At some stage in your business journey you may look for  investment to help you  start or grow. This week in  ep 141 Luke Desmond joins the podcast to demystify investment and explain the investment landscape, who you should be approaching depending on what stage your business is at and the funds you are looking for.  Highlights of this episode include: Pitching to Investors: The value of a compelling story, clear data, and a precise ask in your pitch deck. Understand your business valuation and be prepared with all necessary documentation. Business Valuation: Factors influencing valuation and the differences between valuation methods based on profit or potential growth. Preparing for Investment: A walk-through of how to best get ready for investment, including having a well-organized pitch deck and data room for potential investors. Explaining Lifetime value  We delve into the components required to calculate a customer's lifetime value – average order value, frequency of purchases, and customer retention period – using a kidswear business as a case example. Client Acquisition Cost (CAC) Insight: Understanding CAC not only in terms of initial profit but over the longevity of client relationships and how it influences marketing budgets and investor relations. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS): Luke breaks down these tax-relief schemes aimed at aiding investors who back risky startups. Investor Relations: Tips for aligning with the right investors – what to look for, what to ask, and how to establish mutual expectations for a fruitful partnership. Guest  Luke Desmond founder of crisp accountancy and fractional CFO has worked with businesses across a range of sectors but has specialist knowledge of technology, SaaS & E-commerce. He has helped businesses fine-tune original ideas & launch from day 1, raise seven figures and exit for eight figures.   founder and CEO of Crisp Accountancy, an accountancy firm that works with a range of businesses from Solopreneurs to Scale Up in a variety of different sectors. Luke works with businesses across a range of sectors but has a specialist knowledge of and passion for technology, SaaS & E-commerce. Through his work as Fractional CFO,  he helps businesses  fine-tune original ideas & launch from day 1, raise seven figures and exit for eight figures. He is on a mission to improve the financial understanding of business owners and I works closely with businesses to increase their profits and equip them with the necessary skills to master their finances and make better informed financial decisions. https://www.instagram.com/crispaccountancy/ https://crispaccountancy.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukedesmond/ https://www.lukedesmond.co.uk/ Host Nicole Higgins  The Buyer and retail coach  Nicole Higgins Links  https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.   Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!  So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.  Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.  https://scaleandglow.com/ https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.