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Business Strategy, Business Development and R&D Tax Credits

Business Strategy, Business Development, R&D Tax Credits and Non Executive Director With more than 20 years experience leading and growing businesses from small to 250m, Gordon is adept at applying his understanding of business, technology, finance and people management for your benefit. His independent view can guide you to achieve quick wins and long term business success. His practical General Management know-how helps directors and owners architect strategy and deliver transformation programmes that enable sales growth, profit, cash, operational excellence and customer satisfaction. He works with start-ups, high growth technology businesses and ambitious established businesses seeking to grow profitably and on exit planning. Gordon helps companies to prepare successful Research and Development Tax Credit claims and technical justifications that enable refunds from HMRC. Is your business missing out A Virtual Non Executive Director can help you turbo charge your business - See how Gordon can help.  

HR support for the business owner

Staffing is likely to be your biggest cost and possibly the source of many sleepless nights thinking how best to manage and motivate teams and individuals and deal with employment issues. Help is at hand. Following 24 years in large corporates, including 12 at Board level, Stephen has worked with business owners for the last 12 years, acting as a business partner providing options, advice and an additional resource to maximise the investment you are making in your staff. Whether you are recruiting a new employee (at whatever level), thinking about reward, recognition and incentives, staff development, or resolving a staff issue (sickness, underperformance, a request to work flexibly), Stephen advises on the most appropriate way forward in the context of your needs and the situation faced. In addition, he recognises the insidious nature of change as the fortunes of SMEs ebb and flow. He handles restructuring, redundancies, Director disagreements and staff reaching their ultimate level of competence and the need to change or move on. Stephen works with clients in the turnover range of 1-30m across a range of sectors - professional services, packaging, marketing agencies, construction to name some of his current assignments. So for a practical, outcomes focused, confidential discussion, why not phone or email Stephen to get ideas and options and move things forward quickly and professionally

Sales & Marketing Advisor and Coach

Over 25 years, Susanne has built a strong track record devising and implementing Sales & Marketing strategies for fast-growth SMEs across a range of sectors. Her business experience ranges from start-up agency director to Global Head of Digital Marketing. Acting as a sounding board across a range of Sales & Marketing opportunities and challenges, Susanne provides impartial and honest feedback to business owners. She provides a real world view of brand strengths and weaknesses, identifying innovations that will drive business growth. Her consultancy offer includes strategic Sales & Marketing Planning (authoring plans or coaching business owners) and delivering advisory/training sessions to help small businesses better manage their day-to-day marketing activities. She also collaborates with her network of trusted advisors to develop Business Funding Plans for funds circa 75K to 500K. Her recent consultancy clients include high street hospitality brands, caterers, architects & builders, digital agencies, lawyers, business consultants, craft breweries, cider makers and wine producers. She is author of Build Your Tribe (Panoma Press, 2013) and lecturer in Marketing. Contact Susanne today to see how she can help your business.

Research & Development Tax Credits Specialist

Linda assists small and medium sized UK businesses and their advising tax accountants to successfully claim R&D tax credits. She has been a Principal Consultant at RandDTax (www.randdtax.co.uk) since 2012 when the company was established. Since then she has built a significant personal client portfolio covering companies drawn from across a wide range of sectors. Her approach is hands-on, taking the strain off of the company directors, while also ensuring they make the best possible case and dont miss out on claiming for less obvious R&D activities. She has a youtube channel with help videos about claiming R&D tax credits at: Linda-Eziquiel-youtube She also works closely with her clients accountants and has testimonials from both satisfied clients and tax accountants. Linda is based in London, which has been her home for many years, although she originates from a farming family in Dorset. Her earlier professional career included managing several London based, multi-million pound regeneration programs.

Support with Buying or Selling a Business

All business owners want to sell their business, or exit from it, at some stage. When the time is right. When the conditions are right. And, of course, when the price is right. The question is how to get to that stage in a planned, organised, effective (and relatively painless) way. Thats where Peter can help you. He works with you to identify what needs to be done to create the right conditions and environment for the optimum sale or exit. Some businesses are ready for sale immediately, others might need assistance for 2 or more years to reach a realisable value. Peter will work with you throughout this process to make that happen. Peter started out as a Chartered Accountant in Durban, South Africa, becoming a partner and then selling the firm to Price Waterhouse within 3 years. He co-founded a software house which enjoyed 15 years of organic growth and acquisitions to become a 150 strong software house, until its sale in 1999. Since then he has advised on corporate finance and M&A deals, helping business owners achieve valuations of between 1M and 10M and has successfully advised on around 60 transactions, mainly in the technology, high tech manufacturing and specialist services sectors. So, if you are thinking of realising value for your business, whether soon or sometime later, now is the time to call or email Peter for a no obligation chat.

