Impact People Consulting’s Post

As we approach the end of 2024, we reflect on a year of growth, collaboration, and impact. For nearly a decade, Spice Route Finance has supported startups and growth-stage businesses through tailored financial and strategic solutions. From incorporation and accounting to financial planning, strategy, and exits, we’ve built a reputation for empowering businesses at every stage of their journey.   Our presence in the UK reflects our commitment to understanding the local market’s nuances and tailoring solutions to meet its specific challenges. With a global portfolio of over 200 projects completed, we aim to bring world-class expertise to UK startups and growth-stage businesses.   As 2025 dawns, we look forward to continuing this journey with renewed focus and determination. We remain committed to delivering bespoke services that drive financial clarity, governance, and scalability for businesses in the UK and beyond.   Wishing all our clients, partners, and stakeholders a prosperous and fulfilling year ahead.   Let’s create new opportunities together in 2025. Reach out to us to explore how we can support your business ambitions in the new year. #SpiceRouteFinance #UKStartups

🎉 What an absolutely phenomenal week it's been Both for UK Startups and Scaleups!! 🚀 Let's start by last night's unforgettable Focal demo day - a whirlwind of groundbreaking pitches that left us all in awe, followed by great food, drink and conversations at HSBC Innovation Banking great venue. 🌟 Each pitch was a testament to the bowundless creativity and ambition driving our entrepreneurial landscape forward, and I, for one, am eagerly awaiting the next chapter in their journey. Massive round of applause to Taos Edmondson, CFA Hector Mason and Issie James But the excitement doesn't stop there! Today brings a whole new wave of enthusiasm as we celebrate the announcement of BDO's partnership with the ScaleUp Institute, a union set to bolster the entrepreneurial spirit of Britain like never before! Amidst the buzz surrounding startups and unicorns, it's high time we shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes - the UK SMEs, guided by strong management teams, steadily growing by at least 20% in employment turnover, and collectively contributing over a staggering £1.4 trillion to the UK economy. 📈💼 Hats off to Mark Sykes and Irene Graham OBE for their outstanding leadership in championing this cause and igniting a new era of growth and prosperity! 👏 Let's continue to nurture and empower the vibrant ecosystem of startups, scale-ups, and SMEs, the driving force behind our collective success. 🌟 #StartupEcosystem #ScaleupSuccess #BDOxScaleupInstitute #UKSMEs #EntrepreneurialSpirit #InnovationJourney 🚀

Statistics from the Bureau of Labor indicate that roughly 18%startups fail within their inistial year, and only 50% manage to survive beyond five years. Although it’s impossible to predict every obstacle, there are strategies to establish your business for sustained success. Our seasoned team is dedicated to easing your regulatory responsibilities, allowing you to focus more on your core business endeavors. Simply put, we'll ensure everything aligns perfectly in the right format, in the right place and at the right time. #startup #business #finance #stats

This week on #EntrepreneursDictionary, we’re diving into Convertible Note, a short-term loan used by startups to raise funds quickly, converting into equity instead of requiring immediate repayment. It allows early-stage businesses to secure capital without immediately agreeing on a valuation. This conversion typically happens during a later investment round, turning the loan into company shares for the investor. 💼 How Can Entrepreneurs Use It? Convertible notes help entrepreneurs attract funding efficiently, especially in the initial stages, by offering flexibility to investors. It’s a win-win way to raise capital without the pressure of setting a company valuation upfront. ✅ Pros: Valuation Flexibility: Perfect for early-stage businesses, as it delays setting a company valuation. Simple and Quick: Requires less paperwork and legal involvement than traditional equity funding. Growth-Oriented: Converts to equity, motivating investors to support long-term growth. ❌ Cons: Dilution Risk: Conversion to equity can reduce founders' ownership. Complex Terms: Conversion conditions may make future investments trickier. Debt on the Books: Until conversion, it counts as a debt obligation. #Financial #Knowledge #Startups 

Sorry founders - you can't please every investor. You're not sourdough. Let me explain... I hear lots of founders complaining about their business being (pick one from: B2B / wrong sector / too niche / insufficient traction / solo founder whatever) to attract funding. In the most majority of cases, that's just not true. Sure, there are some investors who only invest in B2B. Some only invest in optimal number of founders (2 or 3). Some only invest in green companies. Many VCs want £50k+ MRR etc. But there are LOTS of investors in the UK. I've never seen a decent stat, but easily 70,000+. And that excludes foreign investors. There absolutely will be investors who aren't put off by your precise scenario. You can't impress all investors and frankly you don't need to. You need to impress enough investors out of that 70k to invest in your current round, that's it. As long as: 1️⃣ Your raise is sane (valuation, raise amount & terms); 2️⃣ Your proposition and preparation is thorough and professional (pitch deck, forecast); 3️⃣ You and your co-founders can credibly pitch and aren't completely bonkers; and 4️⃣ Most importantly: you have tenacity and don't give up. Then you almost certainly will get funding. Anyway, rather proud of my rustic sourdough this morning, so here's a picture 🤤 #Founder #funding #business #investing #entrepreneur #startup #exit

