FAQS

FAQs – find out how we help to build ventures and help finance or source capital. It is recommended that you read all of the FAQs before booking a consultation. 

FAQs - Initial Consultation

Most businesses and organisations do not have access to professional services or expert advice due to the costs and narrow target clients they onboard. This means that typically you are missing out on new opportunities, solutions to costly problems and sources of funding (remember only 1% of firms manage to raise funds for their venture). 

We believe that professional consulting services and appropriate funding should be available to all. That is why we have a  “Consult First” approach, where we meet with prospective clients and give our expertise at an affordable and transparent set fee.

This allows you to gain professional solutions for your business pain points.

We hold an initial consultation because we can map out fully how we can work together. For venture building help, we see what types of issues you need help with and can do some initial analysis and research.

For direct investments we get to analyse and give you feedback on either our own next steps, next steps for our partners or work we believe you will need to undertake to make your venture more investment ready. We also get to look at a range of financing offerings.

For financing options via third parties we get to explore how you can maximise your opportunities for funding your venture – whatever the stage. 

During the Initial Consultation we will discuss what your business pain points are and look at your options (this can entail us recommending ongoing support). 

Only 1% of ventures looking for funding is successful in raising investment for their venture. There are many reasons why that is the case – risk, viability of the venture, the team involved, the market you are operating in, demand for your product, and growth prospects (i.e. how much and quickly can they make in return).

The biggest reason is that early stage investments are the most risky, considering most start-ups fail. 

Typically, you will not receive any guidance or feedback on why you are not succeeding in even getting through the door of VCs and other fundraisers. Even if you apply for other types of financing options, you may be decreasing your chances further by not having your pitch, idea, traction or team in place that maximises your chances of investments.

We therefore take a consulting first approach. Where before we consider investing or sharing your pitch to our network of investors and corporate financing organisations, we review in detail your pitch and venture. We then use the Initial Consultation as a feedback session. (One of our most popular enquiries from Founders is for us to review their pitch). 

After we have had the Initial Consultation we will look at different ways we may work with you further. This may include ongoing consulting services (working like a board meeting on a monthly, weekly or quarterly basis). It may be to undertake direct tasks – such as further market research, marketing, fundraising materials, sourcing funds. 

Some times there are times when all the advice is needed is within the Initial Consultation in which you will not need further sessions. 

If you do require further services we will draft a proposal and provide a quote. It will then be  at your discretion to accept the proposal and quote. 

The most common requests include:

 

  • Idea validation
  • Pitch and fundraising review
  • Branding – domain name and trademark strategy
  • Business strategy 
  • Legal considerations for incorporation and industry compliance.

FAQs - Investments & Capital

We have a private investment pot of £200,000 with up to £1 million to invest into projects. We aim to carry out micro-investments ranging from as low as £1000 to £20,000. We as private individuals may invest more or lead crowdfunding rounds for unique opportunities. 

We use our connections within the finance sector to look for the most appropriate funding source for you. We use our experience and expertise to create a strategy and work with you to source the finance you need to reach your corporate goals. 

Third party capital could be:

  • Angel
  • Venture capital funding
  • Private equity
  • Revenue based finance
  • Crowd funding
  • Corporate loans

We will look at your venture idea, your pitch deck and your financial projections and undertake market research to provide you with feedback on your overall venture. The feedback will provide details on how you can improve your pitch to maximise your funding goals. 

Funding is not just about the money raised, it is about the impact it has on your ongoing business success. We will help you navigate this by helping you strategise how to get the most out of your funding deals. 

After we have had the Initial Consultation we will look at different ways we may work with you further. This may include ongoing consulting services (working like a board meeting on a monthly, weekly or quarterly basis). It may be to undertake direct tasks – such as further market research, marketing, fundraising materials, sourcing funds. 

Some times there are times when all the advice is needed is within the Initial Consultation in which you will not need further sessions. 

If you do require further services we will draft a proposal and provide a quote. It will then be  at your discretion to accept the proposal and quote. 

We love technology because of the endless opportunities to solve the world’s greatest problems. Therefore, we look at technology based ventures that either uses existing technology in an innovative way or creators of new innovative technology themselves. 

Due to our team’s background we tend to look at fintech, e-commerce and banking technology first.  However, we have worked with a wide variety or technology and non-tech related ventures. 

No , we independently invest as private individuals. And we use our network as well as experience to help clients seek out third party funding for their ventures. That is why we are a “Consult First” firm.

However, we will be building an Angel Network with aim to give you both investments and guidance.

FAQs - Ongoing Consulting

We tend to work on several basis for long term projects:

  • Strategic innovation 
  • Marketing/ growth strategy 
  • Board advising (non-directorship position)
  • Project planning
  • Deal making (whether via fundraising efforts, acquisition support, research or resource acquisitions to aid the deal)

We are very flexible in how we work to help you achieve your venture’s goals.

The fees we charge are based on the amount of work needed for us to help you meet your goals. We will calculate this depending on the complexity and time needed to complete the tasks, but we also consider the overall budget and funds you have available for your venture.

We will consider on very limited occasions to be paid in equity for our services. This usually is when you are looking for us to help source funding for a acquisition or IPO. We may also consider a hybrid cash-equity payment solution and even delay where we will accept payments. 

This can be considered after the Initial Consultation where we will look to work with you on a long term basis and provide a detailed quote for work undertaken.