Hire the Best Startup Consultants

Are you looking to create a winning business plan or pitch deck that drives results? Look no further! With over 5 years of experience in startup consulting, I have successfully helped numerous clients secure investments, obtain visas, and achieve their business goals. I specialize in creating investment-ready business plans and compelling pitch decks that stand out. My expertise spans various industries—over 15 sectors, to be precise—and I’m adept at tailoring each plan to meet specific objectives, whether raising capital, securing loans, or navigating visa requirements. My Expertise Includes: Visa-specific business Plans include E1, E2, EB2-NIW, L1, L2, EB5, UK Innovator Visa, UK Startup Visa, and Canadian Startup Visa plans. Loan-Ready Business Plans: Comprehensive and detailed plans for SBA loans and other funding programs. Pitch Decks: Investor-focused decks that tell a straightforward, compelling story with visual appeal. Financial Projections: Accurate, data-driven forecasting tailored to your business needs. Why Work With Me? ✔My work has helped clients Secure investments, approvals, and funding across diverse sectors. ✔As an Associate member of Chartered Management Accountant (ACMA) and Associate Member of Public Finance Accountants (APFA), I bring financial acumen and strategic insights to every project. ✔Every business is unique, and I ensure that each plan or pitch deck is tailored to reflect your specific vision, market, and goals. ✔My priorities include timely delivery and attention. To detail and client satisfaction. What Sets Me Apart? While I may be new to Upwork, I’m not new to delivering exceptional results for startups and businesses. My mission is to help you achieve your goals, whether launching a new venture, expanding operations, or applying for a visa or loan. Let’s bring your vision to life! Contact me today to discuss how I can help you achieve success. Industries I've Worked In: ✔ SaaS (Software as a Service) ✔ Fintech ✔ Blockchain & Cryptocurrency ✔ Real Estate ✔ E-commerce ✔ Healthcare & Wellness ✔ Hospitality & Tourism ✔ Education & EdTech ✔ Food & Beverage ✔ Manufacturing & Supply Chain ✔ Retail & Consumer Goods ✔ Technology Startups ✔ Logistics & Transportation ✔ Pet Care & Products ✔ Environmental & Sustainability Projects. Business Plan Writer | Pitch Deck Expert | Visa Business Plans | SBA loan Business Plans | E2 visa | EB5 visa | UK Innovator visa | Startup Consultant | Financial Projections | Investment-Ready Plans.

Hi, I’m Simon 👋 I help mobile apps, startups, and scale-ups grow using proven growth strategies, acquisition channels, funnels, AI and automation systems that turn traffic into users and customers. 🚀 Launched 10+ startups and helped acquire 1M+ users 🏆 Apps I’ve worked on reached #1 on the App Store multiple times 📱 Worked on products serving 7M+ users ⭐ Featured by Apple and Google with hundreds of 5-star reviews 🌍 Worked on global campaigns for major brands and leading agencies 🤝 Built startup partnerships with Borussia Dortmund (€359M market cap) and Unisport (€200M+ revenue) 📉 Experienced both startup exits and failures as a founder, so I understand the journey first-hand I’ve spent over a decade in marketing, starting my career working on global campaigns for major brands at agencies like Razorfish and TBWA. I later transitioned into the startup world, working hands-on with agencies, iOS and Android apps from early MVP stage to products serving millions of users. That transition was a huge learning curve, and today I help founders, startups, and marketing teams design growth strategies, implement scalable systems, and gain the insights I wish I had when launching my first startup. I specialise in 📱 App Growth & App Store Marketing • App Store Optimisation (ASO) • App Store & Google Play conversion optimisation • App launch strategy & positioning • Ratings, reviews & social proof systems 📈 User Acquisition & Growth • Paid acquisition (Meta Ads & Google Ads) • Install → activation → retention funnels • Growth experiments and cohort analysis • Influencer and partnership campaigns ⚙️ Funnels & Growth Systems • Go-to-market strategy for apps and startups • Landing page funnels and conversion optimisation • Lead capture and onboarding systems • CRM automation and lifecycle marketing 🤖 Automation & AI Workflows • GoHighLevel (funnels, CRM, automation) • Apollo and Instantly outbound systems • Make workflows and AI-powered marketing processes • Analytics, tracking, and performance optimisation I focus on strategies and metrics that actually move the needle while helping founders avoid many of the mistakes I’ve seen across startups and experienced myself. I work closely with teams to: • Validate audiences and growth channels before scaling • Maximise return on ad spend • Build repeatable acquisition systems • Ship fast and learn faster • Optimise marketing and operations using AI Best fit ✔️ Early-stage app founders ✔️ Funded startups preparing to scale ✔️ SaaS and tech companies building growth systems ✔️ Teams struggling with installs, conversion, or acquisition ✔️ Agencies looking to scale ✔️ Small to medium sized businesses adopting AI If you're growing an app, startup, or business and want someone who has been through the journey before, I’d be happy to take a look and share a few ideas. Looking forward to hearing about what you're building. Simon

I help startups, investors, consultants, and business owners make smarter strategic and financial decisions through commercial due diligence, investment research, financial modeling, valuation, and fractional CFO support. With 6+ years of experience across investment banking, asset management, and startup finance, I combine institutional-grade financial rigor with practical, founder-focused execution. Whether you're preparing for fundraising, evaluating an investment opportunity, conducting market due diligence, or building a financial strategy for growth, I deliver clear analysis and decision-ready insights. 🧑‍💼 Professional Background 🏦 Former Buy-Side Equity Analyst at an Asset Manager ($133M AUM) 📈 Experience in investment research, valuation, financial analysis, and portfolio evaluation 🚀 Supported startups and growing businesses across fundraising, financial planning, investor readiness, and strategic decision-making 🔹 Fractional CFO & Financial Intelligence • Monthly financial oversight and reporting • Cash flow management, runway analysis, and burn optimization • KPI dashboards and executive reporting • Budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning • Financial process improvement and pre-audit structuring • Sharia-compliant financial screening for MENA-focused businesses 🔍 Commercial Due Diligence & Investment Research • Market Assessment & Industry Analysis • Commercial Due Diligence for investors and acquirers • Competitive Intelligence & Competitor Benchmarking • Market Sizing (TAM, SAM, SOM) • Business Model Analysis • Customer, Industry, and Market Research • Investment Memorandums & Equity Research Support • Strategic Opportunity Assessment 📊 Financial Modeling & Valuation • Robust 3-Statement Financial Models • Startup Financial Models • Forecasting, Budgeting & Scenario Analysis • DCF Valuation • Comparable Company Analysis (Trading Comps) • Precedent Transaction Analysis • Real Estate Financial Models • Sensitivity & Scenario Modeling 💰 Fundraising & Investor Strategy • Investor-Ready Financial Models & Forecasts • Fundraising Strategy Support • Investor Research & Target Mapping • Data Room Preparation • Financial Due Diligence Support • Financial Narratives Aligned with Pitch Decks • Capital Raising Readiness Assessment 📈 Market Research & Competitive Intelligence • Competitive Landscape Analysis • Pricing & Positioning Research • Market Entry Research • Industry Benchmarking • Investor Landscape Mapping • Growth Opportunity Analysis • Strategic Market Insights ⚙️ How I Work ✅ Structured, professional, and decision-ready deliverables ✅ Models built with transparent assumptions and easy updates ✅ Research backed by financial logic, not just data collection ✅ Focus on what investors, lenders, and decision-makers actually care about ✅ Fast communication, reliability, and attention to detail I don't just build spreadsheets or research reports. I help clients understand their numbers, evaluate opportunities, mitigate risks, and make confident investment and business decisions. Whether you need a valuation model, commercial due diligence, market research, investor-ready financials, or ongoing CFO-level support, I can help. 📩 Send me a message to discuss your project. I typically respond quickly and can help define the most effective approach for your goals.

