When planning is life - Chris Carter

​I’m a man that doesn’t ‘do things by half’ and I take that approach into every aspect in my life! In my view, there is no point doing something if you’re not giving that something 100%. 

Having started with Liquidity Club back in November, followed by the usual bedlam of Christmas and more recently, signing up to run the Manchester Marathon in April, I sit here wondering how I come remotely close to functioning in my day-to-day life!

Caffeine is certainly a contributing factor, but the real answer is planning and as I sit in my new office writing this, I reflect on how SME’s plan for their business at the start of a new year. Is their goal growth and expansion? Consolidation? Exit? Refinance? All these actions will likely require some form of guidance and funding – both of which are our bread and butter at Liquidity Club. So here are a few points that I work by to help businesses achieve their goals.

Preparation 
We've all heard the phrase “Abs are made in the kitchen”. Starting a new role and fitting in a training plan has been intense, especially trying to reconnect with all my contacts across the North West region. Planning my diary to maximise efficiency is a crucial part of success. The same approach can be taken with your finances. Planning for peaks and troughs in cashflows and seeking help early can avoid larger issues down the line.

Time management 
‘Don’t be a busy fool’ - organising your diary and determining where you need to be is a full-time job in itself!  Throw travel and rush hour traffic into the mix, and your days can quickly become shorter and less efficient. If you are looking at fundraising for your business, is meeting multiple lenders to compare really the best use of your time? Why not focus on running the business instead and leave an expert partner to manage this, maximising the time available to you?

Review the plan 
Many businesses set out their annual financial objectives once - at the start of the calendar year or start of their financial year. Even plans made with the best intentions should adapt as time moves on, and the end objectives change. It is good practice to take stock of how your business is performing towards your target and does anything have to be changed to achieve this? Don’t be afraid to amend this where needed. Missing an occasional training run will not be the end of the world – life does get in the way!

We at Liquidity Club have the market expertise to advise the SME market for their funding needs and business goals. With access to the full financial spectrum we are fully prepared to help and would welcome the opportunity to support your SME contacts where possible.