We don’t take full-time executive positions with the businesses we invest in and we’re not involved in the day-to-day decision making. Rather, we give the management team the time and space to get on with running the business. This lets us step back and see the bigger picture. We then work with the management team to identify and implement the changes that will really make a difference.

Our time with our investments can vary from a monthly catch up to daily meetings and conversations when there is something we can really add value to. We’re always available, day or night, as a sounding board on a big decision or a sympathetic ear at the end of a tough day.

The team at Nevis have built and operated many successful businesses and that means we’ve been over the course. Our experience is broad – from sales and customer service to operating systems; from the boardroom to the shop floor. We’ve learnt from lots of mistakes we’ve made along the way and believe this experience is valuable to other businesses.

The key lesson we have learnt is how important it is to get the right people with the right skills and experience throughout the business. A detailed technical understanding of the product or service is paramount and that’s why we encourage apprenticeship programmes and promotion from within. However, we also believe there is real value in the experience of leading businesses through periods of growth, of entering new markets or territories and of managing change. These are areas where Nevis can really add value and form a crucial part of the team needed to help a business achieve its potential.

Nevis brings a lot more than money to any deal but we know that having funds available to invest does help. We know that future growth often requires upfront investment in people, equipment and systems. We’ve supported our companies with funding for new products and to enter new markets and with several acquisitions of competitors or complementary businesses.