Access to Finance Conference Summary

A summary:

🤔 You need a “personal survival plan” when taking on debt funding as your own personal stress test.

🔢 It’s critical to know the narrative behind your numbers i.e. gross and net margins, plans for sales, an understanding of costs, the concentration risk in your business etc.

🚗 Find a funder who can support you today and as your journey progresses.

💷  Alternative debt is when you borrow from a company outside of a traditional bank. Generally, these providers take more risk, may offer unsecured loans, could include asset finance, invoice discounting as well as government agencies or social enterprises.

🤝 Don’t wait until you need money to look for it. Start building relationships early.

📈 Know your TAM (Total Addressable Market). Be realistic about how much of the market you want to pursue and be able to back it up.

📶 Be aware of, and curious about, the softer side of equity investment including the network, advice, access to customers and talent etc.

👀 If there are skills missing from your senior team or you find yourself always working in, and not on, the business, consider bringing in a Non-Executive Director.

🙋‍♀️ Build your network by getting out and meeting people.

💸 Remember that profitable sales (“bootstrapping”) is a route too! Be well informed about making good financial decisions with your own resources.

😬 You don’t have to have it all figured out on your own. There are lots and lots of organisations ready to help you.

🛣 It can be a good idea to reach out to a broker to find and then help you navigate the right options for you.

⏳ There is a time to turn to friends and other businesses for advice and another to bring in a paid professional.

📚 Accountants and solicitors keep up to date with the array of finance opportunities in the market.

💲Finance providers need to be upfront about costs. Hidden fees hurt trust.

🎯  Debt and equity can be tailored for businesses at different stages.

😇 If you would like to be an angel investor, the starting off point can be as low as £2,000 with AwakenHub

Thank you to Shane O'Hanlon, Susan McKane, Patrick D., Anna Connor and Susan Nightingale for the opportunity to work with you again. It's a real joy.

Thank you to Ryan Williams, John Metcalfe, Elizabeth McCrory, Mary McKenna, MBE Larissa Feeney FCA, Audrey Osborne, Michael Mc Quillan, Julie Gray, Claudine Owens, Mark Johnston, Rhona Barbour, Sean O'Hare for sharing their insights with us.