When you have already cracked one of India’s toughest professional exams – Chartered Accountancy – and clocked over a year at Deloitte managing financial reporting for heavyweight corporate clients, it’s easy to settle into a comfortable groove. But for CA Chhavi Mandil, settled was never the goal. Like Iron Man constantly upgrading his suit from Mark I to high-tech nanotech, Chhavi knew that to transition from analyzing historical books to predicting future business valuations, she needed a whole new set of core superpowers.
Enter The WallStreet School (TWSS) and the Certificate in Financial Modeling & Valuation (CFMV), the launchpad that ultimately helped her land a core corporate finance role at Infra Advisors!
Here is how Chhavi bridged the gap between statutory compliance and core strategic finance!
Q: Hi Chhavi! Before TWSS, you already had a stellar track record at Deloitte and KG Somani. What made you decide to pursue Financial Modeling and Valuation?
Chhavi: Audit and financial reporting give you a bulletproof foundation in understanding where a company’s money has been. At Deloitte as an Assistant Manager, I was constantly analyzing balance sheets, variance trends and Ind AS / IFRS compliance for major players in manufacturing and hospitality. During my articleship at KG Somani, I even led a 5-member team auditing a NASDAQ-listed software giant across Form 10-K and 10-Q filings.
However, I realized I wanted to move closer to deal-making, corporate strategy and future forecasting. I didn’t just want to review management’s past estimates – I wanted to build dynamic financial models from scratch and value companies from the ground up!
Q: Why did you specifically choose The WallStreet School for this upskilling journey?
Chhavi: When you ask anyone in corporate finance about practical training, TWSS is the first name that pops up – it’s basically the Professor X’s School for Gifted Youngsters of the Indian finance world.
What drew me in was their practical, hands-on approach. The instructors are industry veterans ex-McKinsey and PwC background professionals who don’t just teach theory; they train you like an actual investment banking analyst from Day 1.
Q: How was your experience with the CFMV curriculum at TWSS? What were the key takeaways?
Chhavi: It was intensely practical and hit the mark completely. The curriculum covered:
- Integrated 3-Statement Modeling: Building interconnected historical and forecast models using Advanced Excel, Power BI and modern AI tools.
- Valuation Methodologies: Mastering Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) valuation, Comparable Company Analysis (CCA) and Precedent Transaction Analysis (PTA) to calculate real-world enterprise and equity values.
- M&A & Deal Structuring: Getting hands-on exposure to accretion/dilution models, synergy analysis, deal structuring and crafting professional Pitchbooks for strategic transactions.
Q: How did your past experience combine with your new TWSS skill set?
Chhavi: Having worked with major clients like Vardhman Textiles, Hyatt India, Jindal Steel & Power and Sennheiser, I already understood corporate accounting nuances. TWSS helped me take that deep auditing knowledge and flip it into a forward-looking financial strategy.
When you combine a CA credential, Big 4 audit rigor (I was even awarded the “Walk the Dot” recognition by a Deloitte Partner) and core valuation modeling from TWSS, you get the complete package.
Q: What advice would you give to other CAs or finance professionals looking to make a similar shift?
Chhavi: Don’t stop learning once you get your degree, as passing the CA exams proves your discipline, but practical financial modeling proves your immediate execution capability on valuation desks. TWSS gives you the exact tools, confidence and real-world modeling mechanics to make that leap smoothly.
