By the time Rory spoke to JS White, 21 Degrees Digital had grown from a small agency into a team delivering work across web, SEO, PPC and digital strategy. Client demand was strong and the pipeline looked healthy, but behind the scenes many of the internal systems and processes had started to show their limits.
The leadership team could see they needed to invest in better tools, infrastructure and operational systems if the agency was going to continue scaling efficiently — things like improved project management, reporting systems and client-facing platforms — but committing to those investments all at once felt like a big financial step.
‘Our agency had reached an awkward middle stage. We knew we had to invest in better tech and infrastructure to keep growing properly, but it’s always a balancing act when you’re trying to reinvest while keeping cash flow healthy.’
Initial conversations with lenders felt complicated and unclear. Some options involved higher rates or restrictive terms that didn’t feel like the right fit for a growing business. In a regular review meeting, Rory discussed the situation with Victoria at JS White. Rather than pushing him towards the first option available, she introduced one of JSW’s trusted corporate finance partners — someone she knew could help make the process clear and manageable.
‘Her recommendation gave us confidence because we knew we weren’t starting from scratch with a stranger.’
The adviser worked through the company’s accounts, clarified what the business really needed to invest in and explored the most appropriate funding options available. He helped package the application, sense-check the forecasts and structure the borrowing so it felt affordable and sustainable for the business.
‘The whole process felt straightforward and well supported. Having someone guide us through it meant we could focus on running the agency rather than worrying about the detail.’
Since then, the investment has helped the team strengthen internal systems, improve efficiency and continue growing the business without putting unnecessary strain on the company’s finances or the leadership team.
‘21 Degrees Digital had reached an awkward middle stage. As directors, along with a growing team, we were busy, and the agency was performing well, but behind the scenes a lot of things were still being held together with spreadsheets, manual processes and systems we’d clearly outgrown. We knew we needed to invest in better tech and infrastructure to support the next stage of growth, but committing to that level of investment all at once felt difficult.
We spoke to our bank and a couple of lenders, but every option seemed to involve higher rates, restrictive terms or conditions that didn’t feel right for where the business was at. It felt like scaling the agency might mean taking on a level of risk we weren’t comfortable with.
In one of our regular reviews with JS White, we explained the situation and how it felt like we were starting to plateau operationally. Rather than simply sending us back to the bank, Victoria referred us to one of its corporate finance partners. She told us how much she trusted him, and her recommendation gave us confidence because we knew we weren’t starting from scratch with a stranger.
The adviser went through our accounts and helped us properly map out what we needed to invest in better internal systems, improved reporting and tools that would support the team as the agency grew. He helped us understand the options available and how much funding would make sense for the business and structured the application so it felt affordable and manageable. The whole process was clear and well supported, and he guided us through each stage.
Within a few weeks, everything was approved. We were able to invest in the systems and infrastructure the agency needed, which has helped streamline internal processes and free up more time for the team to focus on higher-value work. Over the following twelve months, we’ve continued to grow the agency while strengthening our internal operations without putting unnecessary strain on the business or the team.’
Rory Mason, CEO, 21 Degrees Digital
Zac had been running 21 Degrees Weddings, his wedding videography business, for a couple of years. There was steady demand from couples looking for high-quality wedding films, but as bookings increased he started to see the limitations of his current equipment and setup. To take on more weddings and raise the production quality even further, he knew he needed to invest — but assumed the window for start-up style funding had already passed.
‘I was a couple of years into running 21 Degrees Weddings – just me, my cameras and the gear I’d built up over time. Bookings were coming in, but I knew I needed to upgrade some of my equipment and invest a bit more in the business if I was going to keep improving the quality of what I deliver.’
Zac had considered finance but believed start-up loans were only available to brand new businesses. In a meeting at JS White, he mentioned this in passing and discovered he still had options. Jonathan explained that start-up loans can be available for businesses trading for up to three years and, importantly, he didn’t leave Zac to figure everything out on his own.
‘JS White don’t do finance directly, but they were able to put me in touch with a company they’ve worked with for about 15 years. Knowing that business had already been vetted by JS White gave me confidence they knew what they were doing and that I wasn’t walking into a hard sell.’
The finance partner helped Zac work out what level of income would comfortably cover the repayments, turned his rough notes into a lender-ready business plan and explained that the start-up loan interest rate was actually lower than some of the bank options he’d looked at. That meant he could borrow in a way that felt sensible and manageable for the business.
‘Looking back, I could probably have tried to do it myself, but I’d likely still be stressing over forms now! Instead, the loan was approved, I’ve upgraded my equipment and invested back into the business, and I can keep focusing on filming weddings and growing 21 Degrees Weddings knowing the finance is affordable.’
