Commercial & Financial Awareness                  Courses for SME business

Our Courses can be delivered in any part of the UK.

The number of delegates per Course is kept modest   ....  typically between 6 and 12 people.  

Each Course is designed to cover a wide range of the crucial aspects of running an SME business with a finely balanced, succinct coverage to each subject to create a good overall awareness.

We do not use theoretical companies such as ABC Ltd manufacturing Widgets, all of our case studies are actual businesses from the wealth of SMEs we have assisted. The ones chosen are excellent and interesting examples of each topic. 

Our core 3-Day Course can equally be broken down into 2 or 3 separate Courses 

It is said that 'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery'.  Below we outline the 3 days Course but please be aware that due to some recent plagiarisation we are currently protecting aspects of the Courses legally. Therefore to learn about the Course(s) in greater depth please contact us.

3 Day Course       'Commercial & Financial Awareness for SMEs'                          

Day One

• A brief study of the causes and effects of the recent recession and current trends 

Sources of Finance

• Traditional Bank facilities.                                                                                                        

     What are the criteria for a better chance of a successful application?  

     Put yourself in the Bank Manager's position. A complete insight into Bank underwriting

     Banks stats and experience tells us that Banks have lost the will/ability to lend so it is imperative to have an awareness of the range of other sources of finance.   

An introduction to Alternative Sources of Commercial Finance  

• Invoice Finance Factoring & Invoice Discounting, Export Finance & its associated facilities  
• Trade Finance  
• Stock Finance
• Asset Finance  
• Property Finance
• Structured Finance
• Govt. Schemes
• Crowdfunding and more  

All of the above covered in a succinct manner with actual, memorable case studies

The main concerns for SMEs:  

• Cashflow and slow customer payments 
• Obtaining finance
• Lack of awareness of alternative finance
• Competition
• The economy
• Planning and managing growth
• Sources of information
• Assessing the trends of the business 
• Overtrading                                                                                                                                                              

 Day Two

• Creating a better understanding of Financial Accounts and an analysis of a set of Accounts for the non-Accountant                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
• The Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Account de-mystified and broken down to the essential aspects for a good understanding of a set of published accounts

• The crucial accounting ratios, interpretation of results and strategy decisions that derive from  the trends discovered                                                                                                                          
•  The importance of cashflows and budgets                                                                                                   
•  Return on capital, working capital management (debtors and creditors control)                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
•  Avoiding the pitfalls and planning for growth       

Topics covered with a detailed analysis of current and topical issues. Simple templates are used to reflect personal and business budgeting 

• General Financial Awareness  (Part One)                                                                                                                 
• Interest Rates, Inflation, Foreign Exchange Rates.. Bonds
• Fuel Prices   .. effects, awareness of trends 
• Dividends   .... rules, regulations and tax benefits

Day Three

• General Financial Awareness (Part Two)                                                                                                            
• Tricks of the Trade, Sources of Information and Competitors analysis​​                                            
• The basis for offering credit terms to new customers or higher credit to existing  customers
• Business Strategy.  Business Plan updates.                                                                                                           
• Objective introduction to Share Trading                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

•  INTENSIVE CASE STUDY                                                                                                  

 Based on an actual business.

This interesting case study tests very many aspects of the Course content.

It puts the SME delegates through a searching examination of their new awareness skills .... sales growth, working capital requirement, business efficiency, contingencies, business performance review, tough decision making, future planning, competitor assessment and more. It is a rewarding exercise with positive results.          

Delegates are placed to in Groups.

Life Coaching             

Good theory, practical case studies with massive experience to help our clients. 

The Coach's own issues and illness are pertinent. As a Coacher he has really been in the wars and back again.

'He knows exactly to say and his advice was right'.   

Roger is a superb Life Coacher, Advisor with an inimitable manner. A  Testimonial is on the left in yellow.       

Look at the button at the top for Life Coaching in the 'About us and Our Courses'