An added benefit of growing your business at Future Space is the on-site specialist business support we can provide our customers.
Our innovation support team is based at the hub, led by innovation director Nuala Foley who specialises in providing practical business support for the tech and life science community, and connecting customers with like-minded individuals through our commercial networks. If we can’t help, we know who can!
Pyramis Solutions, a financial consultancy specialising in supporting fast-growth tech companies, became part of the Future Space community in 2017.
Founder Vicki Lamch launched the company four and a half years ago to advise start-ups and SMEs that do not yet have their own in-house finance expertise and help them grow sustainably.She works closely with company founder managers to ensure they understand the finances underpinning their business and can use the figures in order to plan and make informed decisions. Since joining us here at Future Space, Pyramis Solutions has already worked with five of the client companies on-site.
“Since our specialism is in working with fast growth young companies, particularly in the tech sector, Future Space was a perfect base for us,” Vicki said. “Despite not being a science or tech company ourselves, we knew we could bring other important skills to the community of companies at the site. What we can offer is financial insight and guidance to those start-up companies that do not yet have any real financial expertise inhouse.”
“Entrepreneurs who start businesses usually have a fantastic idea or product that they want to focus on, they don’t want to be an accountant. I love handling the figures, so that is where I can come in, to plug that gap until the company is big enough to employ its own accountant or financial director.”
With a background in accountancy, Vicki decided to set up Pyramis after working in the finance departments for various SMEs since 2002, including working her way up through the ranks of a growing software company for 12 years gaining experience at every level of the company. She is also a qualified life coach and Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) practitioner and is accredited in DISC Personality Profiling and Goal Mapping.
“I wanted to put all my skills to wider use. I was aware of the government statistics that show around half of start-up companies fail within their first five years and while there are lots of reasons, a big problem is a lack of financial know-how, so I thought, I can help. The financial set up at the start is pivotal to creating the right environment for growth.”
Vicki has worked with over 100 businesses in the last 2 years as a consultant and advisor. But in the last 18 months, demand for her services has taken off which she put downs to more companies looking at more fluid and flexible working structures. Currently regional chair of the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) regional panel for Bristol, Vicki plans to host a series of workshops this year for start-ups wanting to gain some financial insight and training.
“I’m keen to build a bit of a community around what we do through more events and training videos that companies can access. I really want to prevent fantastic young companies hitting stumbling blocks due to a lack of support on offer to help business owners understand the figures.”