Blog | James C Foo Leong | Financial Storytelling Insights

James C Foo Leong, smiling in a pink shirt, reads his yellow book Once Upon a Balance Sheet at an outdoor café, surrounded by greenery and filtered sunlight. A quiet moment with the Financial Storyteller.

Why Once Upon a Balance Sheet Feels More Like GPT 4o Than GPT 5

GPT 5 had the brains. GPT 4o had the heart. Once Upon a Balance Sheet carries that same spirit — clarity without losing connection

4 days ago2 min read

Illustration of Count Jargon, a story character from Once Upon a Balance Sheet, posed in a dramatic stance holding the Sword of Simplicity and Shield of Clarity. He represents a heroic guide who helps readers cut through financial jargon and confusion.

Count Jargon™: Slayer of Jargon, Defender of Clarity.

Count Jargon is more than a character. He’s a guide in the Financial Storyverse™, created to help every reader, leader, and team member cut through jargon and see the story their numbers are telling.

Aug 172 min read

Celebrating SG60 Singapore Finance Leadership Clarity – A Milestone for Our Nation, A Bridge to the World

Celebrating Singapore’s 60th anniversary by sharing how finance, made clear and human, can build confident leaders worldwide.

Aug 102 min read

Kopi Codenames Singapore: What Local Coffee Teaches Us About Finance

Singapore turns 60. This tribute blends kopi quirks with finance lessons — and a quiet nod to the power of translation.

Aug 22 min read

A cartoon-style calculator is shown with the word “DECIDE” on its display. The buttons feature plus, minus, multiply, divide, and zero symbols. Above the calculator is the title “Finance Action Calculator™.” Below it, the tagline reads “We make finance seriously fun.” In the bottom right corner, a yellow book titled Once Upon a Balance Sheet by James & C Foo Leong is displayed, with the text “C Foo Says – Visual Finance Made Human” and the handle @visualfinancehuman.

The Finance Action Calculator™: A Clear Tool for Better Choices

Every decision creates movement. The Finance Action Calculator™ breaks down choices into six clear actions that help you focus on what matters most.

Jul 273 min read

James C Foo Leong stands inside a printing house, smiling with arms crossed while evaluating the printers for his upcoming book Once Upon a Balance Sheet. The background shows industrial printing equipment, stacks of paper, and a workshop setup.

Printing Press of Finance - The Press That Prints Your Future

The printing press transforms blank pages into a story worth reading. Finance is no different — clarity and precision shape every story.

Jul 202 min read

James C Foo Leong featured in the SG60 Showcase – Leading Finance as a Global Language. Recognised for redefining how finance is taught through storytelling, structure, and visual clarity.

Leading Finance as a Global Language – SG60 Feature

This week, I’m doing something a little different — I’m sharing the SG60 feature article that tells the story behind Financial Storytelling and the journey to making finance a language of leadership.

Jul 131 min read

A grey tap with a slow blue water droplet beneath it. Title reads “The Drip Spiral™.” Below the tap, the caption says “We make finance seriously fun.” Bottom right corner: “C Foo Says – Visual Finance Made Human – Follow @visualfinancehuman.” Bottom left: “Money Metaphors™.” By James C Foo Leong.

The Drip Spiral™: Why Tiny Delays Create Big Financial Stress

John thought his business was thriving — until small financial delays revealed a deeper pattern. The Drip Spiral™ explains how quiet lags create compounding pressure.

Jul 64 min read

Cartoon image of a pizza with one slice highlighted to signifiy “Profit.” The rest of the pizza represents expenses like rent, salaries, and software — visually showing that profit must be carved out first or it disappears. “C Foo Says. We make finance seriously fun. Money Metaphors™. Visual Finance – Made Human.”

The Pizza Principle™: Protect Profit by Design, Not by Chance

Most businesses treat profit like leftovers. But what if you protected it first? Discover a mindset shift that helps you carve out profit by design — not by chance.

Jun 282 min read

Cartoon man walking on a treadmill while checking a financial dashboard. C Foo Says: The Financial Treadmill Effect™ — Visual Finance Made Human.

The Financial Treadmill Effect™ – Why Growth Isn’t Always Progress

You’re running harder than ever. But the numbers aren’t moving. Discover how to spot and escape the Financial Treadmill Effect.

Jun 212 min read

Illustration of a takeaway coffee cup tipping over with liquid spilling out, under the caption “Know Your Latte Line™.” Metaphor for a business with no margin of safety. C Foo Says: Know Your Latte Line™ — Visual Finance Made Human.

Your Latte Line™: Why Every Business Needs a Margin of Safety

Growth looks great—until it doesn’t. Resilient businesses build space to absorb pressure without breaking rhythm.

Jun 152 min read

A cartoon-style drawing of a bright rainbow in the sky above a dry, leafless tree. The image contrasts colourful visibility with real nourishment, symbolising the difference between eye-catching sales and foundational cash flow.

Cash Flow Clarity: Why Sales Aren’t Enough to Keep You Afloat

Even a profitable business can run out of cash. This post explores why cash flow clarity should never be an afterthought.

Jun 81 min read

A wooden alphabet block with a green letter “B,” symbolising “B is for Break-even” in a financial literacy series. Set against a dark background, the image suggests foundational learning in business finance.

B is for Break-even Point: When the Business Begins to Hold

Break-even is the critical shift from running on hope to running sustainably.

Jun 11 min read

A wooden alphabet block with a bold red letter “A” on its front face, set against light wood grain sides. Below the block, the text reads “A for Accrual” in a playful, rounded font.

Accruals: Why Timing in Finance Tells a Bigger Story

Accruals help you connect numbers to real activity—so your reports reflect what actually happened, not just what was paid.

May 252 min read

Close-up of the word “clarity” in a dictionary entry. Represents the shift from financial hesitation to understanding.

What If Financial Confidence Is Your Next Edge?

When numbers appear, many professionals hesitate—not because they lack ability, but because they lack financial confidence. This reflection shares why competence and calm clarity come from seeing finance differently, not mastering spreadsheets. If you've ever pulled back during financial conversations, this is your invitation to lean in—with story-based tools that help you stay present and speak up.

May 192 min read

Illustration showing a teapot labeled "$100 Sales" pouring liquid into three glasses labeled "$50 Cost of Sales," "$30 Expenses," and "$20 Profit." The image visually breaks down how revenue is distributed, highlighting how much is actually retained as profit.

The Performance Story: Profit That Stays With You

You can double your revenue and still feel broke. This story shows how the income statement helps you shift from chasing top line to protecting the profit that stays with you—what truly remains after the effort, cost, and chaos of growth.

May 122 min read

A cartoon-style castle stands on green land, surrounded by a protective blue moat. The castle has a visible red crack on its front wall, and the moat is labeled "LIQUID ASSETS REDUCE FINANCIAL RISK." This visual represents how liquidity acts as protection for a business, like a moat around a fortress.

Liquidity in Business: The Moat That Protects You

We often judge financial strength by size—but real resilience comes from liquidity in business. Learn how access to cash creates calm, protects core operations, and gives you breathing room when uncertainty hits. Discover what counts as liquid, how to evaluate your own “financial moat,” and why this quiet form of strength matters more than ever.

May 52 min read