We Built This From Real Experience
Started back in 2019 when three budget analysts got tired of watching businesses struggle with forecasting. We've been helping Australian companies see their financial future more clearly ever since.
Practical Approach
No fancy theories that don't work in real life. Everything we teach comes from actual projects with real companies facing real budget challenges.
Focused Learning
We concentrate on budget forecasting because that's what we know best. Six years of doing this daily means we've seen most scenarios and know what actually works.
Ongoing Support
Learning doesn't stop after a course. We stick around to answer questions and help when you're applying these methods to your own budget challenges.
Where avorynexila Actually Came From
Three of us were working at different consultancies around Canberra, constantly frustrated by the same thing. Clients needed solid budget forecasting skills, but most training was either too theoretical or taught outdated methods that didn't match how businesses actually operate in 2025.
So we started meeting at a cafe in Queanbeyan on weekends, working out a better way to teach this stuff. First few attempts were rough — took us nearly eight months to develop a curriculum that actually clicked with people. But we kept testing it with small groups and listening to feedback.
That's when we knew we had something worth sharing more broadly. We're not trying to replace formal education or accounting qualifications — we're filling a specific gap where practical forecasting skills meet real business needs.
How We Actually Teach This
Budget forecasting sounds dry on paper. But when you're helping a business owner understand their cash flow three months out, or showing a finance team how to spot problems before they become crises — that's when it gets interesting.
Real Scenarios Only
Every example comes from actual client work — anonymized of course. You'll work with messy data sets, incomplete information, and unclear directions. Because that's what real forecasting looks like most days.
Small Group Format
We cap sessions at twelve participants. This isn't about efficiency — it's because forecasting needs discussion and troubleshooting. You can't do that properly in a room with forty people.
Flexible Pacing
Some groups fly through variance analysis and need extra time on rolling forecasts. Others are the opposite. We adapt the schedule based on where people actually need help, not some rigid curriculum timeline.
Follow-Up Access
After the formal sessions end, you get three months of email support. When you're stuck on a forecast at 11pm before a board meeting, that access becomes pretty valuable. We've all been there.
Who Runs avorynexila
We keep the team deliberately small. Three core instructors who've been doing this work since 2019, plus rotating guest experts when we need specific industry knowledge for particular sessions.
Miren Østergård
Lead Instructor & Co-Founder
Spent eleven years doing budget forecasting for manufacturing companies before co-founding avorynexila. Still consults part-time because staying current with actual business problems keeps the teaching relevant. Has an annoying habit of turning every conversation into a discussion about variance analysis.
Outside of budget work, she's usually hiking somewhere around the Snowy Mountains or arguing with her spreadsheet formulas at odd hours.
Next Session Starts October 2025
We're taking registrations now for the autumn program. Twelve spots available, taught over six weeks with Thursday evening sessions. If you're dealing with budget forecasting challenges and want practical help — not theory — this might be worth your time.
Get Program Details