What Clients Say

Cayenne led us down the path from start to finish. They helped us crystallize our strategy, and architect a compelling business plan that was well received by investors.

Eugene Gourevitch, CEO
Chronus Finance
Moscow, Russia

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Financial Services Business Plan Development

Our experience in the financial services sector spans the following areas:

    
  • Asset Management
  • Commercial Banking
  • Credit Services
  • Diversified Investments
  • Hedge Funds
  • Insurance
  • Investment Banking
  • Investment Brokerage & Trading
  • M&A / Leveraged Roll-Up Strategies
  • Mortgage Banking
  • Mortgage Investment
  • Real Estate Investment Trusts
  • Risk Management
  • Savings & Loans
  • Specialized Lending
  • Tax Credit Brokerage

Financial Services Industry Consultants

Our team of financial services specialists includes the following consultants:

  Jenifer Grant, MBA - Principal Consultant

Jenifer has been involved with finance, strategy, and marketing in a wide variety of roles and industries for over 15 years. In addition to third-party clients, she developed plans and implemented strategies for internal new businesses within IT and investment banking during the corporate phase of her career. Jenifer's clients range from start-up through high middle market companies in fields including IT, software, green tech / renewable energy, telecom services, wireless, financial services, Internet/e-commerce, media/entertainment, healthcare products and wellness, consumer and industrial products, retail, mining and commodities, energy and tourism.

Prior to working as an independent consultant, Jenifer structured and managed transactions in global merchant banking and derivatives, and held strategic planning and management positions within investment banking and IT functions at Bankers Trust Company. Earlier, she worked in credit corporate finance at Manufacturers Hanover and portfolio strategy, equity and fixed income research at Kidder Peabody.

Jenifer has an MBA in Finance from Wharton and a BA in Economics from Columbia.

  Charlie Kickham, MBA - Principal Consultant

Charlie brings 17 years of experience in finance, strategic partnership development, organizational restructuring, real estate development, and business development to Cayenne Consulting. Charlie's experience extends from Wall Street to start-ups, delivering large-company fiscal and operational discipline to emerging companies whose structures are most fragile in their early years. Operating both in the trenches as an entrepreneur and on the outside as an investor/advisor, Charlie understands the needs and demands of both. Such experience lends well to start-ups, not only in their quest for capital but also in their need for sound judgment in getting their business off the ground. This includes organizational management, operational strategies, process and technology roadmaps, revenue and cash flow projections, financial models and forecasts, legal and capital structures, advisory board and ramp-up strategies, technology development, and team building.

Charlie's core financial strength blends operational efficiency with a mandate to always improve existing structures and best practices. Such strengths were evident at TD Waterhouse where Charlie helped develop the firm’s global treasury operations and then rose to provide leadership for one of its most profitable and critical business units, directing strategic/operational planning, financial forecasting, budgeting, securities lending, firm funding, cash management, and risk management initiatives, with ultimate responsibility over the firm's cash maximization. Charlie employs such tactics in the start-up environment where the early years of launching are some of the most critical.

Charlie has been, and continues to be, a founding member of multiple internet start-ups in all fields, and operates as managing partner at Avos Holdings focusing on opportunistic investments in real estate and corporate finance.

Charlie holds MBA degrees from both New York University's Stern School of Business and the London School of Economics, and is a mentor both at NYU's Berkley School of Entrepreneurial Studies, and with entrepreneurial programs involving inner-city New York City high school students.

  Van Lanier - Principal Consultant

Van is an accomplished business practitioner who helps entrepreneurs start, grow, and harvest their ventures. Van has prepared over 300 business plans, financial forecasts, and funding memorandums in industries ranging from data mining to water disinfection. He also has deep knowledge of government contracting, environmental technology, and financial analysis.

Van is a Certified Management Consultant whose professional career includes 35 years of corporate turnaround consulting, plus creating seven entrepreneurial ventures of his own. He enjoyed success with most, but took it in the gut from one. This combination of technical knowledge and hands-on start up experience has given Van a unique set of skills and know-how.

Van earned his MBA with highest honors before personal computers made the math easy. He is a long-time member of the Institute of Management Consultants and the Superior Business Firm Roundtable.

Van is a director and adviser to businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. He writes and speaks on business issues for the International Finance Corporation, Small Business Development Centers, and other organizations.

