Everyday companies create and file mandatory financial statements. They are the ultimate arbiters of performance. They are the scorecard that evaluates the quality of all decisions and actions taken in the reporting period. The startling fact is barely anyone can read them and fewer understand them. Most people in the organization have no clue to how their day-to-day actions create money for them or their stakeholders. In this book we have taken an innovative approach to take the numbers out of the financial statements, reducing them to their essence. We reveal the story and drama of any business. Here's what this book is about: We CONVERT BORING NUMBERS into an EXCITING STORY The STORY has 3 AMAZING CHARACTERS engaged in CONFLICT We boil down the statements into 5 BUILDING BLOCKS The STORY is revealed in 5 EASILY MASTERED CHAPTERS The BUILDING BLOCKS AND STORY create a TREASURE MAP We embark on a TREASURE HUNT to reveal HIDDEN RICHES This book eliminates the mystery behind the numbers so that you will be able to read financial statements as well as Warren Buffett. You will learn: How to read and analyze a set of financial reports How to evaluate the effectiveness of a company's strategy How to identify ways to improve a company's performance How to be a more powerful communicator by mastering the language of finance. Armed with unique financial insight you will know how to convert the statements into a treasure map and participate in your own adventure. We will show you how to follow clues, navigate tough seas, battle enemies and recover your bounty."