2025 Deal Highlights

Check out our 2025 highlights reel, showcasing how we approached some of our clients’ complex situations…

What late payment crackdowns mean for North East SMEs

Let’s be honest – late payments have been a quiet curse for SMEs for far too long. But change could finally be on the way. 

The government has unveiled a raft of proposals to clamp down on late payments – marking what could be a real turning point for small and medium-sized businesses. Especially those outside the London bubble, where late payments aren’t just annoying – they’re often business-critical. 

What’s changing and why it matters 

So what’s in the proposals? 

For businesses across the North East, where working capital is often tight and growth depends on timely settlements, this could finally rebalance the scales. Especially for the firms supplying larger customers, where it can be a case of “take it or leave it” when it comes to waiting for money.

However, even the best-written rules won’t stop occasional delays, disputes or red tape from slowing down payment cycles. That’s why the most resilient businesses don’t just hope to get paid on time – they plan for when they don’t. 

Flexible working capital solutions, like invoice finance, can bridge the gap between delivering the work and receiving the reward. By unlocking the value tied up in your own sales ledger, you can keep hiring, growing and investing regardless of who’s sitting on your money. 

Let’s help the North East lead the way – not just in compliance, but in culture. A region where paying fairly and trading responsibly isn’t just expected – it’s business as usual. 

If you’d like to talk about finance options that support your business through late payment delays, we’re just at the end of the phone – 0191 211 1471.  

Director of Business Performance & Marketing, gym devotee, strategic thinker – and decaf evangelist. 

Say hello to Carly Dove, who joins the CCBS team as Director of Business Performance & Marketing. With a sharp eye for systems, strategy and storytelling, Carly brings a wealth of experience – and a love of doing things smarter, not just harder. 

Before joining CCBS, Carly led regional marketing across APAC and EMEA for Turnitin (yes, the plagiarism-checking powerhouse), steering high-performing teams and delivering commercial impact across international markets. 

But after a brief career pause for maternity leave (her youngest daughter just turned one!), Carly was ready to roll up her sleeves and dive back in – and CCBS was the perfect fit. 

“I wanted to build on my experience in a role that was both commercially focused and operationally hands-on – and CCBS offered exactly that. I’m excited to be working with a fantastic team, helping the business scale smartly and deliver even more value to clients.” Carly says.  

 

What’s a typical day like for you at CCBS? 

Still early days, but Carly’s role is already shaping up to be a hybrid of strategy, collaboration and making things better behind the scenes. 

“I’ll be working closely with the leadership team to sharpen up internal processes, support our financial reporting, and build out a marketing approach that really reflects the quality of what we do here. Expect me to be in the CRM, reviewing performance metrics, and looking for small changes that make a big difference.” 

In other words – if it can be optimised, measured or marketed, Carly’s on it. 

 

Now for the important stuff… 

How do you take your tea?
I don’t! I’m firmly in the decaf coffee camp – a habit I picked up during pregnancy, and somehow never dropped. I used to be a full-blown caffeine devotee (read: probably addicted), but now it’s all about the ritual, not the buzz. That said, after many a sleepless night thanks to my tiny humans, I probably should be bathing in espresso… but here we are, sipping decaf and pretending it’s doing something. 

What would you be doing if you weren’t at CCBS?
I wanted to be a doctor when I was little, then a lawyer as I got older – clearly, I’ve always liked fixing things and making a good argument. My childhood nickname was Sergeant Dove, thanks to my ability to keep everyone in line and everything running smoothly, even as a child! These days, I’ve got a soft spot for history, and after having kids, I’ve realised there’s serious money to be made in anything child-related – judging by how much of mine disappears into snacks, sticker books, and glittery things that break within 24 hours. Maybe one day I’ll combine it all and launch a historical re-enactment group for under-fives – complete with tiny crowns and snack breaks. 

What do you do in your spare time?
Spare time? That’s cute.  

But when I do get some, I make time for the gym – I made it a point to make fitness a big part of my life during maternity leave, and now I’m hooked. Whether it’s lifting weights or just pushing the pram for my 10K steps a day, it’s my way of staying sane and strong. When we get the rare night off parenting duty, my husband and I love going to gigs. And at home, once the kids are (finally) asleep, we wind down by listening to vinyl and pretending we’re still cool.  

Have you ever played a sport naked?
Absolutely not.  Between parenting, the gym and the odd living room dance-off with the kids, I’ve got my exercise covered. Fully clothed. 

Carly will be helping shape our next chapter of growth. Got a marketing idea, a process problem, or just want to chat decaf? Drop her a line at carly@ccbsg.co.uk. 

Relationship Development Director, coffee addict, Thai boxer – and friend to the oceans. 

Say hello to Andrew Welton, our new Relationship Development Director. He will be supporting our brilliant clients, making sure they’ve got the right funding in place to get where they want to go.  

But before he was helping SMEs across the North East to navigate the funding landscape, he had his sights set on something a little… wetter. 

“Believe it or not, I could have ended up as a marine biologist,” Andrew says. “I’ve been fascinated by marine wildlife since I was a kid.” 

