Our Berkshire-based client who own two French Bistros/Delis approached us late last year as they were facing significant cash pressures. They were in genuine distress over whether they would make payroll at the end of Jan resulting in closure of their business.

Having taken several expensive trade loans in the past 18 months to cover expansion costs and teething issues on the second site, potential defaults on these also added to their woes.

We provided strategic advisory support, consulting them through this critical period whilst we looked for new equity to come in. As we all know, most equity providers being asked to come in so urgently would seek control, and this husband & wife team were reluctant to go down this route.

Obvious issues were addressed including prices increases, better supplier management, agreeing terms with their landlords through H1 2025 and so on.

Hats off to them and their tenacity, they have now traded through the lean period in the year and are back making profits month on month. Once this season is through much of the debt will be repaid, and that will result in better cash flow come next winter.

Our client retains full ownership and now has a strategy in place to ensure long-term profitability. We wish them all the best.

Our client is a film and television post-production business that provides award winning services & state of the art facilities in the heart of London. They work with the likes of Netflix, Sky, & the BBC on some of the top series known to us all.

Unfortunately, the years of Covid coupled with US Actors’ strike, meant that too many long-standing projects were put on hold. Heavy losses led to poor cashflow and ultimately a need to call in advisors and undertake a formal process.

As management started to go through what became a pre-pack administration, they were referred to us by an insolvency practitioner with whom we’ve worked for over 20 years. Our role being to secure the working capital for the new company.

Roll forwards a couple of weeks, and literally as the term sheets were being handed out, our client called to say they had agreed terms to merge with another post-production business who was facing the same issues for the same reasons!

Net result is that the new topco is working really well, the vast majority of the jobs were saved and the business can thrive again. The company is now well financed both through investment and working capital facilities.

2025 revenues are expected to be £16M+, once the merged businesses & market have settled down.

Our associate Sean comments: “We were really pleased to work on this one. The turnaround market is well known to us, we react quickly, we have long standing relationships with many key players and our investor network like these situations. We wish our client all the best for the future.”

Our long-standing client is a leading navigation and mapping company which provides real-time tracking of vehicle traffic and incidents to drivers.

One of their larger clients, a corporate giant in Asia, had become very slow in settling invoices with our client. It’s a long-standing relationship that is not under threat but has been causing our client cash problems.

So, our client came to us seeking cash quickly. This transaction would not have been suitable to a bank or single invoice lender. The solution needed to be a private investor comfortable in delivering a low six figure-based sum in short order. We know investors within our network who are open to private loans where the terms are attractive, and some security can be offered – in this case a charge on shares. We reached out to one investor we know well, less than 3 weeks later funds were in the account of our client.

Our Client comments:“ Thanks so much to BYC, you really helped us in this difficult period.” 

Our Colleague John comments: “I regularly keep in touch with all my older clients as you never when they may need us. Not many firms like us can lay their hands on a private investor who would offer a six-figure private loan with little security at short notice.” 

Our client has been a multi-franchise motorbike dealer that operated for over 40 years. One of the most respected and largest new bike dealers in the South East, recent years have been tough for sellers of new motorbikes right across the UK.

The founder and still 100% shareholder was introduced to us seeking urgent funding, being somewhere between financially stressed and distressed. Whilst the business was underpinned with good assets including freehold property, trading had been tough for years with losses racking up.

We reached out to a selective shortlist of investors within our investor network who we knew would meet the criteria for this opportunity. Seven investment parties came forward looking to learn more and meet our client. Meetings progressed rapidly, and as often happens one party stood out head & shoulders above the rest.

Heads of Terms were quickly agreed, followed by lengthy legals as all parties worked through the minutiae of a complex acquisition. From start to finish the project concluded within 4 months of take-on. We’d like to extend our thanks to all parties who stuck to their tasks and saw this one over the line.

At conclusion, our client has come away with financial security, free of PG’s on numerous short term loans and has a long term tenant in one of his properties.

Nick Young comments… “We’re delighted to announce this completion, partly for our client as noted above but also for the benefit of bikers across this part of the South East – I say this as one myself!”

Our client, previously a 40-year-old business, is a leading supplier of software & hardware services into our GP practices. They provide all the check in, and call systems for patients as they come into their GP practice. There is also additional integration with GP patient records via a mobile app which offers huge potential in the years ahead.

We were approached specifically to bring investors to the table who could fund Newco, following a pre-pack of the historic business. Not surprisingly there was an urgency to the job at hand.

The business had suffered over the past few years, and the story was similar to many we’ve seen through 2024.

• Covid stopped the business in its tracks
• Too much debt was taken on to stay in business
• HMRC arrears were built up and repaying these and driving profit & growth was not sustainable

Having met the management & some of the shareholders, we were confident that the project would attract significant interest, and this proved to be the case.

We introduced eight different investment parties to our client within a fortnight of taking on the mandate. Two of these were trade players – software service providers in the healthcare sector, the others a mix of private investors and PE funds.

It became clear that two investors would be the best solution, one trade, one with corporate and a PE background. We were delighted to work with all parties towards a swift conclusion, with both investors joining the board.

Between them they have 40% of the new entity. Proving once again, that going through a formal process and needing new external funding does not always result in surrendering control of the business.

Our client comments…“Thanks Nick for all your help and support throughout this process. We were delighted with the quality of investors you introduced, and of course pleased to agree terms and conclude the investment so quickly. I have no hesitation in recommending your firm to others who are seeking experienced investors into their organisations.”

Nick Young comments…“This was a particularly enjoyable project to work on. Management were always responsive and professional in their dealings with investors we introduced. Terms were quickly negotiated and from start to finish the whole investment process took just six weeks and that included all of August!”

Our South-East based client is a manufacturer and supplier of point of sale (POS) & cash management solutions, serving a wide range of industries for over 45 years.  

In October last year, we were approached by the management to help fund their proposed MBO. They were under US ownership, and the US parent had decided to shut down UK and Europe Operations.

This would have meant the end of the business in the UK, which had stood on its current site for so long, including the end of 130 local jobs. Based in an area where industry has been steadily moving away from rather being attracted towards, closure would have dealt a serious blow within the community.

The project had numerous positive factors that we knew would attract investors and we were pleased to take this on. We got to work quickly on understanding the key factors, particularly relating to the terms that would work for management. The management team were always realistic on what was achievable and happy to accept advice. Delivering the right investor profile was as important as the terms of the deal.

We reached out to selected PE funds and private investors within our network and had an unsurprisingly large response rate. Three investors quickly met with our client; as often happens one stood out head and shoulders over the others.  Their team were local, understood the issues, could roll their sleeves up and offered terms that worked for all parties. The Buy-out was completed in June of 2024. 90 jobs were saved. The new business allows both continuity of the site and a new freedom to go into the market and seek clients in different markets.

Our client comments… “Many thanks to BYC for finding the perfect investor for us. We are so pleased complete the MBO. We are now part owners in a business that we are passionate about. We have new business streams coming to us and believe the future looks bright for all concerned. We are very grateful for your support and will happily recommend you and your company to others looking for capital.”

Nick Young comments…“We’re delighted to announce this completion, well done to the team – we wish everyone the best for the future.”