As a specialist family business adviser, I work with you as a family, as individuals and as a business to explore the challenges you are facing and the options available to you to resolve them.
Our focus will be on what you as a family want to achieve with the business as a family and individuals and how best to do that.
Succession planning is a process and not an event and is something that needs to be approached with care.
We will work together to ensure that all voices are heard and a positive plan is put in place to ensure continuity.
This can be a way to formalise some of the way your family interacts with the business.
We can work together to see what governance may be able to do for your business.
If you are struggling with communication within your family business I can help.
You can’t read the label of the jar you are in and so I can often provide new and insightful insights to assist.
You work with lawyers to tackle legal issues, accountants for finance matters so who do you turn to for help in navigating the complexities of combing a business with family dynamics?
I provide specialist family business advice to help with the family dynamics at play in your family business.
You may feel as though you are the only family facing the challenges that you are facing but whilst your family is unique, the challenges that you are facing are not.
The first step to us working together is for you to get in touch, you can do so via email, phone (+44 (0)7939 244160) or by booking a Zoom call with me here. In this call we will discuss what challenges you are facing and how I may be able to help.
If I can help we can then agree the framework, process and the cost for the project and arrange the logistics. Given the current situation with COVID-19 when face to face meetings are not always possible I am able to use Zoom or Teams and whilst not perfect, it is still a way for us to meet ‘face to face’.
I have put together a guide to help explain how we would work together and answer any questions you may have. You can also share this with other family members to introduce the idea of working with an external specialist.
If you have not worked with a Family Business Adviser in the past you may be wondering what the process looks like, how much time it may take and how much work it is.
This is a common concern so I have outlined an overview of the process here to try and answer some of your queries or concerns.
Stage 1: This is a discovery exercise, I speak with each of the key people involved, agreed with you in advance, and I find out what you are trying to achieve as a family and as individuals.
I use this stage of the process to gain an overview of the dynamics present within the family and business and how these may be impacting what you are trying to achieve. I gain an understanding of the family, ownership and management ‘systems’ within the business and where and how decisions are made. Importantly I get to know you, the family and the business and you get to know me.
Stage 2: During this stage I provide objective feedback on the results of the discovery phase, we discuss the findings and highlight areas for focus. We then agree priorities and next steps.
Stage 3: During this stage we work together on a regular basis, typically on a fixed number of days per month (as needed) to complete the projects agreed in Stage 2. I provide expertise, structure, support and guidance along the way and help you to maintain the momentum needed to achieve a successful outcome.
Stage 4: Once we have completed the above, you may wish to continue to have access to me on a regular basis. I can remain a source for trusted advice on matters affecting your business and family, as well as bringing new knowledge and fresh thinking from my other work and research activities.
I work with business owning families.
More specifically, I work with what is known as the family ‘system’. This typically includes everyone in the business owning family who has an influence over what happens with the business. This is not necessarily limited to those that own or work within the business as it can include spouses of those that do. Depending on the structure of the business this may sometimes include non-family members within the business.
I have added a section a little lower on this page covering my fees. I will always explain and agree a fee prior to commencing work with you.
The work that we do together requires commitment from everyone involved in the process. This requires trust in both directions and in my experience it is easier to build trust face to face. Whilst we may not be able to meet face to face, in person, at the moment, we are able to meet face to face using technology. This is not perfect but it is better than not meeting at all. If circumstances allow we will be able to meet in person, if not we can use technology.
No. Business consultants tend to focus on purely the management element of business. My work is focussed on the family dynamics influencing that.
I help you to navigate the complexities that come from being in business with your family.
There are taboo subjects and difficult conversations that once held can unlock the full potential of you as a business owning family.
My work will obviously factor in, and often positively impacts the business but my primary focus is on you as a business owning family.
Gaining clarity as a family helps you to make better decisions with the business.
No, and you wouldn’t want me to! I do however, work alongside your other professional advisers to ensure that there is coherency in our advice. Very often my work with you will make it easier for your other professional advisers to do what they are paid to do as you have a greater sense of clarity.
Probably, yes. Whilst your family is unique, with a mix of different personalities, the process that I follow coupled with many years of experience working with families means that I can deal with most things!
You’re probably wondering how much it would cost for us to work together. Each family’s situation is different and so it is difficult to be specific here as what my fee would be. However, I am keen to be as transparent as I can be about my pricing and will always agree a fee with you prior to commencing work.
Some of the factors that influence my fee are:
I know this isn’t ideal, but I would be very happy to discuss in more detail. Us working together is an investment on your behalf and you need to feel confident that this represents good value for you.
As an indication the typical minimum fee investment from you would be £6,250, covering stages 1 & 2. Ongoing project work (stages 3 and 4) is paid for via a retainer, typically a minimum of £2,500 per month. Our work together will require change and it is not always easy but if you are committed to and engaged with the process you will gain far more from it than if you are not.
