Marlin Corporate Finance celebrates 10th anniversary by expanding team
GROWTH
WORDS : SARAH DALE PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH
GROWING FAST
Expertise – From left , Marlin Corporate Finance non-executive director Gary Lumby MBE , appointed representative Judith Lancaster , managing director Paul Griffiths and office manager Shauny Robinson .
Marlin Corporate Finance celebrates 10th anniversary by expanding team
Managing director Paul Griffiths and non-executive director Gary Lumby MBE talk to Sarah Dale about their new team and how building strong professional relationships with clients has supported their growth .
The economic squeeze has led to more clients seeking the professional advice and expertise of Marlin Corporate Finance than ever before .
Established 10 years ago in managing director Paul Griffiths ’ box room , the company continued to grow each year and has seen “ more success in the past six months than the previous nine-and-ahalf years combined ”.
Based at Preston Farm Industrial Estate , Stockton , the firm provides face-to-face advice to SMEs and services include business funding , property funding , business consultancy and financial management .
Non-executive director Gary Lumby MBE has worked with Marlin for five years .
“ Marlin has been around for 10 years and it ’ s fair to say that we have seen our share of peaks and troughs with our clients ,” says Gary .
“ With the current climate and cost-ofliving crisis , more businesses are seeking assistance from us to get funding . That ’ s caused us to become busier and focused our efforts on expanding our team .”
The company has recruited its first authorised representative , Judith Lancaster , an experienced ex-banker with her own finance brokerage business . She will be working across Cumbria , south Scotland and Northumberland based on a hybrid basis at Marlin ’ s new second office in Carlisle .
“ She is very highly rated and a great addition to the team ,” says Gary .
Paul says : “ We ’ re looking at working with experienced professionals in the south of England too . Any professionals out there looking for a change , we would be very interested in hearing from them on both an employed basis or as an authorised rep .”
Now a team of five , the firm has also recently recruited an administrator as an investment in their back-office capabilities to help case progression .
“ Our workloads have increased and we had to bring in some admin support to support our office manager , David Griffiths ,” explains Gary .
“ Lenders are wanting more and more financial information , forecasts and business plans , and some businesses don ’ t have the capacity or expertise to do these quickly and effectively , so they are coming to us to help them .
“ Certainly , in the current climate a lot of businesses are feeling under pressure . They want to make sure they are accepted first time around at the right price and right conditions .”
The firm is bridging the gap in the market that the decline in the traditional bank manager has left .
“ Marlin goes one step further than any of our competitors ,” says Gary .
“ We work with them after the funding has been supplied as a financial advisor to ensure the funds are put to good use and the business grows because of it . It ’ s a long-term relationship .”
Paul adds : “ It ’ s a really good add-on service that clients are finding particularly helpful .”
The team is looking to double in size within the next year , but like many firms across the region and the UK , recruitment remains a challenge .
“ We are a great business to join ,” says Gary . “ Good culture , flexibility , hybrid working , interesting clients , career progression .
“ Hybrid working is something we very much embrace . It ’ s the way forward . It ’ s a challenge to recruit good people and retain them . The more flexible you are , the easier it is to retain talent .”
The directors add that the greatest challenges facing businesses are rising interest rates and costs ( wages and raw materials ), recruitment , finding new revenue and growing the business .
“ That ’ s why our after-sales service to help businesses grow by investing in technology , people and fixed assets is so important ,” adds Gary .
“ We ’ re feeling confident that , perversely , demand for our services is growing – the economic squeeze is benefiting our business as more people come to us for help . We will continue to grow when we find the right people .”
If you ’ re interested in working with Marlin Corporate Finance , get in touch via email to enquiries @ marlincf . co . uk
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