What financial basics does every founder need to understand?
The short answer
Know your cash balance, monthly burn, runway, and gross margin cold, these four numbers decide whether you live or die. You don't need an accounting degree, but you must be able to read a P&L and a cash-flow statement. Cash is the only thing that actually kills startups; revenue and profit are downstream of managing it.
Go deeper, your way
3 hand-picked resources. Pick how you want to dig in.
📄 Article
FreeBeginner
Why we picked it
Stripe's founder guides are clean, trustworthy primers on the core financial concepts every founder must track, burn, runway, and cash management. Written for operators, not accountants.
Why we picked it
The most accessible book for non-finance founders on reading a P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. It demystifies the three core statements without requiring an accounting background.
Why we picked it
A practical India-specific reference on GST, TDS, ROC filings, and startup tax compliance, the stuff Indian founders most often get wrong. Written for founders navigating Indian regulation, not US incorporation.