I help international companies enter, grow and operate successfully in the European market by solving legal, GDPR, AI Act and compliance challenges before they become business problems. I am a **German-qualified lawyer (First and Second German State Examination in Law)**, a **certified Data Protection Officer (TÜV)** and **certified Compliance Officer (TÜV)** with extensive experience advising international businesses on European regulatory requirements. I currently serve as **External Data Protection Officer and Compliance Officer for a German technology company**, while also advising international clients across SaaS, AI, HealthTech, education, e-commerce and digital services. Unlike many consultants who focus purely on legal theory, I work directly with founders, executives and operational teams to build compliance programs that are practical, commercially viable and support business growth. Over the course of my career I have advised companies and entrepreneurs from **more than 40 countries** across Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and the Middle East, helping them establish legally compliant operations in Germany and throughout the European Union. ## What makes me different Many businesses don't simply need a GDPR consultant. They need one trusted advisor who understands how legal, privacy, compliance and commercial realities fit together. My clients work with me because I combine: • German legal education • Practical experience as a former attorney • Active work as External DPO and Compliance Officer • International business experience • Business-oriented advice instead of purely academic legal analysis • Clear communication in English and German I don't just draft documents. I help companies implement workable compliance structures that support sales, enterprise procurement, fundraising and long-term growth. --- # Core Services ## External Data Protection Officer (DPO) Ongoing privacy governance GDPR compliance monitoring Management reporting Internal policies Employee awareness Vendor assessments Regulatory guidance Incident response support Privacy governance frameworks --- ## GDPR & Privacy Compliance GDPR implementation Privacy assessments Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) Privacy Policies Cookie compliance Records of Processing Activities (RoPA) Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) Legitimate Interest Assessments (LIAs) Transfer Impact Assessments (TIAs) International data transfers Data subject request procedures (DSAR) Data breach procedures Vendor due diligence --- ## AI Act & AI Governance AI Act readiness assessments AI governance frameworks Risk assessments AI documentation Transparency obligations Internal AI policies Vendor assessments AI procurement reviews Governance structures Ideal for: • AI Startups • Generative AI • SaaS Platforms • Healthcare AI • Education Technology • Customer Support Automation --- ## Compliance & Corporate Governance Compliance frameworks Internal policies Governance documentation Risk management Compliance audits Regulatory implementation Operational compliance --- ## Commercial & Corporate Law GmbH and UG formation Commercial contracts Service agreements Terms & Conditions Shareholder agreements Market entry into Germany and the EU Cross-border business structures --- ## Healthcare & HealthTech Special category data GDPR Article 9 compliance Health data governance Privacy documentation Consent management Compliance reviews --- ## Industries Artificial Intelligence Software & SaaS HealthTech Education E-commerce Marketing Agencies Cloud Services Digital Platforms Professional Services International Startups SMEs Scale-ups --- # Why Clients Hire Me ✔ German-qualified lawyer ✔ Certified External Data Protection Officer (TÜV) ✔ Certified Compliance Officer (TÜV) ✔ Active DPO for a German technology company ✔ Experience advising clients from 40+ countries ✔ Hundreds of legal and compliance documents drafted ✔ Practical implementation instead of theoretical advice ✔ Strong commercial understanding ✔ Cost-efficient alternative to large law firms ✔ Long-term strategic partner for Germany and EU market entry Whether you need a long-term External DPO, GDPR implementation, AI Act readiness, compliance documentation, corporate governance or legal support for entering the European market, I provide practical, business-focused solutions that help companies grow with confidence. If you are looking for a legal and compliance partner rather than someone who simply drafts documents, I'd be happy to discuss how I can support your business.