  Jimmy Lewin - Principal Consultant

Jimmy's background includes over 40 years in international, commercial and investment banking, and nearly a decade as the principal shareholder and CEO of a rapidly growing manufacturing and distribution business in California. Today, Jimmy spends his time advising and consulting with entrepreneurs on matters related to business planning, as well as capital markets and funding strategies. In addition, he serves in an advisory role to the National Science Foundation where he provides recommendations on the funding of SBIR/STTR grant proposals.

Jimmy serves on a number of Advisory Boards for emerging companies that have recently raised capital or are about to raise capital. In all of his work, he expresses a strong belief in the importance of customer acquisition, customer retention, and understanding the financial consequences of each and every business activity.

During his 20 years at Security Pacific Bank, Jimmy served in a number of senior management positions in the U.S. and internationally. Applicable assignments included responsibility for the funding of all of the institution's subsidiaries and affiliates domiciled outside of the U.S., general management of two overseas affiliates and general management of the bank's California staff departments.

For two years, he served as President, Director and CEO of Guardian Bancorporation, Los Angeles, California. Jimmy has extensive senior management and Board of Director experience. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati where he earned a B.A. in Political Science.

  Malcolm McLelland, Ph.D. - Principal Consultant

Malcolm has over 24 years' experience in financial modeling and econometric analysis gained in public accounting, commercial lending, and academic institutions. He has been engaged in such matters by firms in the manufacturing, processing, technology, real estate, and financial services industries, as well as by financial institutions and their regulatory agencies. His financial models have been used in financial planning and performance measurement, development of corporate governance and management control systems, merger and acquisition analysis and structuring, negotiating private debt and equity placements, capital (re)structuring and reorganization, business valuation, and commercial damages litigation consulting.

Malcolm's academic research focuses on how accounting information is used in equity markets, how managers make optimal financial reporting decisions, and how professional labor markets in accounting, finance, and information systems work. His research has been published in Review of Accounting & Finance and Managerial Finance, and he has written a number of monographs and articles included in professional publications and periodicals. Malcolm has taught a wide range of courses including financial accounting and analysis, managerial accounting and decision-making, corporate governance, asset pricing theory and business valuation at Michigan State University, University of Illinois at Chicago, Purdue University, and most recently at Indiana University.

Malcolm was graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in 1981, and from Michigan State University with a Ph.D. in 1999.

  Tim O'Connor, MBA - Principal Consultant

Tim O'Connor is a tremendous asset to our Consumer Products practice area and brings the innovation and passion of a proven entrepreneur plus the enormous volume of results from his classic brand marketing experiences on some of the world’s best known brands including Betty Crocker®, Tropicana® Juice, Coors®, Star Wars® and many more.

With more than twenty years of experience in traditional consumer marketing, Tim is a hands-on leader in product development, strategic planning, sales management and operations issues. As an executive leader, Tim has built a reputation as a marketing & sales driven executive in corporate turnarounds and brings a level of analysis and urgency to strategic decisions facing large and small organizations. Tim has developed countless strategic plans and presentations in such areas as marketing strategy, business model innovation, consumer research, channel management, new product development, brand renewal and product launches to name a few.

Tim is also the Founder of Brightspot Brands, the company he created to focus on the emerging functional candy segment. His company created the world's first healthy candy brand known as gimme®. The brand featured great tasting, premium chocolate candy packed with nutrition like real dairy calcium, Omega3 from flaxseed and probiotics. The business was sold to a strategic investor in 2010.

Tim earned his undergraduate degree in Economics at the University of Minnesota and earned his MBA from the JL Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with emphasis in Finance and Marketing.

  Scott Pollov - Principal Consultant

Scott brings nearly two decades of experience in planning, developing, financing, marketing, and managing entrepreneurial and real estate based ventures, both as a principal and as a consultant. He has managed several hundred strategic consulting engagements for companies in nearly every industry and stage of development. Before joining Cayenne, Scott was the co-founder and managing partner of BizPlanIt, a management consulting and capital advisory firm that assisted clients through the process of creating, financing, growing, and sustaining their business. Scott focused on pre-financing transaction preparation and positioning services, including market and competitive research, business planning services, strategic and growth planning, financial analysis and projections, investor presentation materials, recommendations on value enhancement, presentation coaching, advisory board membership, and the identification and development of strategic, marketing, and technology partners.

Scott has focused extensively on serving companies in the real estate development and finance industries, including master planned community, residential, and commercial developers; multifamily and commercial property investment companies; real estate private equity funds; and commercial and residential mortgage brokers/lenders. Scott has been active as a principal in a real estate investment firm, as well as in the funding of private money and commercial mortgage transactions.

