We are always professional, and always personal.
We partner with our clients to find the optimal solution, whatever outcome you might be seeking. We have all the tools in our armoury to suggest options you may not have considered, or perhaps not known to be an option at all.
We are not matchmakers or brokers, but lead advisers who will design and drive the process from start to finish. We will navigate you through the twists and turns of a deal, tailoring our input and advice at every stage, to achieve your goal.
Looking to sell your pride and joy?
Whether a partial or full exit, to retire or to start your next adventure; whether you are a seasoned executive, or a founder who has spent a lifetime building your business, an exit transaction is the culmination of journey that has undoubtedly absorbed a huge amount of your energy, and probably involved blood, sweat, and tears along the way.
Raising funds to fuel your ambitions
Every growing business needs money! But why? What for? Where from? If the high street bank’s computer says ‘yes’ then you may not need our assistance. But what if that computer says no? There are a myriad of funding options to look at, across both the debt and equity markets, but they can be difficult markets to navigate if you don’t know what you are looking for.
On the lookout for new business acquisitions?
Whether a first-time buyer/investor, or a seasoned buy-and-build professional, finding the right business to buy is exciting, and time consuming. We know how to find, value, structure, and negotiate the right acquisition for you and your business.
Changing the Guard?
Are you an owner looking to step away from your business, or a manager seeking to take a more direct involvement? The retirement or exit of a founder/shareholder does not always necessitate a sale to a trade buyer – the answer could in fact be much closer to home.
Share and share alike
Employee Ownership Trusts (“EOT”)– although a relatively recent concept in legal terms, employee ownership has been a cornerstone of many British businesses for a long time.
We’re with you all the way
Life is not all about transactions – even for us! Sometimes, it’s a question of having an end goal in sight, but knowing you are not quite ready for it yet – or perhaps you don’t know how to get there. Again, we can help, either directly or through our trusted network of connections. Here are some of the typical areas we have helped clients in the past:
Preparation and positioning
Understanding your goals, and making sure you have the right structure in place to pursue them; helping devise or refine your business plan to get you there;
Integration
Post sale, post-acquisition, or following a fundraise – settling into a new routine can be difficult. We can help make the transition period a little smoother and swifter, allowing you to concentrate on the business itself;
Restructuring
We can help identify and help tidy the group structure so that it is presented in its best light;
Market research
To better understand your market, positioning and M&A activity in the sector;
Options overview
You know you need to do something, but you’re not quite sure what that might be… We can help explore all available avenues, and the pros and cons of each;
Roadmap
We can assist in building a strategic route map (1-5 years) for the business, based on long term objectives and help you refine and challenge that plan along the way.
Stay connected
Having spent years building up our various networks, the Castle database of contacts totals over 1,200 connections in the UK alone, including numerous private equity houses and major UK banks, other corporate financiers, accountancy firms, lawyers, and high net worth individuals.
We love to be able to leverage our connections for your benefit. Even if you are not anticipating a transaction any time soon, but need other assistance, we will be able to point you in the right direction. We call this added value “Castle Connections”.
Rest assured: we will only introduce you to someone that we would trust with our own business.