‘I was a couple of years into running 21 Degrees Weddings — just me, my cameras and the kit I’d built up over time.' Bookings were coming in, and there was clearly strong demand, but some of my equipment was starting to show its age, and I knew I needed to invest in better gear if I wanted to keep improving the quality of the films and take on more weddings.
I’d looked at finance before but assumed start-up loans were only for brand-new businesses, so I thought I’d missed the boat. When I mentioned this to Jonathan at JS White, he explained that start-up loans can still be available for businesses trading for up to three years. I didn’t know that, and straight away it felt like I had some options.
JS White don’t do finance themselves, but they were able to put me in touch with a company they’ve worked with for about 15 years. Knowing that the business had already been vetted by JS White gave me confidence they knew what they were doing and that I wasn’t walking into a hard sell.
The adviser went through my numbers and helped me work out what I realistically needed to earn to invest in new equipment, pay myself properly and still comfortably cover the repayments. He turned my rough notes into a proper business plan that the lender would take seriously. He also explained that the interest rate on the start-up loan was lower than the bank loans I’d looked at, making it the most sensible and affordable way to finance the investment – something else I hadn’t realised.
Looking back, I could probably have tried to do it myself, but I’d likely still be stressing over forms now! Instead, the loan was approved, I’ve upgraded my equipment and reinvested in the business, and I can now keep focusing on filming weddings and growing 21 Degrees Weddings knowing the finance is affordable.’
Zac Evans, Founder, 21 Degrees Weddings
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By the time Rory spoke to JS White, 21 Degrees Digital had grown from a small agency into a team delivering work across web, SEO, PPC and digital strategy. Client demand was strong and the pipeline looked healthy, but behind the scenes many of the internal systems and processes had started to show their limits.
The leadership team could see they needed to invest in better tools, infrastructure and operational systems if the agency was going to continue scaling efficiently — things like improved project management, reporting systems and client-facing platforms — but committing to those investments all at once felt like a big financial step.
‘Our agency had reached an awkward middle stage. We knew we had to invest in better tech and infrastructure to keep growing properly, but it’s always a balancing act when you’re trying to reinvest while keeping cash flow healthy.’
Initial conversations with lenders felt complicated and unclear. Some options involved higher rates or restrictive terms that didn’t feel like the right fit for a growing business. In a regular review meeting, Rory discussed the situation with Victoria at JS White. Rather than pushing him towards the first option available, she introduced one of JSW’s trusted corporate finance partners — someone she knew could help make the process clear and manageable.
‘Her recommendation gave us confidence because we knew we weren’t starting from scratch with a stranger.’
The adviser worked through the company’s accounts, clarified what the business really needed to invest in and explored the most appropriate funding options available. He helped package the application, sense-check the forecasts and structure the borrowing so it felt affordable and sustainable for the business.
‘The whole process felt straightforward and well supported. Having someone guide us through it meant we could focus on running the agency rather than worrying about the detail.’
Since then, the investment has helped the team strengthen internal systems, improve efficiency and continue growing the business without putting unnecessary strain on the company’s finances or the leadership team.
‘21 Degrees Digital had reached an awkward middle stage. As directors, along with a growing team, we were busy, and the agency was performing well, but behind the scenes a lot of things were still being held together with spreadsheets, manual processes and systems we’d clearly outgrown. We knew we needed to invest in better tech and infrastructure to support the next stage of growth, but committing to that level of investment all at once felt difficult.
We spoke to our bank and a couple of lenders, but every option seemed to involve higher rates, restrictive terms or conditions that didn’t feel right for where the business was at. It felt like scaling the agency might mean taking on a level of risk we weren’t comfortable with.
In one of our regular reviews with JS White, we explained the situation and how it felt like we were starting to plateau operationally. Rather than simply sending us back to the bank, Victoria referred us to one of its corporate finance partners. She told us how much she trusted him, and her recommendation gave us confidence because we knew we weren’t starting from scratch with a stranger.
The adviser went through our accounts and helped us properly map out what we needed to invest in better internal systems, improved reporting and tools that would support the team as the agency grew. He helped us understand the options available and how much funding would make sense for the business and structured the application so it felt affordable and manageable. The whole process was clear and well supported, and he guided us through each stage.
Within a few weeks, everything was approved. We were able to invest in the systems and infrastructure the agency needed, which has helped streamline internal processes and free up more time for the team to focus on higher-value work. Over the following twelve months, we’ve continued to grow the agency while strengthening our internal operations without putting unnecessary strain on the business or the team.’
