There are some pivotal points in business. Yes, we’ve had the COVID pandemic, recessions, Brexit. But also those moments in each individual business when you face a fork in your own road. A change of direction, scaling up, exit planning, these are only a few. And they can be challenging, but through defining your needs we can guide you through our structured theoretical and practical sessions to fulfil your goals and aspirations.

Don’t face them alone.

Whether you are facing immediate issues, a specific problem, a new opportunity or just needing to explore options our CEO sessions are designed to help you drive your business to the next level. They are a simple, no cost, no obligation meeting entirely under your control and driven by your agenda. Whether you want to use it as a simple sounding board, discuss a specific problem or explore strategic options, this is an opportunity to discuss your business with our experts and leverage their knowledge and experience of your industry and other markets to explore the options and opportunities available to you.

At the minimum you will leave the meeting with a different perspective and a number of ideas about how to drive your business forward. We are on hand to help you every step of the way and the following pages describe the services we can provide you on your business journey.

We look forward to working with you.

Business growth plan

Business growth planning is a critical anchor point and foundation for any business. But it is often absent, weak or just sat in people’s heads. Our process delivers clarity in the form of strategic intent, a bespoke 3-year plan and an annual operating plan to make sure it happens.

This enables you to articulate a vision of your forward-looking view of the business, and the objectives and simple steps required to deliver the plan.

Many businesses will endure a period of loss-making performance or sustained profit deterioration. This can arise from an unexpected shock to the business, insufficient cash resources, stakeholder issues, changes to the market, political, regulatory landscape or from overtrading where revenue grows faster than a business can finance.

For many business owners this will be a new experience and can often lead to short term decisions that will have a significant impact on the business – this can range from selling the business at a knock down price through to insolvency. Don’t get caught in the short-term trap – talk to us now about your options. We will immediately assess the situation, stabilise your cash position, determine the optimum route forward and create and implement a Business Turnaround Plan to navigate your business to an optimised outcome.

What is your funding need? Do you have the right capital structure to support working capital, contingency and growth? What are the optimum routes to raising funding to deliver your goals?

Our trusted and experienced advisors can provide the answers to the many questions around how funds to support and grow your business can be obtained, and also introduce you to partners who can help bring these goals to reality.

Is your business ready for sale? 70% of SME businesses fail to sell first time out, due to poor preparation. Working with us will put you in the best place to make your company attractive, and also to prepare you for the various steps and decisions along the way.

From understanding the due diligence that needs to have been undertaken and what levels of risk are important, through to maximising value and attracting the right buyer, our Herd bring their experience and knowledge of successful sales completions to your business.

Having developed your Strategic Plan, the next step in the process is to set about delivering the outcomes identified within it. We do this via our vNED program (virtual non-executive Director). This will focus on our continued strategic involvement, via a series of month-end meetings and being available on an ad hoc basis, as and when required.

The vNED identifies the work that must be prioritised early in the programme. This includes the Board meeting setup, along with organisational design and staff communication. These items form the focus of the initial sessions and establish a foundation on which to go forward.

In the monthly sessions, your Elephants Child advisor would act as a critical voice to drive progress and ensure delivery against the agreed plans/timescales, holding you to account on what has been agreed. We would also look to establish new behaviours with the company, which in our experience, are key in driving sustainable growth towards the revenue targets. He/she would also actively assist with certain tasks needed to implement the Strategic Plan and bring the advisor’s business experience to support your growth.

In our experience these sessions are crucial to ensure continued development of the business. If the plans are not properly implemented, then management can ‘revert to type’ and your initial investment is at risk. In the role of vNED Key actions include:

  • Establish the monthly agenda and guide the meetings
  • Provide Board members with their action lists
  • Hold to account and chase delivery of key tasks
  • Challenge and improve the performance of the business
  • Guide new behaviours befitting of a well-managed growing business
  • Help set up reports for each of the key areas of the business
  • Act as critical voice, by bringing their direct experience to the table.

In this way, the advisor will continually challenge the business to improve and make good on the vision that has been articulated within the plans. Effectively we will focus on three core elements; Performance management against stated promises in the plan, compliance and governance, and importantly building the story to enable exit options in the future.

Your business is a dynamic entity, so your advisor will focus on uncovering additional threats, opportunities and challenges along the way, which may lead us to adapt the plans. The vNED engagement also encourages additional, ad hoc, touchpoints, should immediate issues arise, or general advice be needed.

Real world success

Our clients are happy to share their successful experiences of working with Elephants Child and how it has benefited them and their business.

Whatever the size of your business, or the sector it is in, our business advisory processes will ensure you gain absolute clarity on what can be achieved, and can come away with a plan of how to take the necessary steps.

Whether you’re just looking for initial advice, or ongoing support, we can help.

Case studies

‘The Herd’

With many decades of relevant business experience in all sectors, our advisors use our tried and tested methods to get results for your business.

With support available up and down the country, these are not academics with no real world experience. These are people who have been at the knife edge themselves.

Now combining that experience with tried and trusted practices, they will have tangible impact in your business and support you to achieve your goals.

Our advisors

"Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential."

Winston Churchill

"Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans."

Peter F. Drucker

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe."

Abraham Lincoln

"Mould-breaking strategies grow initially like weeds, they are not cultivated like tomatoes in a hothouse.… (They) can take root in all kinds of places."

Henry Mintzberg

"Strategy is the great work of the organisation. In situations of life and death, it is the Tao of Survival or Extinction. Its study cannot be neglected."

Sun Tzu

"Everyone has a plan... until they get punched in the mouth."

Mike Tyson