Virtual Financial Director and Forensic Accounting

Edward is a qualified accountant and internal auditor. He currently works with SMEs to give them the expertise of a Finance Director but on a pay as you go basis as needs require.

He provides the information to make decisions based on the data from your accounting and other systems. He finds the cash you have lost in your Balance Sheet and gets it back into your bank account.

As a Forensic Accountant, Edward finds out where the money went and documents what happened to produce evidence for legal proceedings.

Business Consultancy Services

Richard works with a range of businesses providing advice and mentoring using the experience gained from founding and running two successful IT businesses over a 25 year period.   Richard helps new businesses to start and existing businesses to resolve any problems and to grow. At the other end of the cycle, he can help business owners maximise the return when they decide to sell. He also helps turn round businesses that are in financial or other difficulties.   Additionally he works with overseas businesses or Tier 1 visa holders helping them set up their UK operations.  

Commercial and Residential Property Specialist

Munims focus is on supporting business owners with Commercial and Residential Development and specialise in the following;

• Business Relocation Services - tailored to fit around your business at this often stressful time.

• Commercial Development - Commercial property services for business and public sector firms. Enabling our clients to undertake projects, maintain continuity and maximise efficiency in the right locations.

• Project Management - Ensuring a successful build where your budget is maximised from conception to completion.

• Landlord and Tenant Law - Successfully mediating disputes on end of lease and negotiate dilapidation cost. Support with rent reviews of commercial property.

Taking SMEs, high growth companies and start-up companies to the next level

Do you want to take your business to the next level Are you tired of being stressed and feel like you\'re putting out fires all the time and not actually moving your company forward I can empathise! I\'ve managed several organisations and spent 90% of my time not doing the 10% I enjoyed - \'been there, got the T-Shirt\'. You\'ll get more than empathy from me though!   After working with clients from sole-traders through to medium to large organisations, in all industrial sectors, from hospitality, medical devices, electronics, software, fintech, regtech, service-led, middle-tech and even no-tech service-led industry, my rich experience will add value to your company.I will work with you on a plan to achieve your goals and help you to create more time for you to work on the business, rather than in the business. This will reduce stress and fatigue, and improve your energy levels.So why procrastinate When you work with me, you will not look back. With my advice, you will rapidly enjoy a significant difference in many areas of your company, which will filter down to improving your bottom line.   Examples of clients - past and present:   * FinTech payment solutions operating in the hospitality sector - set up and ran UK operations, secured several strategic alliances for marketing, revenue and payment processing, successfully introduced to venture capital   * RegTech company - advised on strategy, mentored the Directors   * LED lighting fixtures & controls - secured distributors in UK and Germany   * Retail toy maker - successfully introduced one of their products to Habitat   * Medical device manufacturer - successfully introduced their product to the NHS   * Health food cafe - helped to start up, and create marketing and business plans   Testimonial:   Lesley has been providing both superb mentoring through the Essex Innovation Program, where she has helped me remain focused, using her calm approach and considerable achievements and experience. She has also through her LAR Consultancy business been creative and energised to support my business with its commercial strategy and development and network. She is a joy to work with and at all times has been passionate about wanting to help success be achieved. CEO, RegTech company For more information on my background, and to read additional testimonials, please refer to myLinkedin profile  

Meet The Team - Chris Chapman

A highly experienced commercial executive with multi-sector, international experience and a discerning eye for finding and developing talent.

SME Sales, Marketing and Research

Gavin has 15 years experience of supporting the growth of Entrepreneurial SMEs, including a decade working with hundreds of Irish tech companies on their UK expansion plans. Gavins strong track record contributed to him recently being invited to lead the development and implementation of a multi-sector programme focused on supporting a cohort of SMEs to scale-up their businesses, helping them to refine their business propositions and operational models - enabling them to accelerate their growth rates. This project will continue through 2019. Experience is not limited to SMEs, having also worked on assignments and contracts with PLCs and Public Sector bodies, including The Department of Health, the Office of Rail and Road, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and East Sussex County Council. However, his passion is SMEs, providing practical advice and working collaboratively with teams to develop and implement effective solutions. Gavin provides small and medium sized companies with sales and market planning services, working with leadership teams to develop growth oriented sales and marketing plans; refining customer value propositions; and providing market research services.

