We provide strategic business and financial advisory to startups and medium-scale enterprises, empowering them to achieve lasting growth, stability, and long-term success.
Get In Touch
+234 817 316 8042
Phone
consult@samandwright.com
Strategic business planning solution for an early-stage Fintech company
Multi-level service packages that cut across Business planning, Funding advisory & HR
Duration: 7 months | Year: 2024
The Problem
A young-growth Fintech company in Nigeria, operating since 2017, was navigating the complex landscape of raising capital for infrastructure, product, and market development. Despite its promising trajectory, the company faced several hurdles:
- Inconsistent cash flow and unclear funding goals, making it difficult to scale effectively.
- Lack of agility in adapting to Nigeria’s evolving fintech landscape, leading to resource wastage and an over-leveraged, underperforming workforce.
- Misalignment between shareholders and the CEO on company objectives, causing missed milestones.
- Inefficient balance sheets, burdened by dead-weight assets.
- Due diligence gaps in evaluating potential acquisitions for product development.
These challenges threatened the company’s ability to secure future funding, scale sustainably, and maintain a competitive edge.
The Solution
SWC provided a multi-level service package focused on business planning, funding advisory, and HR strategy to address the fintech’s pressing needs:
- Funding Strategies: Developed tailored funding roadmaps to maximize shareholder value and position the company for future institutional investment.
- Feasibility Studies: Conducted in-depth market research to uncover industry trends, competitive insights, and future outlooks, helping the company reassess its market positioning.
- HR Optimization: Led a headhunting initiative to recruit C-level fintech experts, strengthening leadership and aligning human resources with growth objectives.
- Strategic Business Planning: Provided the Board of Directors with actionable recommendations, facilitating alignment between the CEO and shareholders on strategic goals.
- Transaction Advisory: Oversaw due diligence for the acquisition of incumbent assets, guiding the company through a thorough evaluation of the purchase’s advantages and risks.
The Impact
Through SWC’s 7-month engagement, the fintech company achieved:
- Clear strategic alignment between shareholders and leadership, enabling smoother decision-making.
- Optimized funding strategies that prepared the company for future institutional investment.
- Improved market positioning through data-driven feasibility studies.
- Enhanced leadership capacity with the addition of top-tier C-level talent.
- Informed acquisition decisions, ensuring long-term value from asset purchases.
These interventions set the fintech on a sustainable growth path, positioning it to navigate Nigeria’s competitive fintech space with greater agility and strategic clarity.
The Story
When SWC first engaged with the company, the fintech was at a pivotal juncture—poised for growth but hindered by structural inefficiencies and misaligned goals. SWC’s approach focused on understanding the core issues impacting scalability and financial health.
A significant breakthrough came during strategic business planning sessions, where SWC facilitated open dialogue between shareholders and the CEO, realigning expectations and resetting milestones. Simultaneously, the HR team brought in seasoned fintech executives, which brought immediate improvements in leadership and operational efficiency.
SWC’s funding strategies not only addressed immediate capital needs but also set the groundwork for attracting institutional investors. The company’s first major asset acquisition post-advisory was a well-informed decision, backed by SWC’s thorough due diligence.
In just seven months, the fintech transformed its internal processes, financial health, and market positioning—emerging stronger and better equipped to scale sustainably.
The Investment
SWC’s comprehensive advisory services provided this fintech with the tools to:
- Align stakeholder expectations.
- Optimize funding strategies.
- Build a stronger leadership team.
- Make strategic acquisition decisions.
These improvements positioned the company to attract future investment and scale effectively in Nigeria’s fast-evolving fintech landscape.
