VFD Academy · Training & CPD
Build the skills to turn financial insight into action
Practical training for accountants, advisors, fractional FDs and CFOs, finance teams and business owners. Explore free webinars, develop your technical skills through VFD Mastery, or combine training with personalised support through the VFD Mastermind Programme.
- Free open webinars
- 14-week VFD Mastery training
- Monthly support through VFD Mastermind
Three ways to develop your skills
Choose a focused learning session, a structured technical programme, or training with support to put it into practice across your client base.
Open webinars
Explore a relevant topic, see practical examples and learn from the VFD team and guest experts. Open to clients and non-clients, with sessions aimed at the audiences best suited to each topic.
- Financial reporting, forecasting and client conversations
- Business development and wider business topics
- Recorded learning through the webinar library
VFD Mastery
A structured programme to develop your understanding and practical use of the VFD reports and models, from client reviews and management reporting to forecasting and exit planning.
- 14 sessions of two hours each
- Included for up to three delegates within VFD Mastermind
- Standalone paid attendance also available
VFD Mastermind
For professionals serving multiple clients who want to build, deliver and grow advisory services. Combine the VFD toolkit and VFD Mastery training with member deep dives and monthly support.
- One technical and one commercial 1:1 session each month
- Shared support for your participating team
- A structured 12-month development journey
Develop your capability in four areas
These areas connect the knowledge, conversations and practical delivery needed to provide useful financial advice. Relevant open sessions introduce topics; VFD Mastermind provides deeper member learning and support.
Win and grow advisory work
Clarify your offer, engage suitable clients, explain value, agree scope and pricing, and turn opportunities into ongoing engagements.
For example: turn a useful client review into a clearly scoped monthly advisory service.
Use the tools with confidence
Understand the VFD reports and models, interpret financial performance, build forecasts and communicate what the numbers mean.
For example: use a forecast to explore how changes in sales or margins affect profit and cash.
Put a complete service into practice
Bring your technical and commercial skills together: client onboarding, preparation, review meetings, agreed actions and a consistent reporting cycle.
For example: establish a monthly review that links performance, decisions and follow-through.
See the wider business picture
Learn from relevant expert sessions about the issues affecting clients beyond their accounts, and recognise when specialist expertise can help.
For example: identify when a growth challenge needs input from a marketing, people or operational specialist.
A structured foundation for practical financial advisory
Build your knowledge across four connected modules, with 14 two-hour training sessions.
- Compliance+: future-focused client reviews
- Management reporting: performance analysis and review meetings
- Forecasting and Virtual FD/CFO: planning and financial decision support
- Exit planning: business value and exit readiness
Choose training alone or a supported journey
VFD Mastermind includes VFD Mastery attendance for up to three delegates, alongside the toolkit, member sessions and monthly technical and commercial support.
If you want the VFD Mastery course on its own, standalone paid attendance is available. Contact us to confirm the current price, dates and arrangements.
Ask about standalone VFD MasteryTraining with support to put it into practice
For accountants, advisors, bookkeepers and fractional FDs/CFOs developing financial advisory services. In-house finance professionals can also discuss participation in the training relevant to their role. Follow a structured 12-month journey to build, launch and grow your advisory services.
- VFD Mastery attendance for up to three delegates
- One technical 1:1 session each month with a VFD Technical Expert
- One commercial 1:1 session each month with a VFD Commercial Expert
- Member-only deep dives and peer learning
- FiMBO and Exit Planning 101 materials behind the Academy login
- The full VFD toolkit, with connection arrangements explained on the pricing page
All practice delegates are invited to participate in joint 1:1 sessions. If separate 1:1 support is required for individual team members, this is charged extra.
One joined-up programme
per month, excluding VAT
Includes VFD Mastery attendance for up to three delegates. Additional delegates: £295 per month, excluding VAT.
What is available through each route?
See what is included with each route. Free webinars and published webinar recordings are available to clients and non-clients.
| Learning and support | Free learning | Standalone VFD Mastery | VFD Plan | VFD Mastermind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free open webinars | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Access to Webinar Recordings | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| VFD Mastery training | Not included | Included | Not included | Included |
| VFD Mastermind member deep dives | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Monthly technical 1:1 support | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Monthly commercial 1:1 support | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| FiMBO and Exit Planning 101 presentation materials | Not included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Client education marketing assets | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Support to put client education into service | Not included | Not included | Not included | Included |
VFD Mastery is included for up to three delegates within VFD Mastermind. A VFD Plan subscription does not by itself include VFD Mastery attendance. Monthly technical and commercial 1:1 sessions are provided per firm/practice; separate individual support is charged extra. The presentation and marketing material access shown reflects the current arrangements.
