Next Level Financial Management - Strategic Guidance for Business

A recently established business approached me to help them locate an investor to provide additional capital to enable them to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity. The money was required urgently.

Although the business was very attractive to an equity investor this was not seen as the most advantageous route for the company. In less than five working days a business plan was prepared and after an introduction to a local bank funding was provided by way of an overdraft. This enabled the founders to retain full control of the company.

A long established company had relied on a mixture of overdraft and unsecured loans to fund the company. Although the business had been very profitable in the past the market had changed and the company was now unable fund the borrowings and was suffering severe cash flow problems. The company's accountants recommended I be appointed to try and resolve the trading difficulties.

Working closely with lenders and the firm's bankers a strategy to rectify the position was implemented. In conjunction with the management team strong systems of control and an effective marketing were introduced to restore profitability.

Unfortunately due to delaying asking for help to rectify the situation it was necessary to arrange an informal creditors arrangement, involving fourteen separate lenders, to enable the company to continue trading. Although it will take over five years to fully repair the damage without help the company would have gone into liquidation and the directors would have suffered bankruptcy.

A start up dot com was referred to me by a local business agency. The business plan they had prepared was totally unrealistic

Working with the directors the financial side of the plan was completely revised. As a result of the changes the capital requirement was reduced by £200K. The company was introduced to two venture capital groups but before they reached a decision the company had obtained funding from a syndicate of friends and family. The company has now launched its site.