Glasgow today - ScaleUp Britain Liverpool tomorrow - Fuel Liverpool Loving this focus on helping growing businesses to scale - unlocking the barriers to growth Teams now in place across all BDO locations in the UK, and across audit, tax and advisory. This plays right into our heartland of helping businesses succeed and a real chance to do something to make a difference! Today was so encouraging to see BGF London Stock Exchange, Innovate UK and British Business Bank all promoting their focus on scaling up and a real call to focus now on investing in scaleups (and not just startups) thereby supporting businesses actually able to change the dial for investment and growth in the UK. Looking forward to the Fuel Liverpool event tomorrow and speaking with NatWest and Growth Platform on Wednesday and Thursday respectively as they continue their focus in this area. Friday we’ll be launching internally in BDO UK LLP. Over the coming year we’ll be focusing on how we can help businesses access new markets, raise finance, build financial resilience and prepare for investment. We are also investing in new ScaleUp advisors to support businesses who from research by the ScaleUp Institute say that they want trusted advisers to work alongside them Looking forward to this focus and working with businesses across the UK who want to scale, invest, grow and transform. And looking forward to working with ecosystems and ScaleUp Institute to make a difference. #business #growth #scaleup #bdo #entrepreneur #finance

As we enter Q4, the UK startup ecosystem faces challenges that are definitely hindering early-stage fundraising. Here are five key factors influencing this landscape: ▶ Declining Trust in Government: With 79% of Britons dissatisfied with governance, investor hesitance is rising. ▶ Economic Instability: The cost-of-living crisis is straining consumer spending, impacting market demand for startups. ▶ Tightening Funding Environment: Investors are becoming more cautious, favoring proven teams over high-risk opportunities. ▶ Rapid Technological Changes: Investors are adopting a "wait-and-see" approach amid fast-paced tech evolution. ▶ Increased Operational Costs: Rising interest rates and supply chain issues are elevating costs for startups. Angel and Early Stage Investors focus on: ✅ Clear proposition that solves a problem that a lot of people have - demonstrates scalability ✅ Solid financials, appropriate burn rate, and a fast pace to cash break even and ✅ Teams with proven track records, and use external validation to build trust (including other Angels and business networks) Strategies for Startups: ✅ Refine Your Value Proposition: Clearly articulate market relevance and differentiation. ✅ Demonstrate Financial Prudence: Optimise cash flow and reduce burn rates. ✅ Build a Stellar Team: Highlight relevant experience and past successes. ✅ Leverage External Validation: Seek endorsements from the market, industry leaders and other Angels. ✅ Engage with Investors Regularly: Maintain open communication to build rapport. In these turbulent times, resilience and strategic foresight are crucial for securing funding. I have a track record of raising over $400 million for my projects, clients and own companies. I have a track record of helping early stage companies reach funding goals. Let’s connect to share insights and support each other through these challenges! Contact me bill@albecq.net or feel free to book a call https://lnkd.in/evaBXJis #StartupFunding #UKEconomy #AngelInvestors #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy

A key part of building a startup is pitching your business to investors to raise funds. Whenever you pitch a company, your forecasts must be realistic and believable. What potential investors dislike seeing most are hockey-stick projections where a loss-making business will suddenly rocket to profitability becoming the next REA Group or Rightmove. Below is an example of a real forecast I received recently from a company looking to raise a material amount of funds. The growth FY 24 - FY 25 is unbelievable and, in reality, makes it very hard to invest in the business. If you would like to know more about how to build a startup, including how best to pitch a business, join us at the 2024 PPW Europe Conference (www.ppweurope24.com) and in particular, join us at the Start-Up Day (the day before the conference).

Understanding LTV:CAC is essential for investors. Jamie Sullivan and Alex Immerman of Andreessen Horowitz explain how a higher LTV:CAC ratio means better margins, higher valuation, and more reinvestment potential. Improving LTV:CAC from 2x to 3x can nearly triple your company’s valuation. https://lnkd.in/dZBeTEtQ #LTVCAC #Investing #UnitEconomics #Valuation #StartupMetrics #BusinessGrowth #FinancialHealth #CustomerAcquisition #Profitability #GrowthOC #OCStartup #California Scott Fox 🦊

We're thrilled to announce that Beauhurst and ScaleUp Group are collaborating to help high-growth B2B SaaS businesses raise funding and achieve their growth goals. Check out the full announcement below, plus some thoughts from ScaleUp Founder John O'Connell. #B2B #SaaS #Growth #Startups