Our team
Starting, growing, sustaining and exiting a business is demanding emotionally and technically. The Realise core team offers a balance of ‘large firm’ technical quality and professional discipline, experienced coaching and mentoring support and an ‘in the trenches’ attitude being founders ourselves.
Richard Fifield - Founder
Strategy, Decision Coach & Connector
Richard has spent his career helping entrepreneurs build great businesses..
Your journey is unique and challenging. and Richard’s job is to be on your journey with you and help you anticipate, avoid or simply get through business and emotional obstacles on route to realising your ambitions.
He helps focus your attention on what builds value and works with you to implement sustainable change on the things that matter and drive through commercial and pragmatic action plans, giving you momentum, improved performance and work life balance.
He will help you engage and manage the best resources to deliver on these plans and provide the ‘glue’ to ruthlessly search for value – reduced costs, smart use of resources, reduced risk, better systems and a focus on accountability.
Richard is still learning the guitar and enjoys mountain biking.
James Heywood - Founder
Corporate Finance, CFO & Growth Adviser
James has spent his career advising entrepreneurs on starting, growing and selling businesses. He is an experienced Corporate Financier advising on over 100 transactions and holds the Corporate Finance Diploma qualification.
He has developed the Realise financial model which allows entrepreneurs to see their vision in numbers. He enjoys building tailored models for clients allowing entrepreneurs to make informed decisions when considering strategic choices
In a previous life James was a teacher and he continues to use these skills to enthuse and mentor clients. James still enjoys playing league cricket albeit with ever decreasing success! He’s also at the age where he has discovered road cycling and enjoys finding new routes through Berkshire and Hampshire.
The best advisors know that they do not have all the answers and we always introduce our clients to others who may be able to accelerate their journey.
We provide access to a network of contacts who not only we believe to be proven in adding value but also share our values. We can access:
Sector specialists
A range of funders including High Net Worth individuals, early stage and (S)EIS funds, Crowd funds, Family Offices, VC and private equity, trade and debt and alternative funding providers
Business leaders providing inspiration and learning
Decision makers providing business development opportunities
Professional advisors who specialise in advising entrepreneurs
Coaches and mentors who can make a difference
Potential commercial opportunities (UK and overseas)
AND all of clients past and present who are really keen to help.