Organisation: Having previously run a number of retail premises successfully, our client decided to open their own shop. With no experience in setting up their own business, we were engaged to help them.
Solution: Working with the directors, we initially helped them design the organisational model for the company and set it up with companies house. Shareholders agreements followed and then it was on to looking at premises. Suitable premises were found and an exercise to get funding was started. The initial funding partner was slow and after three months (and numerous phone calls and meetings), appeared incoherent and disjointed. A new funding partner was identified and the funding agreed within 7 days. A branding agency was engaged and legal support to help with the premise lease and to get the shop open.
Deliverables included:
- Shareholder Agreement – Defined a shareholder model that protected the investment from family members but allowed the directors to run the business the way they wanted to.
- Online Presence – Protected the name of the company, domain name, twitter, Instagram and other feed identities at the early stages of the company setup. Preventing others from purchasing them and then charging a high price to sell them back.
- Marketing and Branding – Assisted with initial branding and identified suitable suppliers to provide overall branding, shop signage, logos, fonts etc.
- Funding Support – Worked with startup loans companies, Virgin Startup etc and banks to identify the most appropriate startup funding. Selected a new partner and confirmed funding within 7 days when the initial partner was unable to do so after three months due to internal difficulties.
- Commercial support – Provided initial commercial guidance and assisted with the engagement of engaging lawyers to support the directors in their property lease activities.
Advice and Guidance – Weekly telephone calls and face to face meetings as required to provide advice and guidance to the directors, reviewing documents and helping them stay on track despite a number of potential issues.