Instead, he dove into business – earning a  Masters in Entrepreneurship and Business Development before kicking off his career as a Business Development Manager at a North East marketing agency. From there, he made a splash in the financial services world, joining  Gallagher Insurance – one of the world’s top insurance brokers – as the lead business development contact for the North East.

That experience laid the groundwork for his new role at CCBS Group. 

“Joining CCBS as Relationship Development Director is a fantastic next step. My focus is on really understanding our clients and what they need – so we can connect them with the right funding, at the right time, with the right partner.” 

What’s a typical day like for you at CCBS? 

“There’s no such thing! But broadly, it’s all about listening – meeting with clients, understanding what’s happening in their business, and identifying funding options that are tailored to their goals. That’s what drew me to CCBS – it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s proper, people-first problem solving.” 

Now for the important stuff… 

How do you take your tea?
I don’t! I’m a full-blown coffee fiend. But maybe I’ll have to branch out now I’m here. 

What do you do in your spare time?
I’m really into fitness. I’ve competed in Thai boxing bouts and still train regularly – so when I’m not in a meeting or on the phone, I’m probably at the gym or dragging myself on a run along the coast. 

Have you ever played a sport naked?
Officially… no. 

Andrew will be out and about this autumn meeting clients – if you’d like to set up a coffee with him, email andrew@ccbsg.co.uk.  

Cashflow crunch: When waiting 90 days for payment just won’t cut it

You’ve smashed out a huge order, the team’s grafted overtime, and the invoice has gone in. Victory pint? Not quite. Your shiny new customer is on 60- or 90-day terms… and payroll’s due in 30.

Sound familiar? You’re not the only one. For many North East businesses, the gap between doing the work and actually getting paid can be scary.

But here’s the good news: invoice finance exists precisely for moments like this.

Even the healthiest businesses get caught out by cashflow. It’s not always because you’re in trouble – in fact, it usually happens because you’re growing. Bigger contracts mean bigger invoices, and bigger invoices often mean longer payment terms. And when you’re waiting on slow-paying customers while trying to keep suppliers, staff, and HMRC happy, it’s enough to make even the calmest business owner twitchy.

Enter invoice finance: your cashflow safety net

Invoice finance unlocks up to 90% of your unpaid invoices. No waiting, no desperate calls to the bank manager. Just the cash you’ve earned, in your account, ready to use.

Here’s what that means in the real world:

We recently helped a long-standing client expand internationally – they were already successful in the UK, but their US and Canadian growth opened the door to Australia. The snag? They needed cashflow to match their ambitions.

We found them a global funder who provided a £200,000 invoice finance facility, giving them the working capital to scale without losing momentum.

See more cashflow deals here.

If you’re tired of juggling invoices, chasing payments, and wondering if this is just “the way it is,” it’s not. Invoice finance can give you breathing space – and a clear path to growth.

Talk to us today – we’ll take a look at your cashflow, explain your options (jargon-free), and help you decide if invoice finance is the right fit.

Check out our Q2 highlights reel which showcases how we approached some of our clients’ complex situations…

Online funding platforms promise the world – “instant offers”, “decisions in minutes”, “apply in just 1 click.” Sounds brilliant, right?

Here’s the catch: those offers? Often meaningless. That approval? Not guaranteed. And that ‘simple application’? It can actually block proper funding solutions down the line – including the ones we’d recommend.

At CCBS Group, we get that you want speed and simplicity. But what you also need is a solution that’s right for your business – not one that looks shiny but stings later.

We’re not anti-tech. But we are anti-wasting time on generic forms and copy-paste offers that don’t take your unique circumstances into account. If you call us first, we’ll do the heavy lifting – documents, forms, lender matching – and guide you every step of the way. We’ll diagnose the real funding issue and prescribe the best-fit solution. No algorithms, no guesswork.

Plus, we’re based right here in the North East – you’ll know who you’re dealing with, and we can meet for coffee, visit your business and get to know your wider team if it helps.

So before you press submit on that online form – stop.

Pick up the phone.

No obligation, no judgement. Just a smarter, personal approach to getting your business funded right.

The year has kicked off to a busy start – check out our Q1 highlights reel which showcases how we approached some of our clients’ complex situations…

Short term secured finance – your favourite wingman

Let’s face it – sometimes business gets bumpy. And cashflow can suddenly feel like trying to fill a bath with a sieve. Enter short term secured finance: the unsung hero of business funding – and quite possibly the thing that keeps your plans from being parked indefinitely.

So, what is short term secured finance?

In the simplest terms, it’s borrowing money over a short period (typically 3 to 24 months) using an asset – like property, machinery, or invoices – as security. It’s fast, flexible, and usually less faff than a traditional bank loan. Ideal when time is tight and your business needs to move quickly.

When does it make sense?

You might consider short term secured finance when:

It’s not for keeping the lights on long-term—it’s the “get-it-done-now” option when you need money fast and you’ve got the assets to back it.

Not all lenders are created equal, and not every deal is a good one. That’s why working with the right broker — cough — makes all the difference. We get under the bonnet of your business, figure out what’s really needed, and then pull in the right funding match faster than you can say “short-term cash injection”.

Get in touch to discuss whether short term secured finance could help you over the next few months.