Rory Mason, CEO, 21 Degrees Digital
Zac had been running 21 Degrees Weddings, his wedding videography business, for a couple of years. There was steady demand from couples looking for high-quality wedding films, but as bookings increased he started to see the limitations of his current equipment and setup. To take on more weddings and raise the production quality even further, he knew he needed to invest — but assumed the window for start-up style funding had already passed.
‘I was a couple of years into running 21 Degrees Weddings – just me, my cameras and the gear I’d built up over time. Bookings were coming in, but I knew I needed to upgrade some of my equipment and invest a bit more in the business if I was going to keep improving the quality of what I deliver.’
Zac had considered finance but believed start-up loans were only available to brand new businesses. In a meeting at JS White, he mentioned this in passing and discovered he still had options. Jonathan explained that start-up loans can be available for businesses trading for up to three years and, importantly, he didn’t leave Zac to figure everything out on his own.
‘JS White don’t do finance directly, but they were able to put me in touch with a company they’ve worked with for about 15 years. Knowing that business had already been vetted by JS White gave me confidence they knew what they were doing and that I wasn’t walking into a hard sell.’
The finance partner helped Zac work out what level of income would comfortably cover the repayments, turned his rough notes into a lender-ready business plan and explained that the start-up loan interest rate was actually lower than some of the bank options he’d looked at. That meant he could borrow in a way that felt sensible and manageable for the business.
‘Looking back, I could probably have tried to do it myself, but I’d likely still be stressing over forms now! Instead, the loan was approved, I’ve upgraded my equipment and invested back into the business, and I can keep focusing on filming weddings and growing 21 Degrees Weddings knowing the finance is affordable.’
‘I was a couple of years into running 21 Degrees Weddings — just me, my cameras and the kit I’d built up over time.' Bookings were coming in, and there was clearly strong demand, but some of my equipment was starting to show its age, and I knew I needed to invest in better gear if I wanted to keep improving the quality of the films and take on more weddings.
I’d looked at finance before but assumed start-up loans were only for brand-new businesses, so I thought I’d missed the boat. When I mentioned this to Jonathan at JS White, he explained that start-up loans can still be available for businesses trading for up to three years. I didn’t know that, and straight away it felt like I had some options.
JS White don’t do finance themselves, but they were able to put me in touch with a company they’ve worked with for about 15 years. Knowing that the business had already been vetted by JS White gave me confidence they knew what they were doing and that I wasn’t walking into a hard sell.
The adviser went through my numbers and helped me work out what I realistically needed to earn to invest in new equipment, pay myself properly and still comfortably cover the repayments. He turned my rough notes into a proper business plan that the lender would take seriously. He also explained that the interest rate on the start-up loan was lower than the bank loans I’d looked at, making it the most sensible and affordable way to finance the investment – something else I hadn’t realised.
Looking back, I could probably have tried to do it myself, but I’d likely still be stressing over forms now! Instead, the loan was approved, I’ve upgraded my equipment and reinvested in the business, and I can now keep focusing on filming weddings and growing 21 Degrees Weddings knowing the finance is affordable.’
Zac Evans, Founder, 21 Degrees Weddings
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By the time Rory spoke to JS White, 21 Degrees Digital had grown from a small agency into a team delivering work across web, SEO, PPC and digital strategy. Client demand was strong and the pipeline looked healthy, but behind the scenes many of the internal systems and processes had started to show their limits.
The leadership team could see they needed to invest in better tools, infrastructure and operational systems if the agency was going to continue scaling efficiently — things like improved project management, reporting systems and client-facing platforms — but committing to those investments all at once felt like a big financial step.
‘Our agency had reached an awkward middle stage. We knew we had to invest in better tech and infrastructure to keep growing properly, but it’s always a balancing act when you’re trying to reinvest while keeping cash flow healthy.’
Initial conversations with lenders felt complicated and unclear. Some options involved higher rates or restrictive terms that didn’t feel like the right fit for a growing business. In a regular review meeting, Rory discussed the situation with Victoria at JS White. Rather than pushing him towards the first option available, she introduced one of JSW’s trusted corporate finance partners — someone she knew could help make the process clear and manageable.
‘Her recommendation gave us confidence because we knew we weren’t starting from scratch with a stranger.’
The adviser worked through the company’s accounts, clarified what the business really needed to invest in and explored the most appropriate funding options available. He helped package the application, sense-check the forecasts and structure the borrowing so it felt affordable and sustainable for the business.
‘The whole process felt straightforward and well supported. Having someone guide us through it meant we could focus on running the agency rather than worrying about the detail.’
Since then, the investment has helped the team strengthen internal systems, improve efficiency and continue growing the business without putting unnecessary strain on the company’s finances or the leadership team.
