
	We Like	We don't like
Startups	Where the founder has track record in a similar business, or the costs to test the concept are low.	Where the founder had a dream one night, decided to start a business but has only ever worked in the postroom

Hi Tech	Something we can understand in less than a minute and is relevant today.	Anything that requires a degree in nuclear physics to understand, or solves a problem that might occur in the next millennium

Internet	Most things niche	Anything that purports to be the next ebay, Amazon, Facebook etc. Oh and no more social networking ideas for cats, cell-mates or under-5's

Retail	Internet retail	High Street, Back Street or any other kind of street.

Professionals	None of Them	All of Them

Service Industry	Some of them	The others

Engineering	Metal bashing with a purpose, profit and strong customer base.	Metal bashing for no reason except the hope that a big order may eventually come

Distribution	Distribution businesses with a realistic opportunity of being profitable	Funding a van for Big John

Licensing	Something established	Something rather more hopeful

Gambling/Tobacco	None of it	All of it

Pharmaceuticals	Something that works, is proven so – and people want.	Something that might work when it's finished trials in 2023

Restaurants & Catering	We enjoy visiting and eating in them – but that's about it.	Restaurants & Catering

Mining	In the UK	Anything outside the UK that might one day yield a piece of gold, diamond or dinosaur bones.


	We Like	We don't like
Nigerians wishing to transfer $100m to us from the will of their beloved parent	Hearing them and being entertained by them	Investing or responding to them

Overseas Companies	Visiting them	Investing in them

Property	Blimey. Too many to put in this box.	All the rest

Recruitment	Something niche	Something small and not.

Transport	Not really. Not sure. Convince us.	Please – no more plans for electric cars that run on cow poo or potato peel.

Green/Bio/Wind	Only massive scale	Eyes glaze over at most of it

Investments funds	No thanks	Investing in funds

If you've exceeded the above criteria, try these:


	We Like	We don't like
Ability to Expand	Overnight- the potential is massive. Help required.	You'd get the chocolate hobnobs out if you achieve 4% growth per annum. Wow. A rip-roaring success

Expertise	Where some expertise is lacking – but the will to succeed is there.	Where you know absolutely everything – or indeed nothing.

Turnover size	Somewhere between £500k and £50m	Turnover less than a Premier League footballer gets a month.

Job done

If you're more in the "We like" categories than the "We don't like" categories and want investment, assistance, sale or part-sale of your company, then click here to email us. We'll respond within hours to hear more and arrange a meeting.

Job done.