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CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Over the past eleven years or so, KBA has assisted some 200 clients to become "finance ready" and has worked with a wide range of creative and other businesses, including:
* Fashion
* Clothing
* Textiles
* Jewellery
* Interior products
* Furniture
* Silversmiths
* Ceramics
* Music
* Fine Art
* Publishing
* Photography
* Graphic Design
* Web design
* Events Management
* Personal training services
* Aromatherapy & holistic massage services,
plus a number of Social Enterprise businesses.
We feature below some of the testimonials received from our many clients.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
"Keith has been excellent, providing great advice and support. A fantastic working relationship has been formed."
Des Ryner
Managing Director, Core Fitness Club
"Keith has been an inspiration to me. He has guided me through a process that by myself would have been near impossible. He has been the perfect mentor and will be the guest of honour at my studio's launch. I cannot stress enough what an excellent service he has provided."
Browne Bailey
Owner, Results
“Keith has not only helped my new company with an outstanding business plan and guidance as to where to get funds, but has also, unlike many other business advisors, come along with me to bank meetings for vital/extra support. This support has been much appreciated and has offered real value for money.”
Louis de Gama
Managing Director & Head Designer, LdeG Creative Ltd
"Keith has been a great and inspirational support to the development of my start-up business. I am grateful for all that he has done for me."
Violeta Misic
Owner, Beyond Duality
“I worked with Keith Benson in order to secure finance for the building of the brand. Without this man’s marvelous level of enthusiasm and expertise, Death before Dishonour would just be Death.”
Chris Manning
Owner, Death before Dishonour
“The scheme has helped me write a business and marketing plan with clear objectives and about funding opportunities.”
Shirley Edwards
Owner, The Tie Gallery
“The scheme has been invaluable in providing help in many areas of business, such as writing business plans and developing cash flow forecasts and in providing help and guidance for grant applications. Often areas that creative people tend to neglect but which are at the same time essential.”
Nick Sullivan
Owner, Northern Shirts
“I was very fortunate to be able to do the scheme, as it made me concentrate on all areas of my business present and future. I really enjoyed working with Keith Benson and his passion, knowledge and drive has helped me succeed."
Melissa Helyer
Creative Director, Melissa Helyer Limited
“I have found Keith full of energy, zest, enthusiasm and a complete gentleman, who has given me so much valuable insights that I will always be indebted to him for his belief in a up and coming artist craftsman. He found the best parts of me, and made me stand up and shine!”
Wayne Meeten
Owner, Wayne Victor Meeten Studios
"Working with Keith Benson has been a highly stimulating and valuable experience to clearly define, structure and focus on my current and future business plans."
Florian Kemb
Owner, Amplifier
"I have received an extremely professional service, which has enabled me to take my business to the next stage. I would highly recommend the service"
Emeka Collins
Director, Emmy Collins Limited
"Consultancy provided by Keith Benson and associates enabled us to revise
and update our business plan in preparation for funding applications, and
the marketing plan that we jointly developed was particularly beneficial."
Lisa & Majida
Partners, Brennan & Burch
"Constructive and objective appraisal of our business from an experienced individual. Well presented and extensive list of all financial institutions and agencies who may provide financial assistance. Very professional and very personable. Extremely worthwhile."
Trevor Callaghan
Director, Chunk Limited
"I feel that in the future we will be able to provide both the bank and investors with more precise information about the company. It was good benchmarking the company against the competition. Keith Benson has been fantastic at guiding me through the process of producing the document and for providing me with information on possible grants and investors. It is also good to know that I can call on him in the future for any other assistance."
Nadia Minkoff
Managing Director, Nadia Minkoff Limited
"Keith has provided an excellent service and has been very supportive"
Louise Tatton
Owner, Brand NU Accessories
"We have received very good advice from Keith Benson. He has also generated a high level of confidence in our ability to develop a successful business."
Robin Osmani
Partner, Cardross Glass LLP
"A more precise analysis of business ideas and focus. A very good service. Very beneficial"
Caroline Ebanks
Partner, Indigo Collective
"A great and professional Business Plan and very useful and helpful advice and guidance on business management"
Renee Christopher
Owner, NicoleRenee
" I have gained a better understanding on how to produce a Business Plan and of the possibilities for obtaining funding. The service was very informative and in depth"
Novlette Ellis
Owner, Novelette Ellis & Novalis
"This has helped me focus more on the business requirements and not just the design side of things. Given more understanding on business and all information was clear and specific. I enjoyed the time I had working with Keith."
