Build something people want.
Shape the idea, define the customer, test the proposition and make a realistic route to market. Prepare for investors when the business is ready.
A stronger proposition. A focused first test. A clearer launch plan.
BUSINESS ADVISORY / HERMAN VERMAAK
Business advice.Built in thereal world.
For startups, established businesses and corporate teams. Strategy, growth, investor preparation and technology, with an operator who understands the whole journey.
Your next chapter starts with a conversation.
28+years of hands-on experience
Operator to CEOexperience at every level
UK · USA · MENAbusinesses we're here to help
THE WHOLE BUSINESS JOURNEY
From the first idea.To the next market.
Different stages. Different pressures. Experience that connects the vision to the work.
Make the next stage work.
Find the friction behind slow growth. Sharpen sales and marketing, improve how the business runs, or assess the next market and the systems you'll need.
Clear priorities. A practical growth plan. Better commercial decisions.
An operator in the room.
An independent perspective for leaders and boards making product, commercial, technology and market decisions. Connect the strategy to stakeholders and delivery.
A decision brief. Aligned priorities. A plan the team can own.
01 / THE REAL-WORLD ADVANTAGE
Some lessons don'tcome from a pitch deck.
You deserve advice from someone who understands the weight of the decision.
Building businesses. Facing failures. Creating products. Meeting investors. Negotiating multimillion-pound contracts. Leading teams. And taking responsibility when things get difficult.
Herman VermaakFounder. Builder. Business operator.
THE PERSON IN YOUR CORNER
Herman Vermaak
Advisory Board Member · Royal FundsView the Royal Funds team
I've spent more than 28 years working from the ground up to CEO level, across private and public sector business. I understand the pressure to make payroll, win the next contract, explain the vision and deliver what was promised.
I work with you on the business in front of us: what is working, what is getting in the way, and what deserves your time and money next. Direct conversations. Clear priorities. Work you can use.
01
Built, lost, rebuilt
Business experience that includes the hard parts.
02
Commercial to public sector
Contracts, stakeholders and decisions across very different rooms.
03
From strategy to software
The ability to help shape the plan and build the tools behind it.
Any company wanting to work with Herman would get my highest recommendation to do so.
Paul KelseyPublic LinkedIn recommendation
02 / WHERE WE GET TO WORK
The right help.At the right moment.
Bring the problem as it is. We'll find the decisions that matter and make the next move practical.
01 / 07
Make the next move a deliberate one.
WHEN THIS FITS
You have ambition, a busy team and too many competing priorities. You need an independent view of where to focus.
WHAT WE WORK ON
- Business model, positioning and commercial priorities
- Bottlenecks, operating realities and risks
- Decisions, ownership and a realistic 90-day sequence
WHAT YOU LEAVE WITH
A focused strategy, a decision list and a practical 90-day action plan.
03 / FOCUSED PROJECTS
Less friction.More forward motion.
OpenAI and Codex expertise, applied to real work. Improve the commercial engine. Prepare for a bigger contract. A clear brief, a fixed fee and a result your team can assess.
PROJECT QUOTE CURRENCY
Remote engagements across the UK, USA and MENA. Fees are quoted by market.
OPENAI & CODEX / MEASURE THE VALUE
OpenAI & Codex implementation
One workflow. Built, tested and handed over.
Hands-on expertise for teams ready to put ChatGPT, Codex or the OpenAI API to work. Start with one useful workflow, set the acceptance criteria and measure whether the result earns a wider rollout.
FIXED PROJECT FEE£2,950/ agreed scope
20 working days + reviewWHAT YOU RECEIVE
- Scoping, account setup guidance and a time / quality / cost baseline
- One working skill, automation or development workflow in your accounts
- Acceptance testing, operating guide and a 60-minute team handover
- 30 days of fixes within the agreed scope and a measured ROI review
One team · one workflow · up to two existing tools. OpenAI plans, API usage, hosting and third-party software paid separately. Wider rollouts quoted to an agreed scope.
AI & OPERATIONS
AI & automation blueprint
Find the work AI should do.
For teams spending too much time on admin, follow-up and disconnected tools. Choose a useful first pilot before committing to a build.
FIXED PROJECT FEE£950/ agreed scope
10 working daysWHAT YOU RECEIVE
- Review of up to three business workflows
- A tool shortlist, cost assumptions and human review points
- A 30-day pilot plan with owners and success measures
- Two 60-minute sessions and a 30-minute follow-up
One team · up to three workflows · advisory and planning
SALES & PROFITABILITY
Revenue & margin sprint
Make the numbers behind the sale work.
For businesses with enquiries, activity or sales that are not translating into enough profit. Focus on one offer and the route from lead to paid customer.
