NXD is a group of experienced, successful and practical business leaders who want to add value to SME businesses. We help businesses benefit from the involvement of a top quality businessman at a price that even the smallest business can afford. In some cases we make formal board placements, other times we operate in less formal positions. Unlike consultants who come into a business, make recommendations or complete a task, and then go; or employees who gradually lose their ability to view matters objectively; our members sit on the ‘rim’ of the business, neither in it nor outside of it. Consequently we bring independent status and free thinking along with a willingness to say what we think whilst being genuinely interested in the long term success of the business. The precise role we perform will differ from business to business from: acting as an experienced sounding board; opening doors and making connections; providing expert advice; helping to formulate company strategy and business plans; supporting the process of raising funding or assisting with specific one off tasks such as succession planning, acquisition, exit, and geographical expansion. We believe it is the first UK business that has been set up and structured specifically with the objective to bring the benefits of non-executive directors/services to SME’s. Where we differ is: • we are focused on adding significant value to the businesses with which we work and being honest enough to walk away where we do not believe we can add value. • we do not charge placement fees • we are very cost efficient because we normally work on the basis of spending a small amount of time over a longer period. • we do not normally do things for you, what we do is help you to do what you do better. This approach is not only cost efficient, it ensures that the improvements made are owned by you and your management team and are therefore sustainable.