ask themselves what they truly want to achieve rather than just what they know is available out there. “They should see the assets they currently have as a vehicle for raising capital and helping fund ventures. Could a new piece of equipment help win new business or grow current offerings to existing customers?” When it comes to business growth, Philbrick highlights the many options and considerations out there for companies including options they may not have considered, such as seasonal payments. “We would recommend businesses contact us to see if there is a way we can help make the financing of their purchase more suited to their business's needs,” says Philbrick, who adds: “Every agreement is structured slightly differently and tailored to the requirements of every customer. “Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, we will continue to support firms through the cycle. While this may not sound exciting, it does provide reassurance to business owners that funding will still be available, and they will have access to a team of experts that speak their language and understand their business.” As evident in Philbrick, Lipman, and Nelson’s comments, having early conversations with organisations and individuals who understand your business needs is incredibly important for any financial decision. Although finance and funding may seem daunting, especially in today’s climate, with the right advice, insight, and timing, the positives could potentially far outweigh the negatives. ies through his own history in the print industry: “I worked within the printing and publishing sector for over 30 years. I ran my own group of companies that employed over 52 staff and generated a turnover of over £7m. I have considerable experience in finding the right positive solutions for refinancing and have a vast array of print financial contacts who understand and specialise in print to get the best rates and solutions.” When it comes to investing in staff or equipment, Lipman emphasises the importance of realistic budgets. “The increase in capacity of staffing levels must rest on budgets and realistic forecasts to make sure that each new member brings a benefit and fits within each department’s requirements for future growth. Taking on new staff and equipment must rely on growth strategies with fixed timelines to be able to monitor the impact on both production capacity and costs. All must be accurate.” Adding to his emphasis on growth, Lipman says that growth areas are incredibly important to monitor but to also be weary of growing too rapidly, over trading, and investing in staff and machinery for the short-term as opposed to the long-term. Lipman concludes: “Make sure the financials support any change in the business and ensure working capital and cashflow forecasts match growth trends.” Avoiding Mistakes As mentioned by Lipman, a mistake often made by businesses is to not seek advice early enough. This sentiment is agreed by Close Brother Asset Finance, a company that has been providing funding to the UK’s print and packaging sector for over 30 years. Paul Philbrick, managing director of Close Brothers’ print team, says that speaking with experts allows business owners to receive personal and specialist services so that funding providers can base decisions on the overall health and plans for a business. Speaking about what Close Brothers provides, Philbrick says: “The human component is core to our business – every stage in the lending decision-making process involves a member of our team.” Discussing what businesses should consider when using financial services, Philbrick adds: “It’s important borrowers ► Paul Philbrick, managing director of Close Brothers’ print team The human component is core to our business – every stage in the lending decision-making process involves a member of our team ▼ Graeme Lipman, director at BTG Advisory, a boutique practice advice under the Begbies Traynor Group FINANCE AND FUNDING 43 Issue 258 - April / May 2025 email: editor@signlink.co.uk
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