Earlier, Scott worked at at McGladrey & Pullen, a national public accounting firm, where he specialized in financial statement audits for middle market manufacturing, distribution, and medical services companies. Scott holds a B.S. in Accounting and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona, and is an inductee in the University's Berger Entrepreneurship Program Hall of Fame for his role in developing BizPlanIt.

  Principal Consultant, MBA

Our San Francisco consultant has over twenty years of experience as a management consultant. He specializes in working with San Francisco Bay Area / Silicon Valley companies seeking venture capital. He is the author of numerous business plans leading to successful multi-million dollar investments. His plans have been used to raise capital, to solve critical business problems, and to persuade investors, boards, and senior management to take action. His plans are effective because they are based upon thorough qualitative and quantitative analysis, yet are able to communicate complex ideas in a simple straightforward manner.

He has client experience in high tech, green tech / alternative energy, commercial real estate, construction materials, financial services, biotech, aerospace, manufacturing, hospitality, and service industries.

He earned his MBA from Harvard University and his BA in Biochemistry from Brown University.

Financial Services Industry Experience

Our experience in financial services, either as consultants, entrepreneurs, or employees in the industry, includes the following:

  • Mortgage Bank: Developed a business plan and financial forecast for American Mortgage Specialists, one of the largest mortgage banks/brokers in the western United States, with 180 branch offices and 1,200 employees. Until now, the company's growth has been fueled through marketing expertise. However, further growth was constrained by working capital needs. Cayenne Consulting was engaged to prepare a business plan to make the case for investing in AMS. "Cayenne was professional, fast, and delivered an excellent product," said David McMaster, Vice President of Mortgage Banking at AMS. The plan was "to the point and tells the story. Very well done."
  • Consumer Banking: Developed a business plan, financial forecast, and investor presentation for Chronus Finance, a Moscow-based financial brokerage firm focused on the mass consumer market in Russia. Following the financial supermarket business model, Chronus' rich product suite includes mortgages, home equity lines of credit, auto and equipment loans, as well as insurance and investment products. "Cayenne led us down the path from start to finish. They helped us crystallize our strategy, and architect a compelling business plan that was well received by investors," commented Eugene Gourevitch, CEO.
  • Specialty Lending: Developed the business plan for a San Francisco Bay Area financial company which is the first and only private lender to offer asset-based financing to the antiques and fine arts community largely over the internet.
  • Tax Credit Brokerage: Prepared recommendations for restructuring the originations process of a San Francisco boutique investment bank specializing in structuring and marketing tax credit investments to institutional clients.
  • Back Office Processing: Developed a business plan, investor presentation, and related materials for a provider of outsourced accounting and management solutions for alternative investment firms. The client was looking to leading investment banks to finance its expansion and industry ranking, and required top-of-the-line investor presentation materials. "It was critical to us that our consultant have an in-depth understanding of the mindset and expectations of the top-tier banks we were approaching for financing, and who could effectively convey the strengths and potential of our firm. Cayenne fully exploited their expertise so that we could achieve maximum impact while raising funds," said the company's Vice Chairman.
  • International Merchant Payment Processing Technology: Developed a business plan for a Nigerian electronic payment technology and solutions firm that will help financial institutions and merchants to conveniently, securely, and efficiently process customer payment transactions. Dedicated to providing superior customer service and industry-leading technology, the client will provide the tools and know-how to help customers of all sizes combat fraud and identity theft using dynamic signature and fingerprint biometric means. This will effectively reduce loss of billions of naira (Nigerian currency) experienced by Nigerian financial institutions yearly due to fraudsters.
  • Municipal Payments Processing: Developed the business plan, financial forecast, and investor presentation for TrafficPayment, developer of an award winning web-based system that enables municipal governments to accept and process traffic citation payments online. Ryan Roberts, VP of Marketing, said "I definitely liked the amount of time our consultant spent communicating with us. He went the extra mile to understand our business model by keeping in constant contact with us throughout the entire process. Professional, Knowledgeable, Talented, Capable, Helpful... these words all come to mind when talking about Cayenne."
  • Social Investing: Founding member of an innovative and scalable investment management platform which creates a dynamic marketplace between skilled fund managers and self-directed investors. Developed business plan and financial forecast, and built and maintained a fully integrated financial model including intrinsic valuation models. Integral part of securing and negotiating four investment transactions with venture capital funds.
