Five Sussex businessmen are offering their professional services free to help a fledgling business find its feet.

Specialists in finance, accounting, marketing, the law and public relations are on the look out for a business, between one and three-years-old, to help it over one of the most critical times it will experience.

Statistics from Barclays Bank show this period is often make or break time for a business.

Having got over the start-up problems, firms should be ready to grow.

The experts are all from long-established businesses with a keen interest in the Sussex economy.

They hope by identifying the trials, tribulations and successes of a new business, they will be able to guide others through the minefield ahead of most small businesses.

The experts will choose the most suitable firm and then look at the most pressing problems it faces.

They are: Peter Collins, a partner at the Horsham office of business advisors Hartley Fowler; David Thomson, managing director of Haywards Heath-based Metropolitan Factors; Trevor Inch, founder and managing director of Times Right Marketing;

Russell Bell, a partner with Crawley-based asb law and Mark Llewellyn-Slade, managing director of Llewellyn-Slade Public Relations of Burgess Hill.

Mr Llewellyn-Slade said: "The object is to find a business that can act as an example. Although no two businesses are the same, most of them face the same problems and our experts will identify and prioritise the actions that need to be taken to keep the business on the right track.

"The panel has years of experience in dealing with enterprising, forward-thinking, young businesses.

"Our first step is to find the right small business. We want anyone with a business that fits the bill and who wants to take advantage of this unique opportunity to have a team of experts on board to contact us."

Mr Collins, a qualified chartered accountant, is involved in assisting small and medium enterprises with management and growth issues and corporate finance initiatives.

Mr Inch's Crawley-based company is an integrated marketing business which uses a broad range of marketing tools, including Press, radio and TV advertising, direct mail, outdoor poster campaigns and web site design.

He said: "We know these tools work for our clients because we measure the results."

Mr Thomson said: "Traditionally, businesses have obtained working capital finance through a bank overdraft or loan.

The downside of this arrangement is the overdraft is usually capped and based on the value of the security the company and/or its directors are willing to pledge.

"Factoring and invoice discounting are the modern alternatives. The number of companies using it has grown at an average of 15 per cent a year over the last 15 years."

Metropolitan Factors is part of the Close Brother Group, the largest independent UK merchant bank.

Mr Bell said: "During their early years, owner-managed and small to medium enterprises often suffer from classic growth pains, either in terms of finding capital to fund their growth, in establishing new brands and expanding sales or in dealing with the red tape which governs almost every aspect of business life."

Mr Llewellyn-Slade, who organised the project, said: "A good reputation is vital for long-term success. In reality, attractive organisations are often overlooked or never achieve as much as they could, simply because they are less well-known.

"This does not only depend on the quality of their work but also on the priority given to self- promotion."

To be considered for the expert
treatment, write to Mr Llewellyn-Slade at Silvers, Park Close, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 8HL.