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Picture shows: Owen Paterson, Secretary of State for environment, food and rural affairs (Left) and Exolta Partner Ross van Geest (Right) discussing export opportunities at ANUGA 2013.
The opportunity for small and medium sized
Keith Holdt of LDC (left) and Paul Forrest of Exolta Capital Partners soaking up the F1 atmosphere in Monza.
was represented at the Monza Grand Prix this month. As a result of a long
Exolta senior partners take part in the gruelling Tough Mudder event.
As if professionalising and growing client businesses is not challenging enough, Paul Forrest and Russell Dalgleish of Exolta Capital Partners decided to join
How fast do you want to drive your growth?
Do you feel like you have the ‘pedal to the metal’ , spending all you can on advertising but still can ‘t get the growth of your business into the fast lane? The fact is, if your customers are not properly engaged, it may not matter how much you spend on advertising. Just like a car in neutral isn’ t going anywhere (no matter how much
Start a business and make your fortune? Perhaps, and that is why every year many thousands of people answer a resounding “Yes” to that question but every year that answer costs many of them
Managing cashflow is an everyday challenge for most managers in small and medium sized businesses. Those managers who keep a close eye on their daily activity and emerging industry trends can help reduce their
Many investors are only interested in investing money into an enterprise for a limited amount of time. They want to know when they will get their money back and what sort of return they
Knowing the basics of purchase order financing is an asset to almost any small or medium sized business owner. In this article, Exolta will discuss exactly what purchase order financing is, the benefits, drawbacks,
Based on recent post deal litigation storm clouds, business owners planning exit strategies better batten down their legal hatches.
Its your business: for many its been your life don ‘t create risks of losing value at exit
As a small business owner, your company most likely represents a significant portion of your net worth. That’ s why it ‘s crucial not to let litigation wash it away when the time comes to convert your years of hard work into cash.
Selling a business involves substantial amounts of money and a wide range of issues including warranties and representations, disclosures and contractual obligations. Consequently, there are many opportunities for litigation to arise. Not only is litigation highly unpleasant and disruptive to your lifestyle, it is also very, very expensive – even if you win.
What can be done to prevent post deal litigation?
Other than crossing fingers, hoping and praying, what’ s a
Why Coaching is the Way to Go in Team Management
When you hear the word ‘coach’ , what comes first into your mind? Do you picture Team GB with someone shouting out instructions and
Making an acquisition is risky at the best of times. so should buyers take a belt-and-braces approach and consider commercial and operational due diligence?
Is conducting financial due diligence enough?
Over the last five
So… what do you do when the banks won ‘t help? Whilst the first port of call with any business seeking financial help should be the bank, we often hear of issues and problems with getting the bank to come through with the necessary support to help a business. So, what other options are available for funding your business? In this short article we explore some of the main options available to help you grow.
Asset based finance
Essentially, this form of finance allows you to borrow against assets owned by the business. Leasing arrangements are mostly ‘ rental agreements ‘ with the finance company, however, it may not be for the full amount that the equipment costs. This works in two ways; the lender either buys an asset from you and you rent it back (sale and leaseback) or you borrow against your asset but are still allowed to use it (secured borrowing).
Business Angels
Not for everyone, business angels can be very useful if you have a commercial idea supported by ambitious growth plans. Essentially, a business angel will provide private investment into the business. The added benefit of this approach is that you would hope to get not just money from the investor but their expertise and contacts. What needs to be remembered here though is that this comes at a price. Unlike a traditional banking relationships, a private investor is likely to require a substantial equity share in the buisness and in some circumstances, this may lead to a loss of control.
Enterprise Finance Guarantee
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) is a loan guarantee scheme to facilitate additional lending to viable small and medium size enterprises lacking adequate security or proven track record for a normal commercial loan. It was introduced in 2009 and has had some mixed successes. Despite this, it is always worth putting this on the agenda. The Government provides the lender with a guarantee for 75% of the loan, for which the business borrowing pays a premium. Accredited bank lenders administer EFG and make all decisions on lending. The scheme should run until 2014-15 and is expected to facilitate freeing up £600 million of additional lending.
Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee
Similar to the above but focused on export: if your business trades overseas or is looking to enter new markets abroad, the Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee (ExEFG) scheme is designed to help.
The scheme is specifically aimed at giving small businesses that are unable to get a commercial export loan access to the credit they need to win overseas contracts by providing lenders with a 60% guarantee.
Grant Funding
In the most basic terms, a grant is a sum of money awarded to help a business succeed in a particular project, for example starting a new business or developing a new product. Unlike a loan, they are generally not repayable and you pay no interest on the amount given, making them an attractive option for small businesses. Many grants exist, local, national and European grants have been attractive to early stage businesses in recent years. Grant application, whilst not difficult, requires careful navigation.
Invoice discounting/finance and factoring
Invoice finance or discounting effectively ‘ frees-up ‘ the money tied up in a businesses unpaid invoices. However, you’ ll typically only receive 80-90% of the face value of the invoice.
Factoring is slightly different in that it allows a business