Let’s Open Some Doors …

Some businesses encounter insurmountable problems on their journeys and the impact of that can be significant not only on the staff but also the business owner(s).  Stress, anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts for some, are quite common.  A cash starved business with a leadership team that has run out of ideas and energy to turn things around can often lead to just one conclusion, eventual insolvency.  The impact on the mental health and well-being of everyone can be considerable.

I specialise in investing in businesses that are struggling, stressed or even distressed, but the underlying business is sound.  I will buy 100% of the business for fair price and appropriate deal structure, then re-invest by parachuting myself and my delivery team into the business.  We will refresh and reorganise the company into one that is fit for growth and then execute a business revival plan.

I would normally expect the previous owner to be available post-acquisition and then as profits start to return and cashflow improves, the former owner would share in the upside with me.

If you have a business which is about to hit the wall, we should talk, I might be able to provide you with an attractive exit strategy, that enables you to close one chapter in your life and start a new one.

Delivery Team

Paul Edwards (Director)

Paul creates step change improvement in businesses from a broad range of sectors, by aligning vision and team activity across a company, to ensure everyone plays their part in generating increases in new sales and operational effectiveness. With experience operating at C-level across various verticals and a particular interest in how technology and innovation can deliver true business benefit, he often also asked to get involved in packaging sector solutions and advise on how to develop customer value propositions or go-to-market strategies.

His expertise, insights and business acumen are enhanced by his experience as an SME business mentor, freelance consultant for a number of start-ups and as a business owner himself.  Paul knows how to generate substantial shareholder value with specified timeframes and under pressured conditions.

Paul Edwards
Carolyne Whalen (HR Director)

Carolyne has been working in HR since 1995 and running her own business, Gap HR Services, since 2003. Her business now has 160 clients on retainer, including private member golf clubs in the Top 100 in England, and in the private sector, businesses with only one employee through to a nationwide facilities management company with 600 employees. Gap HR specialises in dealing with small and micro businesses. Gap HR deals with the “nasty” side of employment law – disciplinaries, grievances, redundancies, etc. Her team are skilled at giving commercial employment law advice, with all the options, costs and risks involved. They will support you in your decision – after all, it is your business!

Carolyn-Whalen
Dylis Guyan (Sales Director)

Dylis has more than 30 years’ experience in the sales environment. 14 of those years were spent in the Financial Services Sector, where she enjoyed the position of – Top Trainee, Top Field Sales Manager and Top Regional Sales Director.

In 2000, she set up her own company working with businesses to increase sales revenue by attracting, converting, and retaining more of their ideal clients. On average she helps increase sales by 250% and one of her clients increased corporate sales from £126,000 to £1.1m in 12 months. Key clients include; Barclays Bank, Barclaycard, Aviva, Zurich, HSBC, Thornton’s PLC, The Post Office, Royal Mail, Blenheim Place and many more SME businesses.

She is a Course Director at the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a part-time lecturer at Said Business School, part of Oxford University, delivering both Sales and Sales Leadership programmes.

Dylis-Guyan-web
Philip de Lisle (Executive Mentor)

Philip is an experienced business mentor, CEO and Chair, having spent 30 years building and directing multiple companies in a range of industries. During his career he started 11 businesses, acquired 15 and sold 7.  As a mentor, he helps CEO’s and Senior Management to deliver significant business growth and profitable returns, delivering a massive ROI for his clients and their companies – if selling their company, they often receive 3 to 4 times more than the initial valuation.  His past and present clients include the Dean of an internationally renowned business school, the Finance Director of a FTSE 250 company, a Partner in a leading London Solicitors, senior personnel from banks and retailers and many Directors of private companies.  Philip is also an author and professional speaker on business matters, speaking in particular about company acquisition, investment and exits.

PdL-Casual-Jacket-Office-ECBS-cropped
Jo Rogers (Commercial Lawyer)

Jo have worked for hundreds of businesses, having started her legal training working in corporate law in the City of London. She works with a variety of small and medium businesses to provide commercial advice as an in-house lawyer. As CEO and Founder, she supports established and growing businesses through providing valuable legal services on a flexible basis. As a dual-qualified lawyer, admitted to the State of New York and to the Supreme Court of England & Wales, she gained experience in all aspects of corporate transactions involving international clients and cross border transactions.. Mostly these days she spends her time now assisting companies buying other companies, as well as supporting them ongoing with joint ventures, private equity and company law and commercial contracts. Jo has significant experience in turnaround situations.

Jayne Johnson (Head of Recruitment)

Expert Recruiter with over 35 years in the industry, running own consultancy Better People Ltd for 12 years. Supporting business owners to secure the best people for their businesses so that they can achieve their growth goals. Experience with organisations from Microsoft to Transport for London and independent growing SMEs in all sectors. Jayne provides a bespoke recruitment campaign for each business she supports, supporting and coaching in all areas of the campaign, providing and effective efficient and professional recruitment service. Better People can also supply a range of recruitment support tools including personality profiling. Better People Ltd has a reputation for being able source the very best candidates in the market who stay and add value to the businesses they join.

Jayne-in-Red-Top-Web
Neville Walker (Intellectual Property Attorney)

Neville began work at GEC Marconi in 1987, before moving into private practice and then spending 5 years at BTG prior to, and during, its floatation on the LSE. He moved to Scipher PLC which acquired IP assets from the Thorn EMI group and it floated in 2001.  After a brief stint at Motorola, he was retained as a consultant to BAE Systems and SIEMENS.

He set up ipconsult in 2007 and works with SMEs and start-ups, helping them to manage and optimise early stage IP portfolios. Neville is an expert at positioning IP in order to secure funding from equity investment, how to license IP and what to do with an IP portfolio around an exit.

Neville’s mantra: managing early stage IP assets, with the aim of profitable commercialization, makes the business a better investment opportunity. He is proud that ipconsult is a “go to IP firm” in a sector that is often considered to be an expensive luxury for start-ups.

Neville-Walker-Web
Alban Guma (IT Manager)

A successful IT Specialist and Wireless Engineer, with extensive analytical, software and hardware experience of investigating and diagnosing network problems. Also, knowledge of IT operating systems, especially Windows and Linux. Extensive practical knowledge of complex systems builds, hardware and software testing, PCB testing, network support, technical support and computer repairs. Multi-talented with good all-round technical skills and the ability to develop and maintain close working relationships with all team members. Having the personal drive required to deliver a service that exceeds the expectations of colleagues and end users through a positive, well organised and structured work ethic.

Alban Guma
Tory Wagg (Accountant)

Tory Wagg founded Panthera Accounting in 2006 with one aim – to bring the tools of management accounting, that were being used in larger corporates to understand the day-to-day financials, into the hands of SMEs where they could really make a difference. By implementing the right financial systems and processes, Tory and her team now help over 650 clients to run better businesses and thrive. She is passionate about educating business owners through talks and webinars, to empower them to make the right decisions by using their financial data to give value back to the business.  Tory is a Chartered Management Accountant, she’s a Xero Gold Partner, and started and chairs the DAWN women in business networking group.

Tory Wagg

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