Bryant & Bell secures £10m for SMEs in first year

Edinburgh-based commercial finance broker Bryant & Bell has secured more than £10 million in funding for SMEs during its first year in business, supporting more than 100 clients across Scotland and the wider UK.

Founded by Cameron Bryant and Jack Bell, both aged 29, the independent brokerage provides access to funding across asset finance, refinance, commercial loans and invoice finance.

The co-founders have more than a decade of combined experience in commercial finance brokerage and established Bryant & Bell with the aim of providing SMEs with a more agile and relationship-focused approach to accessing finance.

Cameron Bryant, Director at Bryant & Bell, said: “Jack and I spent years working for larger brokers, but we always felt there was an opportunity to serve SMEs differently by building an agile business absolutely focused on putting the client first.

“Coming from a small family landscaping business myself, and having worked with so many local companies through YourEdinburgh, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges and opportunities facing SMEs through good times and bad.”

Bryant, a former racing driver, founded YourEdinburgh during the Covid pandemic to support businesses across Edinburgh and the surrounding area.

Jack Bell, Director at Bryant & Bell, said the brokerage plans to build on its first-year performance while maintaining its focus on client service.

“Our ambition is to be the best, not the biggest. We want to continue growing the business without compromising on the quality of advice or service we provide.

“The first year has given us a really strong platform, and our focus now is on building long-term client relationships underpinned by trust.”

Bryant said the evolving business finance market was also changing the role played by brokers, with SMEs increasingly requiring support to navigate a wider range of funding options.

“Business owners are often unaware of the breadth of funding options available. A broker’s role is increasingly about providing visibility across the funding market rather than simply arranging finance when a bank says no,” he said.

“That can apply to a joiner in their first year of trading looking to finance their first van just as much as an established £50 million turnover business looking for more competitive or better-structured funding beyond its bank’s direct offering.”

*Left to right: Jack Bell, Cameron Bryant and George Grierson. Credit: Stewart Atwood*

Bryant & Bell has also strengthened its senior team with the appointment of former Hampden Bank Banking Director George Grierson as Senior Adviser.

Grierson previously spent almost 30 years at Lloyds Bank, latterly leading its private client business in Scotland. He will support the brokerage as it enters its second year of trading.

The company is also preparing to recruit an operations manager and make two further investments to support its growth.

Bell said: “We have two key investments on the horizon to support our continued growth, while we will also be recruiting an operations manager to ensure we maintain the highest standards of service as our client base expands.”

Bryant & Bell plans to further develop its professional intermediary network, including relationships with accountants, IFAs and other business advisers.

Bryant added: “A key part of our growth strategy is continuing to build relationships with accountants, IFAs and other professional advisers. As a brokerage, our services are there to complement them, giving advisers access to additional commercial funding expertise when their clients need it.”