Leading with Financial Fluency – Hybrid Cohort

We’re excited to have you join this experience.

NextUp’s Leading with Financial Fluency- Hybrid is an accelerated, one-day learning experience designed to build confidence in financial thinking and enterprise-level decision-making. Through CEO-led discussions, hands-on case work, and collaborative learning, you will apply financial frameworks to real business scenarios and strengthen your ability to engage in strategic, data-informed conversations.

Rather than focusing on theory alone, this program emphasizes application, equipping you with practical tools, structured frameworks, and executive insight you can immediately use to evaluate business performance and inform decisions.

Important Note: This is a fast-paced, highly interactive experience. Participants are expected to fully engage to maximize learning and impact.

Table of Contents

1. Program Outcomes
2. Program Access and Learning Platform
3. Program Agenda
4. Virtual Session Calendar Hold and Meeting Details
5. Pre-Work and Virtual Session Details
6. In-Person Session Details
7. Know Before You Go
8. Questions?

Program Outcomes

By participating in Leading with Financial Fluency, you will be prepared to:

• Interpret and connect core financial statements
• Apply the NextUp 3R Financial Framework (Revenue, Ratios, Return on Invested Capital)
• Analyze business performance and trade-offs with greater confidence
• Contribute more effectively to strategic, data-driven discussions
• Strengthen an enterprise-level financial mindset across roles and functions
• Use AI-enabled tools to support financial analysis and inform decision-making

Making the Most of Your Experience

To ensure you get the most out of Leading with Financial Fluency, we encourage you to fully engage in each component of the program. Below are a few ways to maximize your learning: 

• Complete the pre-work on time.
  The self-directed pre-work builds shared financial language and prepares you for live discussions and case work. 

• Attend the Optional Pre-Work Walkthrough.
  A facilitated walkthrough of the pre-work, get clarity on key concepts, and start the program feeling confident and prepared. 

• Please plan to attend the full-day in-person session (8:30 AM–3:00 PM).
  This is a highly interactive experience designed for active participation, come ready to think, engage in discussion, and apply executive-level decision-making in real time. Please plan to stay for the full duration of the program. 

Program Access & Learning Platform: NovoEd

You will receive a “Welcome to NextUp Leading with Financial Fluency- Hybrid 2026!” email from NovoEd, our learning platform, sent from: noreply-lwff_chi26@novoed.com on April 22, 2026.

NovoEd is your central hub for the program journey. Within the platform, you’ll access program content, key resources, in-person session details and direct link to the virtual Pre-Work Walkthrough (Zoom) session, all in centralized place. The platform also provides opportunities to engage with peers and build meaningful connections throughout the program.

Program Agenda

Virtual Pre-Work

May 6 In-Person Program Agenda

Virtual Session Calendar Hold and Meeting Details

We understand that calendars fill up quickly, and advance planning is essential. Please take a moment to click on the links provided below to download the .ics files for all virtual sessions and add them to your calendar. See the schedule above for virtual session dates and times.

Once downloaded, save the file and follow your calendar application’s guidelines for importing it. Alternatively, each virtual session can be accessed via Zoom using the information below.

Pre-Work Walkthrough (Recommended)

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET

Zoom Link: https://newonline-org.zoom.us/j/84227323666
Meeting ID: 842 2732 36 66
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+12063379723,,84227323666# US (Seattle)
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Self-Paced and Virtual Session Details

Week 1: Self Directed Pre-Work

Wednesday, April 22 – Tuesday, May 5

In this self-paced pre-work, you’ll build familiarity with key financial terms, concepts, and the components of the Business Report Card, creating a foundation for topics explored during the live sessions.

Pre-Work Walkthrough (Recommended)

Wednesday, April 29 | 12:00-1:00 PM ET

Optional but recommended, this facilitated virtual session reviews the pre-work, clarifies key concepts, and answers questions ahead of the in-person experience. The Pre-Work Walkthrough is designed to build confidence, reinforce foundational understanding, and ensure all participants enter the session aligned, prepared, and ready to engage at a high level.

In-Person Program Details

Segment 1: Business Report Card and Revenue, Ratios, and Returns

An interactive walkthrough of the “Business Report Card,” the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, followed by a leadership-focused framework for analyzing Revenue, Ratios, and Return on Invested Capital. Participants learn how leaders use these metrics to assess business health, sustainability, and value creation.

Segment 2: Cantaloupe Group Work and Debrief

Working in small groups, you’ll analyze real financial statements from Cantaloupe to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. The debrief focuses on how different perspectives shape interpretation and what leaders need to know before drawing conclusions.

Segment 3: Return on Invested Capital and Diverge–Converge–Commit Framework

A deeper dive into Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) as the ultimate test of value creation, paired with the Diverge–Converge–Commit decision-framing framework. Participants explore how leaders move from questions to tradeoffs to commitment, especially under uncertainty.

Segment 4: Pomegranate Crunch Group Work and Debrief

This immersive case simulation brings the day’s concepts together. Working in groups, you’ll analyze an underperforming acquisition, apply the Business Report Card, and use the Diverge–Converge–Commit framework to surface tradeoffs and shape a recommended path forward.

The debrief is dynamic and fast‑paced. Rather than formal presentations, groups will share their thinking through live dialogue. All participants should be prepared to contribute, anyone may be invited to weigh in, challenge assumptions, or extend the conversation. The focus is not on having the “right” answer, but on how leaders listen, test ideas, and sharpen decisions together in real time.

Know Before You Go

In-Person Session

Date: May 6 | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM CT

We suggest arriving by 8:30 AM to allow time for check-in, as the program will begin promptly at 9:00 AM and conclude at 3:00 PM. We encourage staying until the end to get the full program experience.

Location & Entrance Instructions

SC Johnson Headquarters
550 W Washington Blvd, Suite 201, Room 1427
Chicago, IL 60661

Entrance Instructions

Upon arrival, please enter through the revolving doors and proceed to the front desk. Be prepared to present your name and a valid ID. Once checked in, take the elevator to the 14th floor. Upon exiting, enter through the doors where you will be greeted by a receptionist, please let them know you are attending the NextUp event. You will then be directed to follow NextUp signage to Room 1427.

Dress Code

The suggested dress code for the in-person event is business casual with comfortable shoes. Please be prepared for variable temperatures and air-conditioned rooms.

Parking & Travel

Parking

Parking is not included and should be arranged in advance via SpotHero where you can view nearby options and pricing. The closest parking garage is 165 N Clinton Street (Metra Market).

Overnight Accommodations

Participants are responsible for securing their own accommodations and should make arrangements based on their individual preferences and travel plans. A Hampton Inn is located directly across the street from the program venue, and a variety of other hotels are within 10-minute walking distance.

Meals

We will provide a continental breakfast from 8:30 – 9:00 AM, along with a boxed lunch from Corner Bakery. You may choose between a salad box or a sandwich box. Please complete the lunch order form by April 30 with your preferred option: Lunch Order Form. You are also welcome to bring your own lunch and snacks.

Questions

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at learning@nextupisnow.org.