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Who we serve · Sheet 04.4Epiidosis Africa Limited · Who we serve / Growing SMEs

“Are we ready for a lender or investor?”

We help growing businesses get their records, people, evidence and cover in order, then prepare the pack a lender or investor will read. We don't lend or invest.

Check your readiness See the programme
A smiling store owner in a brown apron at the entrance to his shop
A group of women meeting around an office table with laptops
Fig. 04.4.1
Sheet 04.4.2 / ChallengesWhat we hear

Challenges we hear

Six we often hear from growing SMEs. The chip shows which practice leads.

  • C101

    Financial readiness

    Accounts, tax records, and bank and M-Pesa statements need to tell one consistent story.

  • C203

    HR policies and hiring

    Growth adds people faster than it adds contracts, policies and payroll discipline.

  • C302

    Market intelligence

    Plans to expand need evidence about customers, competitors and demand.

  • C401

    A forecast a lender can follow

    A simple, honest cash-flow forecast does more than a long business plan.

  • C504

    Cover that fits the business

    Policies bought years ago may no longer match your stock, premises or team.

  • C603

    Training a growing team

    New supervisors need skills, and new sites need first aid and safety basics.

Sheet 04.4.3 / How we helpPractice × challenge schedule

How our four practices help

Each challenge has a lead practice. Others support where the work overlaps, under one engagement letter.

How each of our four practices helps with each challenge for growing SMEs
Challenge01Finance & structure02Understand03Staff04Protect
C1Financial readinessLeads: Financing readiness reviewNot usually involvedSupports: Payroll and statutory recordsNot usually involved
C2HR policies and hiringNot usually involvedNot usually involvedLeads: HR policy set and hiring planNot usually involved
C3Market intelligenceSupports: Evidence carried into the lender packLeads: Customer, competitor and demand researchNot usually involvedNot usually involved
C4A forecast a lender can followLeads: Cash-flow model and bank-ready proposalSupports: Market assumptions checkedNot usually involvedNot usually involved
C5Cover that fits the businessNot usually involvedNot usually involvedNot usually involvedLeads: Coverage gap and overlap analysis
C6Training a growing teamNot usually involvedNot usually involvedLeads: Training, workshops and first aidNot usually involved

LeadsSupports— Not usually involved

Sheet 04.4.4 / DrawingFig. 04.4.4

The readiness ladder

Six steps between where a growing business starts and a pack a lender or investor can assess.

Fig. 04.4.4 · Growing SMEsElevation · NTSPlan · NTS
The readiness ladder for a growing SMEA staircase of six rising steps, from the ground up. 1 Records in order: books, bank and M-Pesa statements reconciled, Finance. 2 Tax and filings: KRA returns and company records up to date, Finance. 3 People and policy: contracts, HR policies and payroll, Staff. 4 Market evidence: customers, competitors and demand, Understand. 5 Risks reviewed: cover checked for gaps and overlaps, Protect. 6 Plan and pack: a cash-flow forecast and a lender or investor pack, Finance. At the top, a flag reads ready to approach a lender or investor. Below the steps, brackets map them to the Growth readiness programme phases: Diagnose for steps 1 and 2, Structure for step 3, Strengthen for steps 4 and 5, and Prepare to raise for step 6.READINESS01RECORDS IN ORDERBooks, bank andM-Pesa reconciled02TAX AND FILINGSKRA returns andcompany records03PEOPLE AND POLICYContracts, HRpolicies, payroll04MARKET EVIDENCECustomers, rivalsand demand05RISKS REVIEWEDCover checked forgaps and overlaps06PLAN AND PACKForecast and lenderor investor packREADY TO APPROACHA LENDER OR INVESTORDIAGNOSESTRUCTURESTRENGTHENPREPARE TO RAISEPHASESThe readiness ladder for a growing SMEA staircase of six rising steps, from the ground up. 1 Records in order: books, bank and M-Pesa statements reconciled, Finance. 2 Tax and filings: KRA returns and company records up to date, Finance. 3 People and policy: contracts, HR policies and payroll, Staff. 4 Market evidence: customers, competitors and demand, Understand. 5 Risks reviewed: cover checked for gaps and overlaps, Protect. 6 Plan and pack: a cash-flow forecast and a lender or investor pack, Finance. At the top, a flag reads ready to approach a lender or investor. Below the steps, brackets map them to the Growth readiness programme phases: Diagnose for steps 1 and 2, Structure for step 3, Strengthen for steps 4 and 5, and Prepare to raise for step 6.01RECORDS IN ORDERBooks, bank andM-Pesa reconciledDIAGNOSE02TAX AND FILINGSKRA returns andcompany recordsDIAGNOSE03PEOPLE AND POLICYContracts, HRpolicies, payrollSTRUCTURE04MARKET EVIDENCECustomers, rivalsand demandSTRENGTHEN05RISKS REVIEWEDCover checked forgaps and overlapsSTRENGTHEN06PLAN AND PACKForecast and lenderor investor packPREPARE TO RAISEREADY TO APPROACHA LENDER OR INVESTOR
Legend
  • Practice touchpoint 01–04
  • Pitch line
  • Progress
  • Ready to approach a lender or investor

Illustrative only. The order of steps varies by business.

Sheet 04.4.5 / ProgrammeRecommended programme

Recommended programme

Recommended programme · C

Growth readiness

For growing SMEs

One programme up the ladder: records, people, evidence and cover first, then the pack.

  • 01Finance
  • 02Understand
  • 03Staff
  • 04Protect
See the programme
  1. 1Diagnose
  2. 2Structure
  3. 3Strengthen
  4. 4Prepare to raise

Four phases · practices combined

Sheet 04.4.6 / QuestionsStarting points

Questions clients ask us

Typical first questions. Each one opens a conversation.

Sheet 04.4.7 / InsightsBriefs, guides and checklists

Insights for growing SMEs

All insights
Sheet 04.4.8 / Next stepContact

Find out where you stand.

Start a conversation Check your readiness