Since leaving the Army in 1994 I have worked in a wide range of companies, from multi-national reinsurance brokers (my first commercial role) to start ups.
For the past 20 years I have been working at board level, most commonly as CEO or managing director.
I have spent most of my time in SMEs in sectors ranging from corporate finance to manufacturing. I have very wide commercial experience and technical understanding, which is now available to help you.
For a confidential initial conversation contact me here
I have founded, built and run companies – in good times and bad. I understand the pressures on owner managers because, unlike many, I have been there myself.
It is the nature of SMEs that the load on directors is substantial and several may be “double-hatted.” Which is fine until something additional (good or bad) comes up. That is where I can help as an additional, temporary and objective resource. Some of the things that I can assist with are described below.
Acquisition, Growth and Investment
Caveat emptor (buyer beware) is not a bad maxim whether you are contemplating new machinery or acquiring another business. What are the risks? How do you mitigate them? How will you know it is all going to plan?
Having been involved in hundreds of investments I have great experiences of building and assessing business models, identifying weaknesses and finding mitigation.
And the effort does not stop when the deal is done. You’ll need to measure performance, manage change and spot future problems. All of which takes management time and expertise – even when everything is hunky dory.
Fund Raising
I have raised tens of millions of pounds of debt and equity investment for both my own and client companies. This requires accurate modelling to develop credible forecasts, as well as a compelling narrative enshrined in a business plan. I’ve written hundreds and can save you an awful lot of time and wasted effort.
Cash Crisis
Running out of cash is terminal for a business, which is a double whammy for anyone whose business borrowing is secured on their house of by personal guarantee. (Been there, done that – and survived).
The best solution is to avoid the crisis in the first place. In these Covid days that may not be as easy as one would like. So do you have cash reserves – if not, where can you find them? Now might be a good time to talk that through and develop some contingency plans at least.
If disaster is imminent there are things that you should do, urgently. Reducing your workload and getting advice is one of them.
Having recently had a difficult year running our ski company , Paddy has helped review our business structure. His clarity of vision and analytical skills gave us a greater insight into how we manage our business processes and has identified a way for us to grow. Paddy is now supporting the implementation of improved processes. I would have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending him to help any business who feels they are struggling to move forward.
Melissa S