Commercial Support and Dispute Resolution

With the prohibitive cost of litigation, many companies are reluctant to embark on a course of action which may end up in court and consequently miss the opportunity to pursue or to defend legitimate claims. Even when they do instruct solicitors, they often do so without carrying out a detailed risk assessment to enable them to understand the likely cost benefit of pursuing a claim. I can help companies consider all available options before deciding on a particular course of action. With more than 40 years experience throughout the world, both as a practising solicitor and as a senior executive and shareholder in both private and public companies, I am well placed to understand and to provide support to other companies faced with a wide range of challenges, from commercial disputes to internal disagreements involving shareholders, directors and other employees. I have also been involved with commercial disputes that have been successfully resolved through mediation and I am a qualified mediator. Should a company decide to instruct lawyers, I can act as an interface between the solicitors and the company to ensure that costs are kept under control and that the commercial ramifications are kept under constant review. I should add that disputes can often be nipped in the bud with a carefully thought out letter spelling out the issues and this is again something with which I can assist.

Operations, Finance, Transformation, Offshoring and Non Executive Director

Paul is a financially focused and highly motivated Commercial Director with over 25 years experience in business leadership, equity investment and senior financial management within the FMCG, pre-media and technology sectors. Paul has managed multiple international operations, financially and commercially, working extensively across the UK, Australia, Asia and North America. Deploying rigid financial controls and effective management structures whilst applying a diligent and driven focus to strategy execution has led to significant turnarounds for struggling organisations that Paul has engaged with.   Paul has a strong background of implementing financial and operational strategies that have improved top and bottom line performance across a number of international organisations. Paul is able to add value through strategic guidance, funding and investment, mentoring, goal setting, technology led process implementations overlaid with strong financial governance and combined with a calm and common sense approach to acute business issues, be it businesses in distress or in significant growth phase. Paul has lead a number of successful domestic and international M&A projects including the management and negotiation of all contracts, agreements and deep dive due diligence, as well as post-deal restructuring and consolidation programmes.

Business Transformation

Tony is a commercially focused director with extensive experience assisting or leading UK and international organisations across various sectors.   He is an innovative problem solver, strategic thinker, with broad and diverse expertise, having successfully grown new businesses across EMEA, transformed organisations and developed high performing teams to accelerate growth.

International Business - Export Growth and Brands

Helping SMEs become international businesses, growing their exports and making great brands into global brands is what I do. And thats what I have done for over 20 years.   If you dream of building a global brand, with customers in the millions, and revenues to match I try to help make it happen.   If you want to take your brand, product or service into Europe, North America, South-East Asia, The Middle East, Latin America or even Australasia well work on a plan. If I dont think it can happen, theres a better way or the timing is not right, I will tell you.   It wont happen overnight especially if youre new to exporting but its often best not to go too slow either. My experience is that its best to go slow, and then go fast, and then accelerate.   Imagine youve finally done it. Youve got a product or service that your customers love. What next   Heres how: You re-create the template for how youve been successful, and thats what you export. Partners in overseas markets dont want to build your brand from scratch; they dont want to write the script. They want you to make it as easy as possible for them, and thats when you get lift-off.   The tough part is finding distributors, good distributors, distributors who will love your brand like you love it, and getting a direct contact with a global retail buyer is becoming harder by the hour.   Thats where I can try to help, with the tough part. Saving you time, money, effort and a world of frustration. Working alongside you, or helping to coach and upskill your sales team.   Global growth strategy Pricing and positioning Launch plans Online and Offline Amazon roll-out Packaging Growing awareness pre-launch Scaling-Up   Ive helped transform start-ups into stars, and Dragons Den rejects into $200m brands. I have launched brands into over 100 countries and whilst my sweet spot is beauty brands, Ive worked with every industry and sector you can imagine and a few I never imagined existed until I met with them.   This is for brands and brand-owners that are serious about building a significant export business. A typical SME profile would be existing revenues between 1m>10m today.