Helping Founders and SMEs realise growth potential by fixing finance headaches
Practical, friendly finance skills & experience that map out the future and provide strategic capital planning.
Withwards Business Leadership empowers your business through financial and advisory expertise to help you achieve your goals.
Whether it is additional capital to fuel growth, a plan to guide your business through the next leg of journey or starting to think about unlocking the value in the company for the shareholders, Mike has the experience to help.
You don’t just need money, but the right amount of money, at the right price, backed by the right people who will help and support rather than snipe from the sidelines if something goes wrong. You need to understand what these investors require, and what elements are negotiable. You need to understand what control you might release when you sell equity or what level of debt is really sensible.
Then you have the diligence and legal processes to navigate. Hours spent digging for documents, some of which you’ve never heard of (what even is a Statutory Register Book?) and even more reading Shareholder Agreements, Share Purchase Agreements or Facility Agreements that seem to have been written deliberately to confuse.
Even post completion there are the likes of bank covenants or reporting conditions to monitor and meet. Things that need to happen but keep dragging you away from what you really believe will take your business forward.
Withwards Business Leadership is here to guide you through this process from start to finish, leaving you to be the Founder you aspire to be. Giving you the outcome you need to fulfil your dreams, be that firepower for the next growth initiative, cashing in some chips to start seeing the fruit of your labour or something else entirely.
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Getting Investment Ready
Investing to get your business investment ready can be a game-changer for your success. Here’s how it can benefit you:
Expert Guidance: A seasoned operator knows the ins and outs of preparing for investment. They understand what investors look for, guiding you through the process. From a compelling business plan to fine-tuning financial projections, their expertise ensures you present your business in the best possible light.
Enhanced Credibility: They will assist in conducting thorough market research, analyzing competition, and identifying your unique selling points. This comprehensive approach positions your business as a solid investment opportunity, gaining trust and confidence from potential investors.
Strategic Planning: A skilled professional will work closely with you to identify growth opportunities, develop a robust financial model, and establish realistic milestones. Their strategic insights align your goals with investor expectations, maximizing your chances of securing funding.
Network and Connections: They can introduce you to potential investors, venture capitalists, or angel investors, expanding your reach and increasing the likelihood of finding the right financial partner for your business.
Time & Resource Efficiency: Getting investment ready can be a time-consuming process. By leveraging the expertise of a dedicated professional, you can streamline the preparation, handle documentation, and provide insights that allow you to focus on core business operations.
Ultimately, having the right person getting your business investment ready positions you for success. Their skillset enhances your chances of securing the investment needed to fuel growth and achieve your entrepreneurial goals on the most favourable terms.
Would Investment help you achieve your goals?
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Coaching
Executive coaching offers a unique opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth. Through one-on-one sessions with a skilled coach, executives can gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots. This increased self-awareness allows them to enhance their leadership skills, improve decision-making, and develop a more authentic and impactful leadership style.
Secondly, executive coaching provides a confidential and supportive environment for exploring challenges and setting strategic goals. Coaches can help executives navigate complex situations, such as organizational change, team dynamics, or career transitions. They offer objective perspectives, challenge assumptions, and provide constructive feedback, enabling executives to identify and implement effective solutions.
Additionally, executive coaching fosters enhanced communication and interpersonal skills. Executives can learn to communicate more effectively, inspire and motivate their teams, and build strong relationships with stakeholders. This, in turn, can lead to improved collaboration, increased employee engagement, and better organizational performance.
Executive coaching empowers leaders to unlock their full potential, achieve personal and professional growth, and drive meaningful impact within their organizations.
Top business leaders recommend getting an Executive Coach
What is Withwards?
Withwards means to travel with someone towards a destination. For thousands of years, humans have travelled together to survive – this concept is central to Mike’s philosophy, and something he brings to both professional and personal endeavours.
Withwards Business Leadership empowers your business through financial and advisory expertise to help you achieve your goals.
Whether it is additional capital to fuel growth, a plan to guide your business through the next leg of journey or starting to think about unlocking the value in the company for the shareholders, Mike has the experience to help.
Meet Mike
Mike has achieved significant success in his finance and strategic management career. As a Director at Middleton Enterprises, he played a pivotal role in doubling the Assets Under Management (AUM) and spearheaded the development and execution of the ‘Growth Capital’ strategy. With his guidance, portfolio businesses experienced significant revenue and profit growth. His ability to balance risk and identify true value has driven impressive growth for companies like HBB Relocation and Apex Bridging. He has lead on primary and secondary equity investments, part disposals and a variety of debt deals.
Mike possesses excellent financial acumen, strategic analysis, and risk management skills. He is also highly skilled in communication and building interpersonal relationships, becoming a trusted advisor and financial guardian to owner managers and a family office with £150m of gross assets. Currently, as the owner of Withwards Business Leadership, Mike focuses on helping business owners get investment ready, executive coaching, leadership development, and strategic consultancy. He also holds several board advisory positions and actively contributes to charitable endeavours as a trustee for Novi Most International.
Outside of work, Mike is married to Pippa, and they have three wonderful children. When the opportunity arises, he is an enthusiastic, if inexpert, squash player and cricket fan.