Helping Business Owners Understand Their Numbers To Build A Stronger Business
Two training programmes designed to help business owners understand finance AND provide them with actionable strategies to grow, scale and build a resilient, saleable business so owners can exit successfully. Experience these first hand, then use them to educate clients.
FiMBO - Growing a Scalable, Profitable Business
Help clients understand how their decisions affect profit, cash and growth. Experience the programme first hand to see how financial education can support more useful client conversations.
Anyone can join a FiMBO training programme. Click below for course dates.
Exit Planning 101 – Building for Exit Success
Help clients understand how to build a resilient business, reduce owner dependence and prepare for a successful future exit. Experience the programme before using it as part of your client education.
Explore the programme and upcoming course dates below.
Use the programmes in your client education
VFD Plan subscribers: access the FiMBO and Exit Planning 101 presentation materials through the VFD Academy.
VFD Mastermind members: access the presentation materials, the suite of marketing assets and related assistance and support to put the programmes into service.
Ask the team about presentation, branding and delivery arrangements before using the materials with clients.
Learning that fits your role
Accountants in practice
Develop team capability, improve client reviews and grow a consistent advisory service. Start with open learning or explore the supported VFD Mastermind journey.
Fractional FDs, CFOs and business advisors
Strengthen technical delivery, client implementation and the commercial skills needed to win and grow suitable engagements.
Bookkeepers serving multiple clients
Develop reporting confidence and useful client conversations. Explore open webinars, VFD Mastery or VFD Mastermind according to the services you want to deliver.
Accountants and finance teams in industry
Discuss training designed around your in-house finance team’s requirements. Individual finance professionals can attend VFD Mastery or join VFD Mastermind to participate in training relevant to their role.
Business owners
Explore FiMBO and Exit Planning 101 to understand finance and develop actionable strategies for growth, resilience and future exit.
Your training and CPD questions
Click each question to expand and read the answer.
Can I attend without subscribing to VFD?
Yes. Open webinars are free and available to clients and non-clients. Choose sessions relevant to your role. VFD Mastery is a paid programme, available separately or included for VFD Mastermind members.
What is the difference between VFD Mastery and VFD Mastermind?
VFD Mastery is the structured 14-session training programme. VFD Mastermind combines VFD Mastery with the VFD toolkit, member deep dives and monthly technical and commercial 1:1 support.
Can all three VFD Mastermind delegates attend the monthly 1:1 sessions?
Yes. Each firm/practice can participate in one technical and one commercial 1:1 support session each month. Additional team members can attend these joint sessions. If separate 1:1 support for individuals is required, this is an additional charged-for service.
How much CPD does VFD Mastery provide?
The full programme comprises 14 two-hour sessions: 28 taught hours. CPD is based on the learning you attend. Ask us about the attendance evidence available for your records.
Does the VFD Training and 1:1 support contribute to my CPD?
These sessions can provide further learning relevant to your professional development. Record the time spent learning and its relevance to your role, and ask us about supporting evidence. Additional relevant training, coaching and support can also contribute to your CPD requirements; record the learning actually undertaken separately from VFD Mastery’s 28 taught hours.
Are webinars recorded?
Open webinars are recorded and published in the recording library when they provide new content. When a topic repeats existing content, a relevant recording may already be available.
Is VFD Mastermind aimed at finance teams working inside one business?
Training for in-house finance teams is available, with programme content and structure designed to suit each organisation’s requirements. Individual finance professionals are welcome to attend VFD Mastery training or join the VFD Mastermind Programme to participate in the training elements relevant to their role.
Can I use the business-owner education materials with clients?
Yes. VFD Plan subscribers and VFD Mastermind members can access the FiMBO and Exit Planning 101 presentation materials. VFD Mastermind members also receive access to the marketing assets and related implementation support. Ask the team about presentation, branding and delivery arrangements before using the materials with clients.
