Besides personal finance, private consulting, and real estate, at Stone & belter we also focus on entrepreneurs and their companies. Just like in other areas, our internal drive to provide excellent and professional service led us to this. That is why, in 2020, we launched a dedicated department for our advisors and their clients called the “Corporate Desk”, where they can turn for matters related to corporate financial management, business projects, and various types of financing – operational, investment, project, or revenue-based.

We wanted to have specialists who work in this area on a daily basis and possess the necessary know-how, competencies, and contacts.

After several years, we can say that we have succeeded and have helped and advised a wide range of clients. However, it has not always been just about arranging financing; sometimes it was necessary to guide correctly, other times to share experiences from previous clients. Many times, we have also helped clients identify risks in their plans so they could responsibly decide whether to proceed or withdraw while there was still time. Gradually, this has been complemented by various process audits, feasibility studies, and investigations that corporate clients often do not have time or sufficient competence to conduct. The Corporate Desk is thus a fully functional partner where you can outsource a full range of professional services.

Our goal has been, and continues to be, to provide independent, transparent, and professional services with an individual approach to each client. For corporate clients, there is hardly any other way, as each company and business project is unique and often in a very specific situation. Therefore, we provide this service as a paid service, similar to how legal or tax advisory services are charged.

And how do we proceed with an individual approach? The entire process is divided with advisors into several stages:

1. Initial Meeting and Gathering Entry Information

We always want to get to know the client’s company or project and understand its current situation, aligned with their goals – only then can we provide a service of the quality we stand by. Today, it doesn’t matter whether the initial meeting is in person or online; we always need to verify the client’s intentions and complete the regulatory KYC and AML procedures (KYC – Know Your Customer, AML – Anti-Money Laundering). Initially, we also request the necessary documents and data from the client that are not publicly available, so we can properly process their request.

2. Estimating the Scope of Service and Approval

After reviewing the initial information, which is essential to estimate the scope of our service, we propose a procedure (specific steps) and outputs to the client that we aim to deliver at the end of our work. At the same time, we estimate the required capacity and approximate costs for the client. Once the client agrees that our proposals match their preferences and cover their needs, we finalize a service agreement, and, if necessary, a power of attorney allowing us to represent them before banks and financial institutions, saving their valuable time.

3. Analysis of Information and Documents

After obtaining all necessary documents and information (not only from the client but also from public and non-public sources), we analyze the data and compare results with the current situation across the financial/banking market. Everything is verified and assessed in the context of the client’s requirements and needs.

4. Evaluation and Informing the Client

We evaluate the results and present them to the client both personally and formally – outputs are structured into clear reports or a final summary, highlighting the most important points, because we know that “less is more.” This aims to discuss conclusions with the client and agree on the next steps – e.g., whether to apply for a loan or whether to proceed with or abandon the intended plan. The final decision always lies with the client.

5. Follow-up and Other Activities

Other activities we perform for clients and their companies can be varied – for example, preparing a loan proposal, submitting other requests (payment terminal, account, bank guarantee, etc.), or monitoring compliance with contractual obligations arising from loans or other financial agreements. We may also oversee the achievement of interim objectives for critical projects, ensuring they unfold as planned. This not only saves clients time and often nerves but also ensures they do not lose their hard-earned money. Additionally, it allows them to focus on further business and earning money doing what they enjoy and find fulfilling. This brings us joy and satisfaction.

If you would like additional information or have questions about the operation of the Stone & belter Corporate Desk and how we can help you with corporate financing or financial management, do not hesitate to contact your advisor or email firmy@sbelter.cz.

We look forward to working with you!

We would like to thank our esteemed colleague and corporate finance expert, Oldřich Janda, for his valuable collaboration in the creation of this article.

Note: All amounts originally in Czech crowns (Kč) have been converted to Euro (EUR) using a fixed exchange rate of 25 Kč = 1 EUR.