An experienced sounding board for your business.
You might be building on your own or leading a small team. I work alongside you to think through decisions, solve practical problems and keep the business moving. I've started, grown, sold and closed businesses myself, so there's plenty we can talk about honestly.
Bring what's on your mind.
Some weeks we work through the numbers. Other weeks it's an investor deck, a new sales channel, a hiring decision or a problem you've been putting off. We agree what needs attention and work from there.
- Cash and the numbersMargin, runway and the figures worth knowing by heart.
- Stock and operationsGetting ahead of stock-outs and over-ordering.
- Growth and new channelsConversion, marketplaces and tests that cost little, like direct mail through Paper Run.
- FundraisingThe investor deck, the story and the numbers behind the ask.
- Hiring and the teamWho to hire next, and how to get the best from the people you have.
- Practical AIWhere it saves you time this month, set up with you in plain English.
- IntroductionsPeople I've worked with over 25 years, when they can help.
What this looks like in practice.
A founder running a consumer brand
We speak every week. Over the past few months we've built an investor deck together, worked through a stock plan and tested direct mail through Paper Run as a new channel. I've also taken them into rooms with buyers and investors. Between calls it's WhatsApp: a supplier question, a number that looks wrong, a meeting to prepare for.
Shaped around your business.
Every founder needs something different, and it changes as the business grows. We work out together what support makes sense.
We agree the monthly fee and what it covers before we start. If your needs change, we discuss the scope and fee together.
Regular mentoring
Someone experienced to think with each week, who has made plenty of mistakes already.
- A 60-minute call, usually weekly
- Phone and WhatsApp in between
- The priorities that matter this month
Ongoing advisory support
The work a good non-executive does. I get into the numbers each month, build the investor story with you and open the right doors.
- A monthly look at the numbers
- Investor deck, story and the raise
- Introductions to people I've worked with
- Sessions
- 60 minutes, usually weekly. The first step is a 30-minute introductory call.
- Between calls
- Phone and WhatsApp when something comes up.
- Commitment
- No long contract. You can stop at the end of any month, and we review as we go.
From first call to first session.
An introductory call
Thirty minutes. Tell me where the business is and what's on your mind, and I'll tell you straight whether I can help.
We agree the shape of it
How often we speak, what we'll work on first, and the monthly fee that goes with it.
We get going
Usually the following week, and we review as we go.
What it's like to work with me.
He's calm, authoritative and eminently personable. Possessing a quick mind and a razor-sharp focus on delivering the best solution for the client, he's adept at questioning thinking. Working with Fadi always encourages people to stretch their ability, to think harder.
Fadi is as bright as they come, knowledgeable in a geeky, brilliant way, gives 100% and has a charisma that makes a team believe anything is possible. My best pitch partner ever.
Fadi is quite an inspiration to fellow entrepreneurs who meet him. He is cool, calm and collected. Not one to be underestimated.
I loved working for Fadi and appreciate the opportunity he gave me to flourish. He understands the different pressures of running an agency and doesn't shy away from making decisions.
Fadi gave me the opportunity to lead some of the best people in the UK ecommerce industry. I grabbed it with both hands. The energy and entrepreneurial spirit is there in abundance.
From recommendations on LinkedIn.
Things founders ask before we start.
Who is this for?
Founders building on their own or leading a small team, in any business with a digital side, product or service.
It doesn't have to be ecommerce. I've run an agency, a group role and consumer brands, so most business problems look familiar. If you're in construction, I'm probably not your man.
How often do we speak?
Usually a 60-minute call each week, at a regular time, and I'm on the phone and WhatsApp in between. Some weeks we work on an investor deck together. Some weeks it's a stock problem or a dip in conversion. It changes as the business changes.
How much does it cost?
£650 to £1,950 a month, depending on the support we agree. We agree the monthly fee and what it covers before we start. If your needs change, we discuss the scope and fee together. There's no long contract: you can stop at the end of any month.
Why is it priced like this?
The founders who most need someone experienced are usually the ones who can't pay big-company advisory fees. I'd rather work with you on what you can afford.
I'm not technical. Is that a problem?
No. Most of the founders I work with aren't. I explain things in plain English and I'll set up the tools with you, including the AI ones, rather than handing you a list of things to figure out.
Do you take equity?
Sometimes, for the right business, as a founding advisor. Most arrangements are a simple monthly fee. We can talk about it.
Can you help with just one thing, like a raise?
Yes. If you need a deck and a story that holds up with investors, we can scope that on its own.
How do we start?
With a 30-minute introductory call. Tell me where the business is and what's on your mind, and I'll tell you straight whether I can help. If I can, we agree what we'll work on and when we'll speak.
Book an introductory call.
Thirty minutes. Tell me where the business is and what's on your mind.
- You book a time or send me an email.I read and reply to enquiries personally, usually within a day.
- We talk for 30 minutes.You tell me what you're working on and what you need.
- I tell you straight whether I can help.If I can't, I'll point you to someone who can.