An affordable staged fee based, tax allowable business consultancy service for sole owners, small to medium sized businesses and national subsidiaries of international corporations.
As you will appreciate I receive many emails and letters asking for advice and a CONSIDERED professional opinion on all kinds of business projects and ideas.
These are not just related to events and associated marketing but all areas of financial services, international cross border relationships and product development. Some amazing successes and others that go into the box marked “deep black hole”.
All this has however provided me with a lifetimes worth of high level and influential contacts and fostered many fruitful business and social relationships. Now is the right time for me to pass on my professional knowledge and I am happy to do so!
For simple uncomplicated requests, I’ll provide a few lines of guidance and you can write to me any time at julianbray@aol.com and if appropriate I will be happy to help, this is totally free of charge. EVERYONE HAS TO START SOMEWHERE!
However, if you would like me to review your business idea or Business Plan in greater detail or if you would like me to get more closely involved in your business, I offer the following, more detailed fee-based consultancy services:
FIRST STEPS BUSINESS REVIEW
In this review I will look at your Business Plan (if you have one), product/service ideas or prototype and your financial forecasts (if available). I’ll give you my considered opinion on your business, my view on your prospects of success and practical guidance on the next steps I believe you should be taking to progress your business idea if appropriate.
I am happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement if you wish me to, but would assure you that all correspondence ad e-mail exchanges I receive are always handled with absolute confidentiality.
The cost of the ‘first steps service’ is £495 (US $ 1,000) including VAT, which includes a detailed report (normally c10 A4 pages) reviewing all the key areas - including marketability, brand, packaging / presentation, the business model, patents / intellectual property, finance and business strategy.
Please note that I undertake these reviews personally, they are not delegated although in certain areas I will call on specialist input, for my own professional satisfaction, and not as an extra charge or expense to you.
If you would like me to conduct a Business Review for you then please send me the following information, by post to Julian Bray, Media House, 17 Kedleston, Heritage Park, Cambridgeshire, PE2 8XL UK with a cheque or money order for £495 (US $1,000) (Detailed secure payment details/BACS on application)
As much of the following (ideally to be on a CD-ROM in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats, under no circumstances send or part with original documents):
An overview of your business idea, together with your detailed Business Plan (if you have one).
Please also state or clarify your [achievable!] ambitions for the business and what you are aiming to accomplish in the coming 3 - 5 years.
Any financial forecasts you may have prepared - ideally a Profit & Loss forecast showing the predicted monthly sales and expenditure for at least the next 12 months.
A sample/prototype of the product - if this is easy to send via secure courier dhl/fedex or we can arrange collection direct from your premises. Alternatively pictures / sketches / diagrams, or a detailed service description including proposed pricing and cost of sales.
Your contact details.
Upon receipt of your materials and subsequent payment clearance, I will then contact you for any further information and a list of questions; usually my detailed report and recommendations are with you within 14 working days.
IMPORTANT: To maintain confidentiality all reports and materials remain my copyright but you are issued with a licence by way of the fee payment to abstract, use and act upon the data contained therein for the benefit of the named business or product. Simply if I start a train of events specifically designed to benefit your business and say a departing employee acquires and uses the copyright information contained in that report, to say, start up or develop his/her rival business, they are legally prevented from doing so, by virtue of not holding a valid licence.
FULL CONSULTANCY/PROJECT SUPPORT & MENTORING
I undertake full consultancy projects ONLY where I believe that a business/product has a more than reasonable prospect of success or with further remedial work, a viable future. I will normally explain this or give a reason for not taking it to the next level.
Full consultancy will also be offered; where I believe that I am able to add value to your business and that the incumbent management or owners are fully receptive to new ideas and thinking.
Experience shows that a 3 month intensive involvement is the most effective route where I will help you develop your business plan and in particular your brand/marketing strategy.
This will usually result in a detailed Plan and financial forecasts for implementation. I will also assist in helping you raise appropriate finance for your business if necessary - together with introductions and appropriate endorsements. Full Consultancy Project includes ongoing mentoring by phone/email for a year thereafter.
I charge a basic £5,000 + VAT for a full consultancy project where the payments are staged as follows:
Initial (non refundable) payment of £850 for the Business Review (as outlined above) to enable me to assess your business and my view on its prospects of success. If, after the Business Review, if I feel I am unable to help you further, I will detail the reasons why and give you my recommendations for business support which is more appropriate to your situation. Should there be a meeting of minds and we continue the business relationship:
Payment upon acceptance of consultancy assignment - £2,150 + VAT
Balance upon completion of consultancy assignment and before delivery of Business/Marketing Plan/Strategy - £2,000 + VAT
To request my involvement in your business on a Full Consultancy Project please follow the steps as indicated in the Active Business Review above.
BUSINESS MENTORING
Please see the separate section of http://www.eventandroadshowplanners.com/ for details of corporate mentoring services
Julianbray@aol.com
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