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Abacus and Falmouth Taxis
Built, very nearly lost, then rebuilt properly

A seven figure exit nearly twenty years after Tom bought the business at 22
Taxi office and vehicle, representative of the Abacus and Falmouth Taxis case study

A seven figure exit, nearly twenty years after Tom bought the business at 22 with every penny he had.

Like most real business stories, it was not a clean straight line. Five years in, Tom expanded into a garage business against his gut feeling. It looked like a sensible move at the time, but it pulled focus away from the taxi business that was already working.

He had entered an industry he did not properly understand, with the wrong people around it and too much upfront cost. Cash flow tightened, VAT pressure built, and customers who owed money started going under.

The taxi business came far closer to the edge than it should have.

The lesson in hindsight was not complicated. A business can be growing and still be drifting away from what actually makes it work.

Tom rebuilt the structure, tightened control, got closer to the numbers, and brought the focus back to the business that had real momentum. Over time, the business became stronger, clearer, and less dependent on everything running through him. Years later, Abacus and Falmouth Taxis sold properly, not because everything had always gone right, but because the business had been rebuilt after things had nearly gone wrong.

The Insolvent Turnaround

A business brought back under control.

Boatyard workshop, representative of the Devon marine firm turnaround case study
The Situation

A Devon marine firm working on superyachts, including projects for Princess Yachts, asked Tom for help. There was no provision for VAT or tax, the bookkeeping was months behind, and the business was close to insolvency.

The Intervention

Tom took full financial control, with the chequebook in his hand and his own money at risk. VAT and tax liabilities were ring fenced, creditors were paid down on agreed terms, and the business was put back on a professional footing.

The staff stayed throughout, with natural turnover only.

The Result

Twenty four months later the business had moved from insolvency risk to stable, consistent monthly profit.

It became saleable, was sold at a profit, and was turned around with no outside investment.

From insolvency risk to a marketable asset.

Twenty four months, start to sale.

More Margin From the Work Already There

A group of aesthetic clinics in the South West had strong revenue, real demand and full diaries, but profit did not match the workload.

The business was not struggling. It was busy and losing money it had already earned. Time, bookings and financial control were not joined up properly.

Profit margins improved with no extra appointments
Treatment room interior, representative of the aesthetic clinics case study

We rebuilt how clinical time, capacity and revenue were tracked so the business could properly see where money was being made, where it was being lost and which parts of the operation were quietly dragging margin down.

Profit margins improved with no extra appointments.

More profit from the same workload, with revenue improving as well. That is what structure does.

What the work looks like

Evidence of the thinking, analysis and documents produced during a proper commercial review.

These are genuine examples of work produced during a proper commercial review. Names, organisations, locations and other identifying details have been removed or generalised, but the commercial findings and recommendations remain unchanged.

First page of Half-Time Team Talk
01

Half-Time Team Talk

What became clear after spending time inside the business and following the evidence.

PDF, 4 pages

First page of The Mind That Built the Business Keeps Building the Next Stadium
02

The Mind That Built the Business Keeps Building the Next Stadium

A direct commercial review of the projects, systems and unfinished decisions absorbing time, money and attention.

PDF, 15 pages

First page of 90-Day Action Plan
03

90-Day Action Plan

The findings turned into practical actions, owners, deadlines and evidence of completion.

PDF, 7 pages

First page of Enactment Sheet
04

Enactment Sheet

How the recommendations become operating rules that can actually be followed and checked.

PDF, 2 pages

Real feedback from owners who have seen the work up close.

5.0 from 5 reviews on Google

Dan Fry

Tom has been through it himself and you can tell. He understands what it is like when everything runs through the owner and the business starts getting harder to manage. He is direct, practical and easy to talk to. He gave me clear advice without dressing it up. I would recommend him to other business owners.

a month ago

FRAMED AESTHETICS, SKINCARE & HEALTH

Tom was brilliant for our financial setup. He spotted exactly where we were losing money and helped us overhaul our costs without hitting our revenue growth. His handle on property assets and financial control gave us the stability we were missing. He is a straight talking, capable adviser who actually delivers.

4 months ago

Cheryl Stivey

I worked with Tom for many years and he could always spot a problem before the rest of us knew it. Straight talking no messing about and got things sorted quickly. A huge asset to any business essentials.

a month ago

S L

Tom listened properly and gave me a clear outside view of the business. He picked up quickly that I was trying to balance the social purpose with the commercial reality, and he helped put that into words. His advice was honest, practical and easy to understand. It gave me a clearer way to think about the next decisions.

a month ago

Nick Shapiro

I recently had the pleasure of working with Tom at Arrington Business Consultancy, and the value he brought was massive. He gave me a fresh perspective on my business, helped me identify new opportunities for growth, and challenged me to think bigger and more strategically moving forward. What stood out most was how approachable and knowledgeable he was. The advice wasn’t generic business talk - it was practical, realistic, and tailored to my situation. I came away with clearer direction, fresh ideas, and renewed confidence in where I can take my business next. If you’re feeling stuck, looking to scale, or simply want an outside perspective from someone who genuinely understands business growth, I’d highly recommend Tom.

2 months ago

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