FIXED PROJECT FEE£950/ agreed scope
10 working daysWHAT YOU RECEIVE
- Review of one offer, pricing and sales pipeline
- A margin and conversion worksheet using your figures
- A revised offer outline and a 90-day commercial plan
- Two 90-minute sessions and a 30-minute follow-up
One offer · one sales pipeline · commercial strategy
CORPORATE & PUBLIC SECTOR
Contract & bid readiness
Be ready for the bigger buyer.
For businesses pursuing a corporate contract, RFP or public-sector opportunity. Pressure-test the commercial case and the evidence before submitting.
FIXED PROJECT FEE£1,250/ agreed scope
10 working daysWHAT YOU RECEIVE
- One opportunity review and a bid / no-bid decision brief
- An evidence-gap checklist and a stronger proposal structure
- Annotated review of one draft and presentation priorities
- Two 90-minute working sessions
Up to 20 opportunity pages + 10 draft pages · commercial review; legal and procurement specialists quoted separately
LEADERSHIP & TEAM ADOPTION
Corporate AI workshop
Give the team a useful starting point.
A practical working session for leaders deciding where AI fits. Connect everyday workflows to a pilot the team can own and assess.
FIXED PROJECT FEE£1,500/ agreed scope
Brief within 5 working daysWHAT YOU RECEIVE
- A 60-minute scoping call with the team lead
- A three-hour remote workshop for up to eight people
- Three prioritised use cases, pilot goals and review steps
- A written decision brief and 30-minute follow-up
One team · up to eight participants · facilitation and planning
Why these projects? Explore the research.
These offers address the adoption, revenue and contract pressures highlighted in recent business research. Reviewed 3 October 2026.
AI adoption & team capability
The U.S. Chamber reports that 66% of small businesses use AI. PwC's Middle East survey highlights AI use in sales, marketing and customer service.
U.S. Chamber · October 2026PwC Middle East · January 2026Revenue & cost pressure
In the U.S. Chamber's Q3 2026 survey, inflation remains the leading concern and revenue is the second most cited challenge.
U.S. Chamber · September 2026Preparing for larger buyers
BCC and Tussell report £45.2bn of direct public procurement spend with SMEs across England in 2025.
British Chambers · May 202604 / BUILT BY THE SAME HANDS
The work isthere to see.
Advice grounded in building. Explore products in the VCMP family, created by StartMadeSimple for real business workflows.
BUSINESS OPERATIONS01
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The business, connected.
Websites, bookings, customers and invoices in one workspace.
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Venue enquiries, booking diaries, deposits and team run sheets.
Explore the productCOUNTER & RETAIL03
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Where the day gets done.
Counter sales, stock, receipts and profit and loss insight.
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Explore the productExplore the whole VCMP familyVCMP / STARTMADESIMPLE
05 / A PRACTICAL WAY FORWARD
Clarity first.Then the work.
Understand
A direct conversation about the situation, the stakes and the decision you need to make.
Agree
One clear scope: what we'll do, what you'll receive, the fee and the timing. Agreed before work starts.
Move
Work through the priorities together. Leave with actions, ownership and a plan that fits your business.
06 / STRAIGHTFORWARD FEES
Good advice.A clear price.
Start with one decision. Go deeper when it makes sense. Your introductory 15-minute conversation is free.
Starting packages for founders and business owners. Corporate and board work is quoted to an agreed scope.
QUOTE CURRENCY
Starting fees by market. Other MENA currencies quoted on request.
01
Clarity session
An experienced second pair of eyes on one important decision.
£195/ one session
- 90 minutes directly with Herman
- Your situation and key options
- A written page of priorities and next steps
02A FOCUSED NEXT STEP
Strategy sprint
A focused week to turn one business challenge into an actionable plan.
£750/ one priority
- One agreed business priority
- Two 90-minute working sessions
- A practical 90-day action plan
- One 30-minute follow-up
03
Ongoing advisory
A regular thinking partner as you lead, grow and make the difficult calls.
£1,500/ month
- Four 60-minute sessions each month
- Two document or plan reviews
- Weekly email check-ins
- Monthly priorities and progress review
Corporate & board engagements
Leadership workshops, strategic reviews, product and market decisions. Scoped around the team, the challenge and the required outcome.
A written proposal
Fees cover the stated advisory scope. Any applicable tax, travel, additional delivery or software is confirmed separately in your written quote. Work starts only after we agree the scope and fee.
A FEW THINGS, CLEARLY
Questions worth asking.
YOUR NEXT MOVE
Let's get tothe real issue.
Tell me where the business is, what's getting in the way and what you want to change.
info@startsimple.ccA direct conversation. A useful next step.