01Start
Founder roadmaps
A step-by-step plan from idea to launch: what to do first, what it will cost, what can wait and what to test before you spend real money.
Business consultancy · London
Great businesses
Great businesses
aren’t born.
They’re built.
Straight advice for founders at every stage, from a London consultancy that has advised 2,800+ businesses since 2015, including founders bringing a company to the UK.
Just an idea or a first draft? That's exactly what the complimentary call is for. No commitment.
Who we are
A boutique firm for ambitious founders.
We’ve set up, scaled and sold businesses ourselves. So our advice comes from the founder’s side of the table, backed by partner CFOs, solicitors and accountants.
01
New founders with an idea
You know what you want to build and need a clear route from idea to a trading business. We give you the roadmap and help you follow it.
02
Startups and growing businesses
You are trading and want to grow, tidy up how the business runs, or get ready to raise money through investment, a loan or a grant.
03
International founders
You want to set up and run a business in the UK. We help you build a business that can earn endorsement and succeed once you arrive.
What we do
Practical help at every stage.
Starting a business. The first year decides more than any other: which structure you choose, what you charge, and what you spend before you have proof that anyone will buy. Most of the expensive mistakes we see are made in the first few months and undone later at a cost. We help you get the order right, write a plan a bank or investor will take seriously, and set the company up properly from day one.
Talk to us about starting a businessFunding a business. Raising money is mostly preparation. Investors, lenders and grant bodies ask the same questions in the same order, and a founder who answers them with numbers gets a very different hearing. We get you ready before you approach anyone: forecasts that hold up, a pitch that makes sense in five minutes, and the right kind of money for your stage, whether that is a loan, a grant, an angel or a fund.
Talk to us about fundingGrowing a business. Growth breaks the things that worked when you were small. The founder ends up doing everything, cash gets tighter as sales rise, and the decisions get bigger with nobody senior to talk them through. We help you build the customer flow, the team and the systems to scale without losing grip, and we stay on call for the decisions that matter, with reporting that keeps your investors confident.
Talk to us about growing
02Start
Business plans
We write your plan with you, or strengthen the one you have, so a bank, investor or endorsing body takes it seriously.
03Start
Company structure
Structure, business model, pricing and day-to-day operations, set up right early so they don't need rebuilding later.
04Fund
Funding readiness
Forecasts, pitch materials and answers to the questions investors, lenders and grant bodies always ask.
05Fund
Financial leadership
CFO-level support without a full-time hire: cash flow, unit economics, models and investor reporting, with our partner CFO firm.
06Fund
Grants and R&D tax relief
We find the grants you could qualify for and help you write a strong application. R&D tax claims are prepared by specialist partners.
07Grow
Growth and operations
A steady flow of customers, the right team and the systems to grow without losing grip of the business.
08Grow
Ongoing advice
An experienced adviser on call for the decisions founders rarely have someone senior to talk through.
09Grow
Board and investor reporting
Good board meetings and clear reporting, so you keep your investors' confidence and avoid surprises.
Specialist
Fintech and Web3
Crypto and digital-asset businesses face a new era of UK regulation. We help them build real businesses and prepare for FCA authorisation alongside our partner solicitors.
Fintech and Web3 advice
Specialist
Second citizenship
Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and Grenada: choosing a programme, preparing for the checks and working alongside the licensed agent.
The EU has asked these countries to wind their programmes down by June 2028. They remain open for now.
Second citizenship advice
Specialist
Moving to the UK
For international founders: a business plan an endorsing body will back for the Innovator Founder visa, and a company set up properly once you arrive.
Building a business in the UK
“In aviation you don’t guess. You check, you test, you follow the process. We run your business the same way.”TIMOTHY DAVIS — SENIOR ADVISOR & FOUNDER
How we workFour steps.
Four steps.
Every client.
Scope, timeline and fees agreed in writing before any work begins. No surprises.
01
A first conversation
You tell us where the business is and where you want it to go, and we tell you whether we can help.
02
A clear look at the business
We review the idea, the numbers and how things run today, and tell you plainly what we see.
03
A written plan
You get a roadmap, with the scope, timeline and cost of our work agreed up front.
04
Working alongside you
We do the work with you and stay involved while you put it into practice.
About the founder
Trained where there’s no room for assumption.
Before I advised businesses, I trained as an aviator and an engineer in the United States. In aviation and engineering, you don't guess. You check, you test, you work from evidence and you follow a proven process every time. That is exactly how I approach your business.
Evidence, not assumption
Every recommendation is backed by numbers, research or experience. If something hasn't been tested yet, I'll tell you, and we'll test it before you spend money on it.
Attention to detail
Investors, lenders and endorsing bodies notice the small things. So do I: the assumption behind a forecast, the gap in a plan, the question you'll be asked in the room.
A disciplined process
The same clear steps for every client, agreed in writing, so you always know what happens next and why.
I have advised businesses since 2015 and have lived and worked in the UK for more than 25 years. I don't only advise. I have bought, set up, scaled and sold startups myself, and in 2017 co-founded an investment firm, so I know the journey from the founder's side of the table as well as the advisor's.
If you want straight answers and a plan built on facts, I'd like to hear what you're building.
Timothy DavisSenior Advisor & Founder
Connect on LinkedInWhat clients say
In their own words.
Insights
Straight answers, written down.
Fund
Seven things investors check before they read your deck
Most pitches are decided before the deck is opened. Here is what gets checked first, and how to have it ready.
Moving to the UK
Moving your business to the UK: what the plan has to prove
For founders coming to the UK, the business plan is the application. Here is what it has to show, and the mistakes that get plans turned down.
Fund
Grants and R&D tax relief: what UK founders miss
Grant money is real, but it is not free and it is not quick. What makes an application win, how R&D tax relief actually works, and the mistakes that cost founders money.
Questions
What founders usually ask us.
How much does it cost?
Every engagement is scoped and priced before any work starts, so you know the full cost up front. You can take one service or several, and ongoing advice is available as a monthly package.
How long does it take?
It depends on what you need. We agree the timeline with you at the start as part of your written plan, and you can follow progress stage by stage in your client portal.
Can you guarantee funding or a visa?
No, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Investors, lenders, grant bodies and endorsing bodies make their own decisions. Our job is to make sure your business, plan and paperwork are as strong as they can be before you ask.
Do you give immigration advice?
No. We work on the business side of the Innovator Founder route: the idea, the business plan, the forecasts and interview preparation. Your visa application itself must be handled by a regulated immigration adviser or solicitor, and we work alongside the one you choose.
Do you work with founders outside the UK?
Yes. Many founders we help are planning to build a business in the UK from overseas. We work by video call, email and our secure client portal, so you don't need to be in London to start.
Who are the “Partners”?
Independent firms we work with closely: an investment advisory firm led by an experienced CFO, accountants and tax specialists, solicitors, and regulated immigration advisers. You deal with us as your main contact, and we bring in the right specialist when your business needs one.
What happens in the first conversation?
You tell us where the business is and where you want it to go, and we tell you honestly whether we can help. If we can, we follow up with a written plan setting out the scope, timeline and cost.
Get in touchLet’s build
Let’s build
something.
Whether you have an idea, a business ready to grow, or a plan to bring a company to the UK, start with a complimentary 20-minute initial consultation. Book a time, message us on WhatsApp, or send a note below.
Complimentary 20-minute consultationPick a time that suits you
WhatsAppMessage us on WhatsApp
Office
66 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NA
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