Staffordshire Moorlands based Beta Commercial Finance is celebrating a double success in the prestigious national Commercial Broker Awards 2023.
Beta has been shortlisted in the SME Champion and Development Finance Broker of the Year categories in the awards by the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB).
The company, with offices in Alton, was able to demonstrate how they help companies to protect business futures and create potential growth.
For the SME Champion Award, Beta highlighted how they were able to support Simon Heaton to buy his shop in their home village.
Tom Wilkinson, Beta’s Managing Director, and an Alton resident, said: “Simon was looking to buy the freehold of his Londis store, known as Simon’s Stores. He provides a fantastic service to the village, so I wanted to help him.”
Beta’s shortlisting in the Development Broker Finance category included an example of how the firm supported a landowner to win funding for a housing development by refining plans for the site in his ownership.
Tom said: “The general public perhaps think a broker simply takes on board a client’s needs and matches them with a financial organisation with funds available, but that wasn’t the case in either of these cases.
“For example, Simon had until recently been a sole trader and this could have worked against him with some lenders. Work needed to be done to present a compelling case to the right lender based on evidence of how he had developed a successful business.
“With the housing development, we worked with the landowner to reconfigure his plans to ensure they were acceptable to the right lender for his needs.”
Tom, a former business bank manager, founded Beta in 2017 to support companies needing finance to grow. The company, which has a team of five, is based at the Old Chapel, High Street, Alton
He said: “There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, and the market has changed considerably in recent years. Gone are the days when a small business would simply rely on building a strong relationship with its local bank manager.
Beta supports companies across the UK and has a particularly strong reputation in Staffordshire and Derbyshire where it has helped many companies to survive, thrive and create new jobs.
Tom was named in the 2023 Credit 500 Index; a list of the most influential people in the consumer and commercial credit industry.
Announcing the shortlist for the Commercial Broker Awards, the NACFB said: “The judging process, carried out by an independent panel of experts, involved a meticulous review of all broker submissions. Each entry was evaluated based on criteria of excellence, innovation, and a commitment to the highest industry standards. The judges had the challenging task of selecting the most exceptional entries among the impressive array of submissions.
“Following the rigorous review process, the shortlisted brokers for each category have been identified and will now be presented to NACFB lender Patrons and Partners, who will play a vital role in selecting the ultimate winners. The winners will be chosen by combining the insightful considerations of the judging panel and votes from the Association’s Patrons and Partners – with a weighting towards the judges’ expert insights.”
ENDS
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