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The Success
Many business consultants and coaches have education and qualification but little hands on business experience. Classroom learning will never match experiencing the sleepless nights, the "always on", the moving money around to pay a bill and how it feels to make those tough decisions.
Continue Arcades LTD
Leisure and Entertainment
Opening a bricks and mortar location in Plymouth City Centre came with considerale challenges and a lot of unknowns. Negotiating a lease, handling a change of use, licensing, fire regulations, building regs and so on. To turn a mattress store and old jewellers into a Retro Gaming Lounge that welcomes thousands of guests a week is no easy task. A busy, much loved City Centre Attraction now stands proud.
*Our Plymouth location takes over 750k, including VAT, with a profit margin of over 20%.
*With 8 staff and hundreds of amazing Google reviews.
Plymouth Discount Golf LTD
Retail and Used Goods
A business set up in a few months on a shoestring budget, Is there a demand and is there an opportunity? If the answer is yes then you have something. Golf is booming but expensive, demand and opportunity. The store has been one of the biggest talking points in the golf community this year (no need to advertise) and has far exceeded any sales budgets set before opening day. Fun, simple and easy.
*Total investment of around 20k (Mostly stock which holds its value so very low risk) 30% higher sales than budgeted.
*Cash flow positive from the start and an ROI of around 6 months, only 3 months if Cost of Sale removed.
River Wild Kayaking LLC
Tourism and Recreation
What a business! Sometimes we can do what we love and be so good at it others will pay to join in the experience. River Wild Kayaking provides 2 Hour Eco Tours in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Charging $50 per person, providing a little education and wildlife spotting.
We leased a disused parking lot, purchased some kayaks, buillt a website and away we went. Due to the Move back to the UK the company was sold.
*Side hustle turned into full time income, and then some. Up and running with ease, profits paid for Continue Arcades LTD
*Incredible reviews, sold out tours and a bit of a money spinner during the tourism season,
Natures Classroom Institute
Education and Business to Business
As Director of National Business Development Austin was focused on growth. NCI offered school field trips in Wisconsin and Texas when Austin joined the team. By 2024 Florida, California and Maryland were added. But also each location grew every year, more and more schools in attendance. NCI is a non profit in the US, and also Austin still works for them on a volenteer bases he felt that his work on growth was done.
*Started the Florida and Maryland programs from nothing, adding thousands of new students every year.
*While Austin was in charge of growth revenues increased subbstantially year on year.
Start Ups
Starting from the ground up is hard work, no one knows what it's like until it's experienced, we get it, we've done it.
Growth
Growing a busines is as hard as starting one, it is a never ending battle to keep on top of what you have while adding more, we know.
Councils
Working with the local authority is harder than it should be, it can be slow, costly and it is easy to get things wrong, we've done it.
Regulations
Fire, food, drink, disability access, toilets, building regs and the list goes on. We have set up physical locations and can help you.
Ideas
Sometimes all you need is to talk through an idea with someone who has experience, not just a friend or family member.
Cutting Costs
An essential part of business can be reducing costs without impacting your top line sales, while challenging we can help you do it.
Branding
Some of our own company stengths are the brand and concept. Sometimes thats half the battle, it takes time to get right.
Paperwork
Business plans, company policies, risk assessements, cash flow charts, P&Ls. We have been there and done it and can help with yours.