+17 years across boardrooms, balance sheets, and broken spreadsheets — I have seen what kills businesses financially and what actually grows them. I have sat in the CFO chair across manufacturing, healthcare, retail, technology, NGOs, and impact-driven organizations. The problems are always different. The financial discipline required to fix them is always the same. I work with startups, SMEs, NGOs, and business owners who need more than a number-cruncher. They need a strategic financial partner who can build investor-ready financial models that survive due diligence, design AI-powered KPI dashboards that replace manual reports, structure fundraising strategies that land capital, and deliver ESG and SDG reporting frameworks that satisfy regulators, boards, and impact investors. That is what I do. And I have done it for over two decades across every kind of industry. ——— WHAT I DELIVER ——— FINANCIAL MODELING & BUSINESS VALUATION I build 3-statement models, DCF analysis, scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, LBO models, cap table modeling, and startup financial projections that founders, CFOs, and investors trust. Whether you are a pre-revenue startup validating your business model or a $50M company preparing for an acquisition — the model I build tells the real story and holds up under scrutiny. I have built models that have directly supported funding rounds, M&A transactions, and strategic decisions at board level. INVESTOR PITCH DECKS & BUSINESS PLANS A pitch deck is not a design exercise. It is a financial argument with slides. I structure pitch decks and business plans around the questions investors actually ask — unit economics, market sizing, revenue assumptions, burn rate, and exit pathways. Clients have used my materials to raise capital from venture capitalists, private equity firms, development finance institutions, and banks across multiple industries. I write the narrative, model the numbers, and make sure both tell the same story. AI AUTOMATION & KPI DASHBOARD DESIGN I design and implement AI-powered financial dashboards and process automation workflows tailored to each industry. Using Power BI, Tableau, and AI integrations, I replace spreadsheet chaos with real-time visibility into the KPIs that drive decisions. Finance teams stop chasing data and start using it. I have deployed dashboards across healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and technology — cutting reporting time significantly and giving leadership the financial visibility they have been missing. FUNDRAISING CONSULTANCY & CAPITAL RAISING STRATEGY I have supported fundraising across equity, debt, grant funding, impact capital, and blended finance structures. From building the data room to coaching leadership through investor conversations, I manage the full capital raising process — not just the documents. I understand what development finance institutions, impact investors, and institutional lenders need to see, and I structure every engagement accordingly. ESG, SDG & SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING FRAMEWORKS As ESG reporting becomes mandatory across most markets, organizations need someone who understands both the financial and impact dimensions. I build ESG and SDG KPI frameworks, sustainability reporting aligned to GRI, TCFD, and CSRD standards, impact measurement systems, and non-financial disclosures that meet regulatory expectations and attract impact-driven capital. FINANCIAL PLANNING & ANALYSIS (FP&A) I run end-to-end FP&A engagements covering budgeting, rolling forecasts, cash flow management, variance analysis, cost reduction strategy, and board-level financial reporting. I help leadership teams move from gut-feel decisions to data-backed ones — with clear visibility into what the numbers are saying and what to do about it. STRATEGIC CFO ADVISORY Beyond the deliverables, I act as a thinking partner to founders, CEOs, and boards on decisions that shape financial outcomes. Pricing strategy. Capital structure. M&A readiness. Market entry economics. Risk management. I bring 20+ years of cross-industry CFO experience to every conversation — boardroom credibility without the full-time price tag. ——— WHO I WORK BEST WITH ——— Startups preparing for their first or next raise. SMEs scaling past the spreadsheet phase. NGOs building impact frameworks for donors and DFIs. Business owners whose numbers are not telling the right story to investors, lenders, or their own board. If that is you — let us talk

I help startups build the pitch decks, financial models, and investor materials that actually close funding rounds — from the perspective of someone who evaluates these for a living. I'm a general partner at an early-stage VC firm ($300M+ AUM). I've deployed roughly $150M into startups, advised on another $300M or so, and helped guide multiple portfolio companies to successful exits. I've also raised $25M+ for my own ventures and served as CFO through multiple funding rounds. I've seen more pitches than an MLB catcher, and unlike most consultants, I know exactly what makes an investor lean forward versus reach for the "pass" button. When I build your deck, model, or memo, I'm building it the way I'd want to see it land on my desk. What I Do: Pitch Decks — Strategy-driven, investor-tested decks built on a defensible model and realistic valuation. Not templates. Email decks that stand alone without a presenter. Live decks that land. Financial Models — SaaS, marketplace, e-commerce, biotech, hardware. Bottom-up revenue builds, cohort analysis, scenario modeling, unit economics. Clean, auditable, and built to tell a story — not just fill cells. Valuations — DCF, comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, VC method. I always show the work and the assumptions. Investor Memorandums & Business Plans — Compelling narrative with proper disclosure, based on industry standards and two decades of raising capital. Fractional CFO & Strategic Finance — Capital structure, cap table optimization, term sheet review, fundraising strategy, board prep, and financial operations for startups that need senior finance leadership without the full-time commitment. Coaching & Advisory — Guidance for founders navigating fundraising, financial strategy, or "why is my investor ghosting me" territory. My clients range from pre-seed founders building their first deck to Series C companies refining their strategy. If you're passionate about your idea but a cap table makes your eyes glaze over, or you need someone who can pressure-test your model before investors do — let's talk. Send me a message with what you're working on and I'll let you know how I can help.