Financial intelligence
by Karen Berman · first published 2006
83% recommend17% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A plain-language introduction to reading financial statements for managers, with no debits and credits jargon. It serves as a primer for anyone who needs to interpret business numbers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2008–2020Competitive advantage
Michael E. Porter
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 53 recommend · 5 mention3 recommend · 53 recommend
2010–2023How to read a financial report
John A. Tracy
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 65 recommend · 6 mention5 recommend · 65 recommend
2013–2022Understanding Michael Porter
Joan Magretta, Don Hagen, Erik Synnestvedt
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 99 recommend · 9 mention9 recommend · 99 recommend
2008–2025Financial statements
Thomas R. Ittelson
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 98 recommend · 9 mention8 recommend · 98 recommend
2011–2026Good Strategy, Bad Strategy
Richard P. Rumelt
Recommended by 37 · mentioned by 4637 recommend · 46 mention37 recommend · 4637 recommend
2007–2024Effective Executive
Peter F. Drucker, Joseph A. Maciariello, Jim Collins, Tim Andres Pabon
Recommended by 48 · mentioned by 6048 recommend · 60 mention48 recommend · 6048 recommend
2007–2025Made to stick
Chip Heath, Dan Heath, ʻAlizah Raʻanan
Recommended by 70 · mentioned by 8670 recommend · 86 mention70 recommend · 8670 recommend
2008–2026The personal MBA
Josh Kaufman
Recommended by 66 · mentioned by 9666 recommend · 96 mention66 recommend · 9666 recommend
* Best introduction: Financial Intelligence, Revised Edition: A Manager's Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean (Berman, Karen, Knight, Joe, Case, John, imusti) * Then read this, all of it, except perhaps most of the exhibits: Most recent…
on “Annual Letter to Berkshire Shareholders (2019) [pdf]” ↗…evolving and so on. This kind of disclosure is required by law so that investors aren't punished by unhappy surprises. There are some good books around on reading these kinds of figures, I recommend Financial Intelligence: A Manager's Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean.
on “Sales Are Colossal, Shares Are Soaring. All Amazon Is Missing Is a Profit” ↗…accounting, and corporate finance, I recommend the following two short books to everyone: 1. Financial Statements, Thomas Ittelson - https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Statements-Rev-Thomas-Ittel... 2. Financial Intelligence, Karen Berman - https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Intelligence-Revised-Manage... I've also found this website useful: https://www.accountingcoach.com/
on “Ask HN: What are some good resources to learn business administration/finance?” ↗For anyone looking for basic information of financial statements in business, the assumptions and estimates that go into it, I recommend Financial Intelligence by Joe Knight and Karen Berman. It helped me understand how much fuzziness happens in financial statements and how they can affect a business operation
on “Calling All Hackers: How money works (2024)” ↗I'm just stating out on this, so I haven't gotten through everything I want to read yet. Right now I'm reading Financial Intelligence by Karen Berman and and Joe Knight. There's different versions, but I choose the one "for managers". So far it's done a good job making the material understandable for someone who doesn't have a degree…
on “SpaceX confidentially files to go public at $1.75T, reports say” ↗…copy/paste a reply I left for another commentor, so I don't have to retype everything lol I'm just stating out on this, so I haven't gotten through everything I want to read yet. Right now I'm reading Financial Intelligence by Karen Berman and and Joe Knight. There's different versions, but I choose the one "for managers". So far it's done a good job making the material understandable for someone who doesn't have a degree…
on “SpaceX confidentially files to go public at $1.75T, reports say” ↗…to understand well, because it has a big impact on the success of a business. One of the most important, fundamental skills for a senior level manager is understanding finance. I recommend B. Knight, "Financial Intelligence" as a primer. My favorite book on business strategy is M. Porter "Competitive Strategy", however, this book and all other business strategy books should be taken with a large grain of salt. They often…
on “Ask HN: Dev promoted to more strategic role in startup. What literature?” ↗Financial Intelligence is the best book we found for teaching managers (or anyone really) accounting without all the crazy talk of credits and debits. But I am going to definitely check out both of the titles you mention.
on “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time” ↗…of (though that would be very cool!) some books http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Start-Time-Tested-Battle-Harde... http://www.amazon.com/The-Bootstrappers-Bible-Business-Almos... http://www.amazon.com/Financial-Intelligence-Managers-Knowin... http://www.amazon.com/Founders-Work-Stories-Startups-Early/d... http://www.netmba.com/ http://sivers.org/book Heres a big thread that had many suggestions: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=947581
on “Are there any business books for Hackers?” ↗I highly recommend reading the excellent book "Financial Intelligence" if anyone wants to actually interpret these numbers. Having read the book, the section "Change in Useful Lives of Our Server and Network Equipment" immediately caught my eye. It's a classic maneuver.
on “Google Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2023 Results [pdf]” ↗Read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Intelligence-Revised-Manage...
on “Ask HN: MBA if I want to run a business one day?” ↗I believe: https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Intelligence-Revised-Manage...
on “Google Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2023 Results [pdf]” ↗Who’s the author of “Financial Intelligence”? Amazon has multiple books with that title.
on “Google Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2023 Results [pdf]” ↗