Client Overview:
Louise is Managing Director of FM4U, a facilities management company servicing businesses across in the North East and beyond. She began working as Operations Director for FM4U in late 2014, doubling down on her commitment to the organisation in February 2020 when she completed a management buyout to take full ownership.
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“Stryde have given me confidence in my finances and have helped me to put my time into growing the business”
The Challenge:
When Louise acquired FM4U via a management buyout she had an ambition to scale and a deep commitment to growth, but she quickly realised that day-to-day financial ambiguity was obstructing strategic decisions. She also realised that her financial processes left her having to deal with day to day financial tasks instead of being able to focus on that growth.
And despite working with an external accountant, Louise still found herself unsure whether the data she was looking at could be trusted. She needed to delegate and gain financial clarity.
Our Approach:
Louise signed up to Stryde’s PSP PULSE service to better understand her financial landscape. Stryde:
- Removed underperforming and unsuitable software
- Implemented new financial technologies that gave greater clarity
- Recommended some non-financial tools that were later adopted by FM4U
- Helped create robust financial processes
Stryde then sat in Louise’s finance seat as Finance Director supporting over the next 4 years:
- Aligning financial reporting with strategic goals
- Ensuring internal staff were competent whilst training and mentoring them
- Providing a sounding board of advice for any business decisions
“The service I’ve received from Stryde has been the most impressive”
The Outcome:
Over the course of five years, the numbers tell a compelling story:
- Turnover grew from £1.2m to £4.4m
- Annual team time saved: 336 hours +
- Annual FD cost avoided: £48,000
- Three consecutive years of 20%+ revenue growth
- Final year net profit: £300,000 whilst investing in growth
But the real milestone came in February 2025, when Louise successfully sold FM4U for a lifechanging amount at an excellent mulitplier. A strong exit valuation speaks volumes; not just to the business's commercial value, but to the trustworthiness of its financial systems and leadership readiness.
“The outsourced CFO setup works perfectly for us. We’ve been able to create a solid plan around lots of financial questions and challenges, without the cost of a full-time hire”
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