  • Foreclosure Prevention: Assisted a Los Angeles-based real estate investment company in developing a business plan that was used to raise capital for this fast growing company. The principal purpose of the business plan was to establish a warehouse line of credit from a local bank. The client used the proceeds from the line of credit to purchase homes from clients who were about to default on their home mortgages with the intent of keeping the client in the home and then selling the home back to the client at a future date.
  • Construction Financing: Negotiated specialized construction financing for the Swiss Bank Corporation of Zurich; Bayerische Landesbank of Munich; the IKB Deutsche Industriebank of Dusseldorf; Schneider Electric Company of Paris; the Steag Power Generation Company of Essen; Sulzer of Winterthur in Switzerland; Thyssen Krupp AG in Dusseldorf; DaimlerChrysler in Washington, D.C.; and Mott MacDonald Consulting Engineers of Brighton, U.K.
  • Financial Institution M&A: Project managed the merger of the fixed income derivatives operations of Salomon Brothers and Smith Barney, departments with combined annual revenues of $200 million.
  • Financial Institution Regulatory Compliance: Project managed the implementation of a global initiative to establish compliance with quasi-regulatory guidelines for derivatives trading within Salomon Brothers. Obtained the full cooperation of numerous department heads (both functional and regional) to achieve successful implementation.
  • Financial Institution Risk Management: Assisted numerous financial institutions with developing appropriate qualitative and quantitative frameworks for the evaluation, monitoring, and management of market, credit, and operational risks. Clients included J.P. Morgan, Barclays, National Bank of Canada, AmSouth Bank, Bank Julius Baer, and others.
  • International Project Financings: Analyzed and structured project financings exceeding $1.5 Billion submitted to the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and other multilateral financial organizations by international businesses, banks, and insurance companies.
  • Stored Value Cards: Founded and ran a startup offering Reloadable Stored Value (a.k.a Debit) card for youth, tapping into the $150+ Billion spending power of the U.S. teenagers who do not qualify for credit cards.
  • Financial Transaction Processing: Managed global new venture development practice in Financial Services for GTECH Corporation, then the largest financial transaction processor in the world, and a global leader in gaming and lottery technologies.
  • Consumer Debt Management: Providing ongoing strategic planning, financial analysis, and related management consulting services to a major consumer debt management company in Massachusetts. The company offers debt settlement, debt consolidation, and related services.
  • International Payment Processing: Providing ongoing strategic planning, financial analysis, technology assessment, and related management consulting services to a developer of technologies to simplify the cross-border online purchasing process.
  • Financial Services M&A: Executed M&A transactions and public and private financings for commercial banks, S&Ls, home equity lenders, mortgage REITs, and real estate related companies. Clients included SunTrust Banks, Wachovia, First Union, Washington Mutual, New Jersey Mortgage, Bank United, Blackrock, and Haven Savings Bank.
  • Financial Institution Regulatory Compliance: Performed regulatory compliance at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, with a specialization in credit risk and capital adequacy.
  • Investment Management: Senior research analyst (buy-side) covering large-cap banks, regional banks, fiduciary banks, consumer finance, commercial finance and real estate related stocks.
  • Financial Product Marketing: Developed and executed strategy for a Bankers Trust unit to market currency, equity, interest rate and commodity derivative products, and to create credit-enhanced financial solutions utilizing derivatives and receivables-linked structures for Latin American clients. Initiated and spearheaded new three-person unit with startup profits exceeding $1.25 million.
  • Investment Banking: Analyzed, evaluated, structured, credit enhanced, negotiated, and arranged innovative crossborder financings, recapitalizations, investments in, and acquisitions of businesses by clients and for employer's portfolio on transactions from $20-$500MM. Clients included sovereigns and parastatal entities, and companies in consumer and industrial products, mining and commodities, tourism, entertainment, agriculture and financial services.
  • Investment Analysis: Developed models, performed analyses and presented results for Kidder, Peabody's new investment products team involved with equity valuation, risk/return measurement, inflation-adjusted cash flow, bond credit quality.
  • Mergers & Acquisitions: Valued acquisition targets and authored offering memoranda for international billion+ dollar business combinations. Projects included analyzing various deal structures and financing transactions. Participated in negotiations, due diligence, contract drafting, and tax and accounting strategy sessions. Worked with SmithKline Beecham, Eastman Kodak, Bayer AG, United HealthCare, and others.

Note: Some of the activities noted on these pages may reflect experience gained by a consultant prior to his or her association with Cayenne Consulting LLC. Cayenne Consulting does not offer any services that require licensing or registration with the NASD or other federal or state authorities.


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