Mark Johnson
Owner, Remarkable Brides
"I have benefitted greatly from this service as I now am aware of various types of funding and grants available that I previously knew nothing about. I also have a great Business Plan and feel the process has improved the structure and focus of my business."
Tara Reohorn
Owner, Waikuku Beach
"I am very satisfied with my Business Plan and with the information that has been given to me by Keith about funding"
Kat Bird
Owner, Hats&Dogs.com
"Keith is excellent - he has pointed me in the right direction. I recommend this service to all start-ups."
Salah Yusuf
Director, 1U Limited
"I feel that the business support offered was comprehensive & thorough."
Deborah Lewis
Director, State Republic Limited
"The whole experience of completing the paperwork, which was initially quite daunting, went very well. Keith Benson is thorough, professional and helpful. I cannot speak highly enough of him."
Louise Gibb
Owner, Louise Gibb Ceramics
“This programme has been a very steep learning curve for me. The Action Plan was very well designed and executed. It has also given me the confidence I need to move forward with my business. My consultant drove me hard and as a result I have so much more appreciation of why it is important to have a professional approach and sound knowledge of business and finance. Before starting this programme, I didn’t understand the financial aspects of running a business and tended to sidetrack it but now I am looking at figures and ways to make my business a profitable success. Every aspect of my business was broken down and then rebuilt. My consultant was enthusiastic and really cares about his clients. I could not have done this without my consultant, Keith Benson.”
Annette Bugansky
Owner, Annette Bugansky Design
“Keith Benson was very quick, always helpful and optimistic but realistic about the financial requirements of the business.”
Jake Phipps
Owner, Jake Phipps
“Keith Benson has been very helpful with my business and operational plans, etc, pointing me in the right direction for funding, as well as providing a large list of helpful organizations. I felt Keith was an immense help. A very thorough and detailed plan was produced, which apart from helping with obtaining funding, also acted as a good motivating influence providing focus and direction to develop my business further. It was a very good process to be involved in and a lot was achieved.”
Michele Oberdieck
Owner, Michele Oberdieck
“K Benson Associates have been very thorough and proactive with putting together the Business Plan and explaining each step as we went along. Our first meeting was a very positive one and it went from strength to strength and we now feel confident with the Business Plan and are ready to seek investment. We are overall very satisfied with the result.
Niki Brodie
Director, Nino Bauti Limited
“I feel confident that with the support from Keith and the final plan, along with my strong vision for Emporium, that I will receive funding from one or more of the sources identified in the very informative document provided by Keith. He worked very well with me in terms of gathering and reviewing information for the plan. His help enabled me to forecast and plan where I want the business to be in three years.”
Natalie Freeman
Owner, Emporium
“I think that the scope of the Access to Finance programme is what I required to assist me in getting ready and prepared to obtain external ongoing funding. Initially thinking that the process would be difficult, Keith helped very much in making it an educational process and enabled me to “own” my Business Plan”.
Adeyemi Oluyomi Osunkoya
Director, Kosibah Creations Limited
“Access to Finance is just what we needed. Being time constrained and going through a well thought out process means that we have developed a complete and good quality plan. Keith Benson kept the process going and his experience was very valuable.”
Simon Warner-Bore
Director, Jocelyn Warner Limited
“I have found the Access to Finance project very beneficial for producing a successful Business Plan. I think that Keith has been very professional throughout the project. He is very good at understanding and explaining information that I was not aware of.”
Katherine Wardropper
Owner, Katherine Wardropper
“A very valuable service. Keith has been extremely helpful and enthusiastic throughout the project … many thanks.”
Ryan Frank
Director, Planet G Limited
“Keith was extremely helpful and made writing the business plan much easier that I thought possible.”
Nkwo Onkuna
Owner, Nkwo
“We both found Keith extremely enthusiastic, reliable and a great mentor. He is great at what he does and has provided an excellent service.”
Carianne and Mike
Directors, Moore-Harding Limited
“Keith was very helpful with all aspects of my business plan. He was extremely encouraging and pushed me where I wouldn’t have had the experience or confidence to do this alone.”
Alison Ford
Owner, Alison Ford
“I found Keith Benson very supportive. Keith has helped me to understand clearly all processes of looking at my business through planning, evaluating and viewing the future of the ATADesigns.”
Annette Taylor-Anderson
Owner
ATADesigns
“Keith has been very supportive and thorough in providing this service and his help has been invaluable”
Georgina Cross
Director
A Little Bit of Art
“The Access to Finance scheme was very useful and Keith Benson, my Business Adviser, was reliable, knowledgeable and helpful”
Toby Sanders
Owner
TOBYhouse
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