Growth Planning and Funding Readiness
If you are planning growth, exploring funding, or building a buy-and-build strategy, contact us to book an introductory call. We will suggest a practical first step based on where you are now and what you are trying to achieve.
If you are raising under EIS or SEIS, we can support advance assurance preparation and coordination as part of funding readiness. This includes strengthening assumptions, building a credible forecast, and aligning the narrative and documentation so the submission is joined-up and defensible.
Driver-based planning and a three-way five-year forecast (P&L, balance sheet, cashflow) to support funding conversations and growth decisions.
Growth requires more than ambition. It needs a plan that stands up to scrutiny and a finance function that can keep pace. We help leadership teams build decision-ready forecasts, clear performance drivers, and the materials needed for confident conversations with lenders, investors and other stakeholders.
We work across sectors. We have particular depth in operationally complex environments including manufacturing, engineering, industrial products, advanced manufacturing, textiles and apparel manufacturing, and food and beverage manufacturing (including brewing).
Who it’s for
Typically when:
You are planning a growth step-change (people, capex, new sites, new products)
You are preparing for external funding or lender conversations
You need better forecasting and scenario planning
You want a clearer grip on margins, unit economics or project profitability
Typical use cases
Planning a step-change in growth, capacity, or hiring
Funding conversations with lenders or investors, including growth capital
Improving forecasting and performance visibility so decisions are made with confidence
Building a repeatable planning process and reporting rhythm during scale-up
Buy-and-build strategy planning, bolt-on evaluation and integration planning
EIS/SEIS advance assurance preparation and coordination where relevant
Identifying suitable funding and grant routes and preparing the supporting case
What you get
Decision-ready growth plan
Driver-based forecasts with clear assumptions
Scenario planning and sensitivities for key risks and choices
Hiring, capex and capacity planning linked to cash and delivery
Three-way five-year plan (P&L, balance sheet and cashflow) that connects strategy to cash, funding needs and value creation
Funding readiness
Lender and investor packs: forecasts, sensitivities, covenant or headroom analysis where relevant
A clear, credible financial narrative that supports the growth story
Coordination of documentation for EIS/SEIS advance assurance submissions where appropriate
Buy-and-build support
Acquisition screening models and valuation drivers
Funding and integration scenarios across bolt-ons
Integration planning support, including finance process alignment and reporting consistency
Performance visibility
KPIs aligned to value drivers, unit economics, or project performance
Reporting improvements that support confident execution post-funding
Access to funding and grant routes
Guidance on potential funding sources and relevant grant options
Preparation of the financial case and supporting forecasts
Coordination with specialist advisers where required
Three-way five-year forecast (P&L, balance sheet and cashflow)
This is the core planning tool we build with you. It links strategy to cash and funding requirements, and gives you a model you can update as the business learns. It typically includes:
Clear drivers and assumptions linked to people, capacity, pricing and delivery
Scenarios and sensitivities to stress-test key decisions
Cash, working capital and funding headroom visibility as growth accelerates
How we work
Clarify: owner goals, business goals, and strategic choices
Analyse: SWOT and market context, risks and constraints
Build: three-way five-year plan, scenarios and funding needs
Stress-test: assumptions, risks, sensitivities, and headroom
Prepare: pack, narrative, and documentation for stakeholders
Embed: a planning and reporting routine the business can run
Typical outputs
Strategy summary, SWOT and market context (as a practical decision tool, not a long report)
Three-way five-year plan (P&L, balance sheet and cashflow) with scenarios and sensitivities
Driver-based forecast model with clear assumptions and stress-tested sensitivities
12 to 24 month operating plan plus longer-range view if needed
Cashflow and funding requirement analysis, including headroom where relevant
KPI pack and reporting pack aligned to value drivers
Lender or investor-ready pack and supporting narrative
EIS/SEIS advance assurance documentation support where appropriate
Specialist support (via associates)
Where it adds value, we can coordinate specialist input such as valuations, risk reviews, operational assessments, and other work streams that support funding and growth plans.
Related services
Funding packs often lead into retained CFO support to embed the routine and deliver the plan.
Growth Planning FAQs
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Typically a driver-based plan and a three-way five-year model (P&L, balance sheet and cashflow), with scenarios and sensitivities. We also create an investor or lender-ready pack and a KPI pack so the plan can be executed, not filed away.
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Yes. We use SWOT and market context to stress-test assumptions and ensure the plan is credible for leadership and funders.
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Most projects run 2 to 6 weeks depending on data quality, complexity and how many scenarios are needed. We can start with a rapid baseline and improve the model iteratively.
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Yes. Many businesses come to us because reporting is inconsistent. We establish a reliable baseline, document assumptions, and improve the underlying reporting where needed so decisions are made with confidence.
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Yes. We link growth assumptions to cash and working capital, then model funding requirements and headroom under different scenarios so you can choose the right funding route and timing.
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They usually want a coherent story supported by credible numbers: assumptions, drivers, cashflow, working capital, sensitivities, and evidence you can report performance reliably. We shape the pack around those expectations and your specific audience.
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We support preparation and coordination: ensuring the plan, narrative and supporting documents are consistent and credible, and working alongside your tax adviser or specialist where required. We do not replace specialist tax advice.
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Yes. We build screening models, acquisition and funding scenarios, and integration planning assumptions, including how reporting and KPIs will be standardised across bolt-ons.
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We can help you identify plausible routes, build the financial case and supporting forecasts, and coordinate specialist input where required. We focus on strengthening the commercial case and numbers.
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Yes. We can support presentation, Q&A preparation and follow-up requests, and help translate the model into a clear narrative and decision recommendations.
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We can help embed a planning and reporting routine, track KPIs, and update forecasts so the plan remains decision-useful as the business learns and changes.
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We build these into the drivers. That includes lead times for materials, production constraints, labour availability, shift patterns, and seasonality in demand. The model links capacity and throughput assumptions to delivery, revenue timing, inventory, and cash.
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Yes. We treat inventory as a key driver, not a plug. We model stock levels, WIP where relevant, purchasing cycles, supplier terms, and minimum order quantities so the plan reflects real cash dynamics and avoids surprises as volumes change.
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Yes. Where relevant we model profitability by product, customer, or project, and link delivery milestones to revenue recognition, cash collection, and resource requirements. This helps leadership see which work drives margin and cash, not just turnover.