Paperback. Finance doesn't have to be complex to be clear. It can be seriously fun.Once Upon a Balance Sheet isn't your typical finance book. It's a story-driven experience designed for leaders, professionals, and teams who have always felt a little unsure around numbers and are finally ready to understand financials with clarity and confidence.Beyond formulas and ratios, you'll meet a cast of memorable characters such as Count Jargon, Miss Numbers and Master C FOO, inside the Financial Storyverse. Each one helps you make sense of concepts that once felt overwhelming. This is Financial Storytelling in action: visual, engaging, and surprisingly enjoyable. It's about making finance seriously fun while giving you the confidence to use numbers with purpose and clarity in real-world situations.Whether you're sharpening existing skills or starting from scratch, this book will help you read financial statements with new eyes, make smarter decisions, and build financially impactful teams, conversations, and culture. It equips you not just to understand numbers, but to interpret them, communicate them, and act on them with confidence.Inside, you'll discover how to: Understand the Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, and Cash Flow without jargonSpot red flags early and avoid costly mistakesConnect numbers to real-world business decisions that drive growthEngage in confident conversations about financials, even without a finance backgroundTurn numbers into a strategic advantage for your organizationIn today's fast-changing world shaped by AI and accelerating change, finance must become more than just a language of business. It needs to become the language of leadership that blends clarity, empathy, and impact - where numbers are not just reported, but understood, communicated, and acted upon.That philosophy is what James C Foo Leong calls finance with heart and a smile. It is the foundation behind his Financial Storytelling way, an approach that not only makes finance simpler but also deeper, actionable, and unforgettable. Developed through years of teaching, leadership, and real-world application, it reflects a belief that financial clarity should be accessible to everyone, not just finance professionals.This approach has been applied in classrooms, boardrooms, and leadership settings, helping individuals and teams move from confusion to clarity, and from hesitation to confident decision-making. Endorsed by board chairs, independent directors of listed companies, CEOs, professors, entrepreneurs, and global business leaders, including leaders in finance, law, education, and the public sector.The mission of the book is to help organizations unlock one of the most overlooked levers of sustainable growth: financial learning, understanding, and capability - turning clarity into better decisions, stronger teams, and long-term impact.Once Upon a Balance Sheet is your gateway to the Financial Storyverse. Probably the happiest place to learn finance.An Amazon Bestseller in Management Accounting, it speaks directly to those who have long felt that finance was difficult, distant, or overly technical, and offers a refreshing alternative grounded in clarity and relevance.This makes the book especially valuable for non-finance leaders who need to engage with financials regularly, make informed decisions, and communicate with confidence. It bridges the gap between technical knowledge and practical application, helping readers move from passive understanding to active leadership. An Amazon bestseller, Once Upon a Balance Sheet introduces Financial Storytelling, helping non-finance professionals understand financial statements. Learn to read Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

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Bibliographic Details

Title: Once Upon a Balance Sheet (Paperback)
Publisher: Financial Storytelling
Publication Date: 2025
Language: English
ISBN 10: 9819427169
ISBN 13: 9789819427161
Binding: Paperback
Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

Finance doesn’t have to be complex to be clear. It can be seriously fun.

Once Upon a Balance Sheet isn’t your typical finance book. It’s a story-driven experience designed for leaders, professionals, and teams who have always felt a little unsure around numbers and are finally ready to understand financials with clarity and confidence.

Beyond formulas and ratios, you’ll meet a cast of memorable characters inside the Financial Storyverse�. Each one helps you make sense of concepts that once felt overwhelming. This is Financial Storytelling in action: visual, engaging, and surprisingly enjoyable. It’s about making finance seriously fun while giving you the confidence to use numbers with purpose.

Whether you’re sharpening existing skills or starting from scratch, this book will help you read financial statements with new eyes, make smarter decisions, and build financially impactful teams and culture.

Inside, you’ll discover how to:

Understand the Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, and Cash Flow without jargon
Spot red flags early and avoid costly mistakes
Connect numbers to real-world business decisions that drive growth
Engage in confident conversations about financials, even without a finance background
Turn numbers into a strategic advantage for your organization

In today’s fast-changing world shaped by AI and accelerating change, finance must become more than just a language of business. It needs to become the language of leadership that blends clarity, empathy, and impact.

That philosophy is what James C Foo Leong calls finance with heart and a smile. It is the foundation behind his Financial Storytelling way, an approach that not only makes finance simpler but also deeper, actionable, and unforgettable. It underpins the visual finance tools he has created and the cast of characters from the Financial Storyverse, including Miss Numbers, Huat, Master C FOO, Count Jargon, and the STEPH Model�.

Endorsed by board chairs, independent directors of listed companies, CEOs, professors, entrepreneurs, and global business minds, including leaders in finance, law, education, and the public sector.

The mission of the book is to help organizations unlock one of the most overlooked levers of sustainable growth: financial learning.

Once Upon a Balance Sheet is your gateway to the Financial Storyverse�. Probably the happiest place to learn finance.

About the Author

James C Foo Leong is an Adjunct Professor at the National University of Singapore and a Chartered Accountant of Singapore and Australia. He is the creator of the Financial Storyverse, a unique world of characters and metaphors that bring finance to life, and the founder of the Financial Storytelling approach, a visual, story-first method that makes finance clear and compelling. He is also the developer of trademarked systems such as the STEPH Model� and Accounting in a Box�, which are used by learners internationally.

He was featured in the SG60 Independent Showcase, honoring Singapore’s sixty most celebrated trainers and speakers during the nation’s 60th-year celebrations, and highlighted in an International Teachers’ Day Special by the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) for his contributions to financial education and leadership development.

James has delivered programs for participants across Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. He is trusted across sectors including finance, healthcare, government, non-profit, and listed companies. Over the years, he has helped leaders from startups to Fortune 500 companies transform financial confusion into clarity, confidence, and results, making finance not only understandable but also practical and relatable.

Ready to see the story your numbers are telling?
Get your copy of Once Upon a Balance Sheet today and lead with clarity, confidence, and impact.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

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