Finance for Growing a Professional Practice
Sites, people,
equipment and capacity.
Growth usually means investing before the new income arrives. These are the points where funding tends to be needed, and how lenders tend to look at each one.
- Confidential, no-obligation discussion
- Whole of market access
- We are a broker, not a lender
“I would recommend them to anyone.”
- Lender searchWhole of marketNot tied to any one lender
- Instant QuotesNo credit searchSee indicative quotes first
- Who we helpProfessional practicesSole traders, partnerships, LLPs and companies
- Our roleSpecialist brokerWe approach suitable lenders for you
The picture
Growth costs money before it makes money.
A professional practice grows in a few recognisable ways: buying another practice or a block of clients, adding rooms, surgeries or a second site, investing in equipment that extends what it can offer, or hiring the people it needs to take on more work. In every case the cost comes first and the income follows.
Funding growth from reserves is possible, but it can leave the practice exposed at exactly the wrong moment: a PII renewal, a tax bill or a quiet month arriving while the new investment is still bedding in. Matching each investment to finance that is repaid from the income it generates keeps the core practice resilient.
Lenders like growth that is planned. A practice that can show how an acquisition will be integrated, or how a new site will reach capacity, will find far more appetite in the market than one asking for funds after the event.
The journey, step by step
- 1
Buy growth
A fee block, a client book or another practice. Acquired income can help service the finance used to buy it, which is why many practices grow this way.
- 2
Add capacity
New surgeries, consulting rooms or a second site. The fit-out, the lease or purchase and the working capital to reach capacity are all part of the cost.
- 3
Invest in capability
Equipment and technology that change what the practice can offer, from diagnostic imaging to case management systems. Asset finance spreads the cost over the equipment’s working life.
- 4
Build the team
People in place ahead of the work: fee earners, clinicians, associates and the support staff behind them, plus training and accreditation.
- 5
Keep the core practice funded
Growth increases WIP, debtors and payroll. A working capital facility sized for the larger practice avoids growth turning into a cash-flow problem.
Things to consider
Questions to answer before you expand.
How long until it pays?
Be realistic about how long a new site, hire or acquisition takes to generate income, and fund the gap rather than hoping to avoid it.
Which finance for which cost?
Equipment suits asset finance, property suits a mortgage, goodwill suits a term loan and the ramp-up suits working capital. One facility for everything is rarely the best fit.
What happens to existing borrowing?
Current lenders may have security or covenants that affect new borrowing. Review them first, and consider whether a refinance creates room for growth.
Can the team deliver?
Lenders look at management capacity as well as numbers. Show who will run the new site or integrate the acquired clients.
Preparing the case
What lenders will want to see.
- Recent accounts and management figures showing the current practice’s performance
- A clear plan for the investment: costs, timetable and the income it is expected to bring
- Existing borrowing and how new finance fits alongside it
- For acquisitions, the target’s figures and the deal terms
- Who will manage the growth, and how
We are a broker, not a lender. We help you prepare this, search the market for lenders whose criteria fit, and manage the process through to completion. How it works →
- Whole of market accessHigh street banks, specialist and private lenders.
- Specialist understandingLenders who understand how practices earn and grow.
- Your case, properly presentedStructured and put to lenders suited to it.
- With you to completionFrom the first conversation to funds arriving.
In our clients’ words
“Simon has raised a large level of funds for me on numerous occasions to assist me in the growth of my business through acquisition. He has never let me down when many others have, and I’m always amazed how he comes up with funding so quickly and efficiently.”
Questions
What owners usually ask.
Can we fund a second site before the first is fully paid for?
Often, yes, if the existing practice is performing and the plan for the new site is credible. Lenders will look at the combined position, including existing borrowing.
Is it better to lease or buy premises for a new site?
It depends on the location, your plans and the capital you want to commit. Our premises page covers the funding side, and your accountant can advise on the tax treatment.
Can recruitment be financed?
Some lenders will provide working capital to cover the period before new hires are fully productive. It is usually assessed on the strength of the existing practice. See recruitment and training finance.
Should we refinance before we grow?
Sometimes. If existing borrowing is expensive, short or restrictive, restructuring it first can create headroom. See refinancing.
Knowledge Hub
Read the guides.
Fee Block Finance: How Accountancy and Advisory Practices Fund Buying a Client Book
A practical guide to financing a fee block purchase: how deals are priced and structured, what lenders look at, and how to protect cash flow while the clients bed in.
Read the guide →Hire Purchase, Leasing or a Loan: Financing Practice Equipment and Technology
How hire purchase, finance leases, operating leases, contract hire and loans compare for dental chairs, imaging, OCT, dispensing robots, case management systems and vehicles.
Read the guide →Buying a Professional Practice: Every Cost You Need to Fund
A cross-profession checklist of what you need to fund when buying a law, accountancy, vet, pharmacy, optician, funeral, medical or architects’ practice, and the order to arrange it in.
Read the guide →Let's talk
Finance for
what's next.
Before you approach a lender, speak to someone who understands the transaction. Confidential, no-obligation initial discussion.
