Build Budgets That Actually Survive Reality
Most financial plans collapse when unexpected costs appear. Our program teaches you how to create contingency strategies that work—drawing from years of watching budgets fail and succeed in Canadian businesses.
Explore Our Fall 2025 Program
Learn From People Who've Fixed Broken Budgets
We don't teach theory. Both instructors spent years handling budget crises in manufacturing and municipal finance.
Darragh Pemberton
Industrial Budget Specialist
Spent twelve years managing capital projects for a Winnipeg manufacturing company. Got good at building contingency plans after watching three expansion projects nearly fail from unexpected costs. Now teaches the methods that actually prevented those failures.
Estela Wainwright
Municipal Finance Advisor
Worked with three Manitoba municipalities on infrastructure budgets. Has seen every type of cost overrun—weather delays, material price spikes, regulatory changes. Teaches contingency planning based on what actually goes wrong, not what might.
How Our September 2025 Program Works
Weeks 1-3: Identifying What Usually Breaks
Start by analyzing real budget failures. You'll examine case studies from construction, retail, and services to understand why contingency planning fails. Each participant brings a budget they're working with—could be personal, could be professional.
Weeks 4-7: Building Your Reserve Strategy
Learn the math behind contingency percentages. We cover how to calculate reserves based on project complexity, timeline, and risk factors. This section gets into spreadsheet work—you'll build models you can actually use after the program ends.
Weeks 8-10: Testing Under Pressure
Run scenario simulations where unexpected costs appear. Material price increases, timeline delays, scope changes—you'll practice adjusting contingency plans in real time. This is where people usually discover gaps in their planning.
Weeks 11-12: Implementing Your System
Final two weeks focus on taking your contingency framework and making it operational. You'll present your approach to the group and get feedback. Past participants often mention this as the most valuable part—seeing how others solved similar problems.
What Happens After People Finish
Questions People Ask at Different Stages
These come up regularly—organized by when you're likely to wonder about them.
Before Enrolling
Do I need accounting experience?
Not really. You should be comfortable with basic spreadsheets and percentages. We cover the financial concepts you need—most participants come from operations or project management backgrounds.
When does the fall program start?
September 8, 2025. Classes run Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. Everything's online—we use video sessions with breakout work.
What's the time commitment outside class?
Plan for three to five hours weekly. You'll work on your contingency framework throughout the program. Some weeks require more time—particularly when running scenario tests.
During the Program
What if I get stuck on my project?
Both instructors hold office hours—Darragh on Wednesdays, Estela on Fridays. You can also post questions in the group discussion board. Other participants often have useful suggestions based on their industries.
Can I switch my project focus midway?
Yes, though it's not ideal. A few people each cohort realize their initial budget isn't complex enough for the exercises. Better to start with something that has multiple cost categories and timeline considerations.
After Completion
Do I get ongoing access to materials?
All course materials stay available through our learning platform. You'll also get updates when we revise case studies or add new scenario templates. Access continues as long as the program runs.
Is there an alumni network?
We maintain a discussion group for past participants. It's fairly active—people share how they've adapted the methods and ask questions about new situations. Quarterly online meetups happen where someone presents a challenging budget problem.