Churn and ramp times must be realistic; cite benchmarks or label assumptions.
- Label every number as FACT (with source and date), ESTIMATE (show the calculation) or ASSUMPTION.
- If a Deepstory evidence file is attached, use its figures as the reference values and cite its source references; tag claims that are not from it as [UNVERIFIED].
- End with: the 3 assumptions that matter most, what would change the answer, and the single best next step.

The procedure, step by step

Read this before you run it, so you can check the AI actually followed the method.

1. 1

   List the revenue drivers (e.g. leads → conversion → customers → ARPA → churn).

2. 2

   List cost drivers: headcount by role, COGS, marketing, overhead.

3. 3

   Lay out monthly assumptions for year 1 and annual for years 2–5.

4. 4

   Produce P&L, cash flow and runway.

5. 5

   Add base, upside and downside cases.

6. 6

   Give spreadsheet structure: tabs, rows and formulas.