FEATURE
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Tees Valley business support consultancy is making a real difference in the region after just three months of operation .
Nudl is the brainchild of Shak Asghar , whose aim is to put the fun into funding by helping businesses cut through red tape to access the cash they need to grow .
Since officially launching in March , Nudl has helped local and national companies take advantage of around £ 3.9m worth of grant funding on projects worth a total of £ 8.4m , creating around 525 jobs in the Tees Valley and across the UK in the process .
However , as Shak – also a renowned DJ - explains : “ While it ’ s always great to help create jobs , not everything we do is related to this .
“ For example , some of our activity is supporting SMEs to access finance for new products or service development , accessing new markets or increasing productivity through efficiency measures .
“ We do that through other support mechanisms and our specialised consultancy services . As we have vast development experience , some of our work is in the area of new commercial and public realm projects .”
With a 20-year history of supporting businesses , Shak , along with the rest of the nine-strong Nudl team , loves to help fellow entrepreneurs succeed and grow – no matter their industry .
“ Since launching , we ’ ve worked with SMEs across a massive range of fields ,” he explains . “ From manufacturing to marketing , Covid-cleaning to construction , it ’ s been a real mixed bag , which is great to be part of .
“ We ’ ve helped firms successfully access funding for some amazing projects , including an ultrasound machine , portable accommodation and even a nine-tonne dumper truck .
“ It just goes to show that the funding is out there for whatever a company may need , it ’ s just a matter of knowing where to look – and how to apply .”
Shak prides himself on simplifying the world of funding , cutting through the jargon to save businesses valuable time – and word appears to be spreading . “ At first , we were winning work through our existing networks and the contacts we leveraged while developing our brand and marketing strategy ,” he says .
“ Since then , it has been a mix of word of mouth through our customers and suppliers , as well as the impact of our comprehensive marketing strategy , which covers both traditional advertising and digital strategy .
“ What we seem to be hearing is that people like our fresh approach and proposition , as well as the fact we have an offering that nobody else has .
“ We ’ re constantly developing to ensure we stay at the leading edge as we ramp up our growth plans .
“ We have even had suppliers from around the country coming to us after seeing our marketing , forming partnerships to assist their own customers with services we offer on their patch .”
With an experienced team at the helm , the Nudls know exactly where to look when it comes to sourcing funding , no matter the size of the project it is required for .
While some clients need " only " a few thousand pounds , much larger sums are available – for the right business .
Large capital grants are available for typically larger sums , for example , £ 50,000 of grant money upwards and can be used for significant expenditure projects . However , they will often carry with them a more complex application process .
These large capital grant schemes usually provide grant support for capital investment projects that will create new , sustainable jobs within a specific geographic region , with a higher emphasis typically placed on SMEs .
Shak says : “ In the main , the big difference with large capital grant schemes is the amounts that can be secured to help get an investment or project over the line in order to grow a business .
“ Naturally , it can be expected that with such significant amounts of money and support , there will be a significant increase in the level of detail required in an application .
“ The process varies from place to place , but generally there is a multistage approach at which applications are assessed and taken forward .
“ Some areas are then subjected to a panel-based approach where a group will decide upon the outcome of the application , followed by a due diligence stage .
“ Following a successful award , there is then post-project activity such as claims audit requirements and post-project
Using his Nudl - Shak Asghar has helped businesses receive nearly £ 4m of grant funding since March .
monitoring – all of which Nudl can advise and assist with .”
A lot has happened in just three months , so what has Shak learned – and what are his plans for the next three ?
“ I ’ ve learned that so many people don ’ t know about business support and , if they do , they may feel uncomfortable approaching accountants or local authorities themselves .
“ So , while the fresh , friendly approach we adopted was a bit scary to launch initially , it has been received well and we have now proven it can be built upon .
“ People see that although we like to have fun with it , we really know what we ’ re talking about , and they can see that the fact we have a portfolio of successful ventures means we also know how to walk the walk , too !
“ We ’ ve just taken on a growth consultant and are currently recruiting for a relationship manager , while geographically we have already expanded to cover from Yorkshire to the Scottish border .
“ We also have two other office locations , in Newcastle and Hull , ready to be fully utilised as we recruit , and we plan to be in 10 regions by the end of our first year – it ’ s all looking good .”
While Nudl is so far succeeding in its aim to put the fun into funding , what advice would Shak give to businesses that are still unsure ?
He said : “ Firstly , seek out as much information and advice as possible and try to select a provider with a great track record and history in business .
“ Make sure you pick someone you feel comfortable working with and don ’ t be scared to be completely open , as there is no such thing as a silly question .
“ But my most important piece of advice is to try to relax and have fun with it – so use your Nudl and get in touch with us !”
For more information , email info @ nudl . co . uk , call 01642 133183 or visit nudl . co . uk .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 71