Andy McCready has big plans for Car Leasing Solutions and needed specialist guidance on how to get his business in the best shape to attract the funding to accelerate away.

That came in the form of Fit4Funding, a service that dovetails with the Buckinghamshire Business First Growth Programme and which is provided free of charge by Harwood Hutton courtesy of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Andy wants Car Leasing Solutions to be a different type of car leasing business – one that really listens to its customers and puts them in the vehicle that best suits their needs.

With a background in credit and finance and a passion for cars, Andy had the idea to launch his own car leasing business, one that excelled in customer service. So he quit his job as a director of a Buckinghamshire asset finance company and Car Leasing Solutions was born.

After setting up the business in 2015, Andy has seen steady growth year on year, and to date he has helped more than 700 customers drive off in their new dream car. This early success encouraged him to seek funding to fast-track the growth of the company, and he decided to seek guidance on how to attract funding.

After chatting with some business contacts, Andy was introduced to Buckinghamshire Business First and was enrolled onto the Growth Programme, going on to receive support from the Fit4Funding service.

“It’s a fantastic service and it has given me the tools I need to move forward,” said Andy. “I particularly valued the help I received on how to present my business. Until the ‘Pitching to Win’ workshop, I had never created an investment presentation or stood up and spoken to a room full of potential investors.”

Andy is looking to drive his first-year turnover of around £80,000 to £1 million within the next five years, saying: “I want to be able to invest in a new website, brand-building and a great customer relationship marketing system that will automate a lot of the work we are currently doing manually and which takes up so much of our time.

“Through Fit4Funding, I now have much greater confidence in being able to achieve my growth goals. It’s been a massive breakthrough for me.”