Katie Keates, Launchpad Advisor

Have you just started your business or looking to grow? You may be considering launching a new brand/product or service with your sights set on ambitious growth but not sure of the how on earth you are going to do it? Or have you just registered your business and need help on the way forward?  Are you struggling to navigate all things financial?

Meet Katie, part of our business support team looking after young start-ups, SMEs and everything in between.

Katie has a wealth of experience at her fingertips- she’s great at helping businesses to understand their business financials (whether for current trading or for growth projections) and she can help you create a cash flow forecast from scratch (if you haven’t already done one) so that you can address the areas needing action and plan for a viable and sustainable future. She’s quick to spot opportunities where she can highlight the support on offer and she’s well connected with other specialists across our team if she feels you need some more specific knowledge.

Coming from a financial background, she likes to start with the basics looking at (or creating) cash flow projections and will spend time with you helping you to focus and forecast for your business success.  She also has a sound understanding of funding and lending requirements, having assisted and processed lots of successful credit applications with various lenders on behalf of business customers. First and foremost, Katie’s great at putting you at ease and giving you the confidence to raise any business development areas or concerns.

So where does all of this start up knowledge come from? Well Katie’s career includes working as a Business Banking Relationship Manager for several high street banks, being a Money Adviser for the Money Advice Service and a Business Adviser for the Start Up Loans company. She has worked with hundreds of businesses in her career, covering a wide variety of industries in the Start Up and SME sectors.