{"id":10555,"date":"2025-10-07T14:21:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T08:51:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/blog\/?p=5327"},"modified":"2025-10-07T14:21:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T08:51:53","slug":"abhay-shift-to-core-finance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/abhay-shift-to-core-finance\/","title":{"rendered":"From Trading Screens to Valuation Models: Abhay\u2019s Shift into Core Finance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Abhay\u2019s journey in finance began the way many aspiring professionals imagine it. He had an MBA, was a CFA Level 1<\/a> candidate and had already gained experience on the trading floor. For over two years, he handled equity trades, studied market patterns and supported portfolios. On the surface, it looked like a strong career start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in the middle of executing trades and reacting to market swings, Abhay felt something was missing. Numbers told him what was happening in the market, but not why<\/em>. He wanted to move beyond short-term moves and understand the real drivers behind a company\u2019s value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The turning point came when he was asked to prepare a detailed portfolio strategy for a client. Abhay could read reports, pull data, and make observations, but when it came to building a structured model that tied everything together, he realized he needed a stronger toolkit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is when he turned towards a financial modeling course. The fact that the program was taught by people who had worked in investment banking and consulting gave him confidence that this would not just be theory but something practical and applicable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Abhay, the course was never about adding another certificate to his profile. It was about gaining the clarity to connect market knowledge with company fundamentals and transforming his perspective from short-term trading to long-term value creation. Today, those skills are no longer just lessons from a classroom. They have become part of how he approaches finance every day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, he is now placed at Knowcraft Analytics<\/strong> as a Financial Analyst,<\/strong> where he applies these skills in real-world scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is our conversation with Abhay \u2014 Straight from his experience<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Q1: Can you tell us a bit about your background and you\u2019re already an MBA and CFA Level 1 candidate. Why did you feel the need to learn financial modeling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ans.<\/strong> Practically, I felt the need because my trading roles showed me the limits of reacting to market moves alone. While I was good at executing trades and spotting short-term trends, I wanted to go deeper into why companies are valued the way they are and how to forecast their future performance. At Ebullient (where I worked earlier), analyzing companies on a monthly basis gave me just a small taste of this, but I realized that without proper skills, I couldn\u2019t build reliable models to back my analysis. I wanted to go beyond looking at stock price charts and actually understand business fundamentals. That\u2019s when I decided to pursue the Financial Modeling and Valuations certification, because I knew I needed more practical tools to connect theory with the real market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q2: What made you join a financial modeling course? Was there any moment where you felt stuck and knew you had to do something about it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ans.<\/strong> Thanks for the question! My background kicked off with an MBA in Financial Management and Foreign Trade from Banaras Hindu University, after my B.Com from Delhi University and early schooling at Kendriya Vidyalaya. Professionally, I\u2019ve spent about 2.5 years in equity trading and research. I began at Vishnupriya Securities as a Junior Equity Dealer (Aug 2020 \u2013 Jul 2022), where I learned the ropes of capital markets and also supported data work for company balance sheets. Later, at Ebullient Securities in Gurugram (Aug 2022 \u2013 Dec 2024), I took on the role of Equity Dealer, handling daily trades across equities and derivatives for client portfolios. Alongside, I\u2019m a CFA Level 1 candidate and also hold an NISM 8 certification, which keeps me connected to market regulations and trading practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment that really pushed me came during my time at Ebullient. I was analyzing companies every month and while I could sense patterns, I knew my insights were surface-level. One particular situation I still remember when a client asked me to prepare a detailed portfolio optimization plan. I understood the numbers individually, but when it came to putting everything into one structured model, integrating financials, forecasting, and running sensitivities, I hit a wall. My Excel skills just weren\u2019t strong enough for that level of analysis. That\u2019s when it clicked: if I wanted to grow in my career, I needed to learn proper financial modeling. Enrolling in the Financial Modeling and Valuations program turned out to be the right decision. It gave me hands-on skills like building integrated financial projections, valuation models and scenario analyses. That one challenge, which had earlier felt like a roadblock, actually became the turning point for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q3: How did it feel when you started the course? Was it tough to manage those challenging topics?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ans.