658. Ben Garthwaite, Pegasus Insights: The Purpose-built Platform for Financial Leaders
Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent ProfessionalShow Notes
Show Notes Ben Garthwaite introduces Pegasus Insights. He explains why his firm developed the tool and who it serves. Pegasus is a software tool designed to improve the traditional 13-week cash flow forecasting process. The tool targets middle-market companies and private equity-backed firms looking to improve accuracy and save time, and give better insights on their business on a weekly or daily basis. Pegasus has worked with various sizes of companies from multi-nationals to one-man real estate businesses. It revolutionizes the reporting process, and Ben explains that while 13-week models are common in distressed companies, consistent financial snapshots are vital for any business.
Pegasus Dashboard A Demonstration of Pegasus Insights Pegasus integrates with approximately 17,000 banks and common ERP systems to pull daily transaction and balance data. The platform combines the automation of modern software with the flexibility of Excel, offering modules for cash management, spend analytics, and working capital. An AI module allows users to perform unstructured analysis by asking questions about their data, such as investigating variances. Ben explains that when you open Pegasus, the dashboard provides a snapshot of your business over the past 13 weeks and provides a projection over the next 13 weeks.
Cashflow Table Ben demonstrates the cash forecasting module which allows users to drill down from high-level summaries to individual transactions or specific subcategories. The tool provides the flexibility to classify the business as needed, and drill it to be as granular as you need your data to be. Users can build projections using rule-based logic, standard formulas, or AR/AP inputs based on actual customer behavior patterns. The tool provides early warning detection for liquidity risks and allows for manual overrides to account for one-off items like debt payments or litigation. Ben demonstrates how information on cashflow categories is easily accessible.
Cashflow Forecasting Building a Cashflow Forecasting Model Ben explains that users can view data at a high, consolidated level (ideal for business-as-usual scenarios) or expand categories to forecast individual customers, vendors, or major projects (useful for distressed companies). He introduces rule-based and AR/AP integration and explains that setting up a forecast involves defining a structure and selecting logic or drivers. The platform pulls AR/AP data directly from an ERP system to handle imperfect data and customer payment habits. Ben explains that users can easily bake in conservatism by manually changing collection values in specific cells, and Pegasus will automatically adjust future assumptions accordingly.
Waterfall Logic & Projections Using weighted average days to collect and existing AR behavior combined with unbilled invoices, the system creates a seamless waterfall projection of when funds will be collected. The Pegasus Team The Pegasus team originated from Impact Point, an OCFO-focused consulting firm specializing in middle-market finance. Ben notes that the product was born from a need to solve the lack of granularity and rigor found in existing market solutions. The development process focused on translating expert financial knowledge into technical instructions for a team of engineers. Pricing and Market Reception Pricing is scalable, ranging from approximately $500 per month for smaller operations to $2,000 per month for large multinational companies. Since its commercial launch a year ago, Pegasus has grown to approximately 50 customers and 300 weekly users. Customers have specifically highlighted the platform's intuitive design and the increased visibility it provides into their financials. Implementation Timelines Implementation timelines vary from ten minutes for simple bank connections to several weeks depending on bank approval processes. Pegasus offers both self-managed setups via the Pegasus Academy and fully managed
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