‘21 Degrees Digital had reached an awkward middle stage. As directors, along with a growing team, we were busy, and the agency was performing well, but behind the scenes a lot of things were still being held together with spreadsheets, manual processes and systems we’d clearly outgrown. We knew we needed to invest in better tech and infrastructure to support the next stage of growth, but committing to that level of investment all at once felt difficult.
We spoke to our bank and a couple of lenders, but every option seemed to involve higher rates, restrictive terms or conditions that didn’t feel right for where the business was at. It felt like scaling the agency might mean taking on a level of risk we weren’t comfortable with.
In one of our regular reviews with JS White, we explained the situation and how it felt like we were starting to plateau operationally. Rather than simply sending us back to the bank, Victoria referred us to one of its corporate finance partners. She told us how much she trusted him, and her recommendation gave us confidence because we knew we weren’t starting from scratch with a stranger.
The adviser went through our accounts and helped us properly map out what we needed to invest in better internal systems, improved reporting and tools that would support the team as the agency grew. He helped us understand the options available and how much funding would make sense for the business and structured the application so it felt affordable and manageable. The whole process was clear and well supported, and he guided us through each stage.
Within a few weeks, everything was approved. We were able to invest in the systems and infrastructure the agency needed, which has helped streamline internal processes and free up more time for the team to focus on higher-value work. Over the following twelve months, we’ve continued to grow the agency while strengthening our internal operations without putting unnecessary strain on the business or the team.’
Rory Mason, CEO, 21 Degrees Digital
Zac had been running 21 Degrees Weddings, his wedding videography business, for a couple of years. There was steady demand from couples looking for high-quality wedding films, but as bookings increased he started to see the limitations of his current equipment and setup. To take on more weddings and raise the production quality even further, he knew he needed to invest — but assumed the window for start-up style funding had already passed.
‘I was a couple of years into running 21 Degrees Weddings – just me, my cameras and the gear I’d built up over time. Bookings were coming in, but I knew I needed to upgrade some of my equipment and invest a bit more in the business if I was going to keep improving the quality of what I deliver.’
Zac had considered finance but believed start-up loans were only available to brand new businesses. In a meeting at JS White, he mentioned this in passing and discovered he still had options. Jonathan explained that start-up loans can be available for businesses trading for up to three years and, importantly, he didn’t leave Zac to figure everything out on his own.
‘JS White don’t do finance directly, but they were able to put me in touch with a company they’ve worked with for about 15 years. Knowing that business had already been vetted by JS White gave me confidence they knew what they were doing and that I wasn’t walking into a hard sell.’
The finance partner helped Zac work out what level of income would comfortably cover the repayments, turned his rough notes into a lender-ready business plan and explained that the start-up loan interest rate was actually lower than some of the bank options he’d looked at. That meant he could borrow in a way that felt sensible and manageable for the business.
‘Looking back, I could probably have tried to do it myself, but I’d likely still be stressing over forms now! Instead, the loan was approved, I’ve upgraded my equipment and invested back into the business, and I can keep focusing on filming weddings and growing 21 Degrees Weddings knowing the finance is affordable.’
‘I was a couple of years into running 21 Degrees Weddings — just me, my cameras and the kit I’d built up over time.' Bookings were coming in, and there was clearly strong demand, but some of my equipment was starting to show its age, and I knew I needed to invest in better gear if I wanted to keep improving the quality of the films and take on more weddings.
I’d looked at finance before but assumed start-up loans were only for brand-new businesses, so I thought I’d missed the boat. When I mentioned this to Jonathan at JS White, he explained that start-up loans can still be available for businesses trading for up to three years. I didn’t know that, and straight away it felt like I had some options.
JS White don’t do finance themselves, but they were able to put me in touch with a company they’ve worked with for about 15 years. Knowing that the business had already been vetted by JS White gave me confidence they knew what they were doing and that I wasn’t walking into a hard sell.
The adviser went through my numbers and helped me work out what I realistically needed to earn to invest in new equipment, pay myself properly and still comfortably cover the repayments. He turned my rough notes into a proper business plan that the lender would take seriously. He also explained that the interest rate on the start-up loan was lower than the bank loans I’d looked at, making it the most sensible and affordable way to finance the investment – something else I hadn’t realised.
Looking back, I could probably have tried to do it myself, but I’d likely still be stressing over forms now! Instead, the loan was approved, I’ve upgraded my equipment and reinvested in the business, and I can now keep focusing on filming weddings and growing 21 Degrees Weddings knowing the finance is affordable.’
Zac Evans, Founder, 21 Degrees Weddings