<\/strong> Honestly, yes it was tough in the beginning. I kept asking myself if I had chosen the right path or if it was going to be too hard for me to crack. The classes were long and managing time was my first challenge. Initially, I decided to only revise the basics after class rather than overwhelm myself with everything at once. A lot of us in the batch thought we wouldn\u2019t be able to learn financial modeling and valuations in one go. Some even said, \u201cI\u2019ll just repeat these classes later.\u201d For me, I took a different approach by focusing on learning step by step and connecting every new finance concept with what I already knew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever I hit a roadblock, I didn\u2019t hesitate to ask questions. My mentors like Himanshu sir, Manoj sir, Anand sir, and Navneet sir were really approachable and their practical way of explaining made tough concepts much easier to digest. That support system made a huge difference. Over time, I went from doubting myself to actually enjoying the learning process. Looking back, I\u2019d say those initial struggles were worth it because they forced me to build a stronger base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q4: Did you feel uncomfortable picking up something new after already being an MBA?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ans.<\/strong> In the beginning, yes. I thought to myself that these are all finance concepts and I\u2019ve already covered them in my MBA. But soon I found out there\u2019s a big difference between theory and application. My MBA helped me understand the basics, no doubt, but the challenge started when I had to apply those concepts to real-world financial data and industry practices. For example, in MBA classes, we studied valuation techniques in theory, but here I was actually building those models line by line, testing assumptions and cross-checking with real company reports. That was a completely different ballgame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was uncomfortable at first, but also exciting because for the first time, I could see how the theories I\u2019d read in textbooks connect with the actual financial world. That made the learning practical and more meaningful for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q5: Do you think learning financial modeling changed how you work now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ans.<\/strong> Yes, completely. Now, whenever I read annual reports or financial publications, I don\u2019t just skim through them but can actually break down the numbers, project them forward and see how they impact valuations. One particular class that stayed with me was the securities analysis session taken by Himanshu sir. It was an eye-opener. He said something I\u2019ll never forget: wealth can\u2019t be built in the short term, it\u2019s always a long-term process.<\/em> That shifted my entire mindset because earlier, as a trader, I was always focused on short-term moves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excel, which once felt like just a supporting tool, has now become the backbone of my work. I can confidently say that completing this course has changed how I think and how I operate at work. I understand company fundamentals much better now and it has given me a completely new perspective on the markets. Honestly, I could list hundreds of ways it has impacted me, but the biggest takeaway is that it improved both my confidence and my decision-making ability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Q6: What would you say to other MBAs or finance people who feel stuck but don\u2019t know what to do next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ans.<\/strong> Personally, I believe this kind of practical course should be part of the MBA syllabus itself, just like CFA. I\u2019ve had students reach out to me with questions like, \u201cBhaiya, can I do this course? I\u2019m only in my 3rd semester of MBA.\u201d My answer is always yes. In fact, the earlier you start, the better, because it gives you clarity and confidence before you step into the job market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many MBAs or finance graduates feel stuck because they\u2019ve learned theory but haven\u2019t seen how it works in practice. That\u2019s where financial modeling bridges the gap. My advice to younger students is simple – if you really want to build a career in finance, don\u2019t wait for the \u201cperfect time.\u201d Courses like this give you practical skills that employers value and that make you stand out. I\u2019d say take the leap, because it\u2019s one of those decisions that can genuinely change the direction of your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abhay\u2019s journey shows how persistence and the right guidance can shape a career. From early struggles with finance concepts to becoming a Financial Analyst at Knowcraft Analytics, his story proves that consistent effort and practical learning can open doors to core finance roles.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can connect with him on LinkedIn here: <\/strong><\/em>http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/abhaysingh0211<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Abhay\u2019s journey in finance began the way many aspiring professionals imagine it. He had an MBA, was a CFA Level 1 candidate and had already gained experience on the trading floor. For over two years, he handled equity trades, studied market patterns and supported portfolios. On the surface, it looked like a strong career start. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":9465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[578],"tags":[695,699,664],"class_list":["post-10555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-success-stories","tag-cfa","tag-cfa-level-1","tag-finance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10555"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10555\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thewallstreetschool.com\/stg-new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}