What we cover

Before anything else, we pressure-test the idea itself — because the best time to find a flaw is before you've spent money on it.

• What problem does it solve, and who will buy?
• Demand, alternatives, and why customers would choose you
• The assumptions still to be tested — and what could cause failure

How the business will actually make money — not just what it sells, but how the pieces fit together.

• One-off, recurring, or mixed revenue
• Routes to market and your delivery model
• Suppliers, partners, capacity, and key dependencies

A clear-eyed view of the market you're entering and the competitors already in it.

• Target customers, market size, and buying behaviour
• Direct and indirect competitors, and your positioning
• Industry trends, geography, and barriers to entry

Revenue is easy to count — margin is what keeps you in business. We focus on the latter.

• How to set pricing, gross margin, and cost structure
• Break-even point and the sales volume it implies
• Discounting, acquisition cost, and whether the return is adequate

Knowing what it will genuinely cost to start — and how long your money has to last.

• Establishment costs, equipment, inventory, and working capital
• Your own income requirements and a proper contingency
• Funding sources, debt versus equity, and how much is really needed

Understandable forecasts — not complicated spreadsheets that create false precision.

• Sales assumptions, profit-and-loss, and cash-flow forecast
• Best, expected, and downside scenarios
• Funding requirements and the milestones to watch

A plan built for its purpose — different plans for different audiences, each one practical.

• A practical founder's plan you'll actually use
• Plans for a bank, an investor, or a grant application
• Versions for a landlord, franchisor, or business partner

Getting seen, getting chosen, and knowing what's working — from day one.

• Positioning, value proposition, brand, and messaging
• Customer acquisition, digital presence, and sales process
• Channels, launch strategy, budget, and measurement

The day-to-day of running the business — worked out before the first customer arrives.

• What must happen each day, premises, and equipment
• Systems, technology, suppliers, and staffing
• Quality control, customer service, insurance, and risk

The right commercial setup — with a clear line to legal and tax specialists where needed.

• Sole trader, company, or partnership
• Ownership, roles, decision-making, and founder expectations
• IP, licences, record-keeping, and the advisers you may need

The topic most people skip — an honest look at whether you're ready, and what to do if you're not yet.

• Why you want this, and whether your skills match what it requires
• Time, money, and the income you need through the establishment period
• Your appetite for risk — and what happens if it takes twice as long

Sometimes the smarter way into business is buying one. We evaluate it the same way we'd test a new idea — commercially.

• Starting versus buying, and evaluating a business for sale
• Understanding the financials, risks, and dependencies
• Assessing the asking price, transition, and working-capital needs