Frequently asked questions
Everything an executive wants to understand before reaching out.
14 questions about Pelorus: who it is for, method, deliverables, pricing, regulatory scope and AI. If an answer is missing, the free 30-minute call is here for that.
The firm & who it is for
- What is Pelorus, and how do you differ from an accountant or an investment bank?
- Pelorus is an advisory firm for growing SMEs, built around three areas of expertise: strategy, corporate finance and AI & automation. Where the accountant maintains and certifies your books, we use them to inform your decisions: diagnostic, business plan, financial modelling, valuation. And where an investment bank charges the ticket of a transaction, we work on fixed fees, with the direct involvement of both partners on every engagement. We prepare your decisions; we do not keep your books and we do not execute financial operations on your behalf.
- Which companies does Pelorus serve?
- We mainly support growing SMEs with €1-5M in revenue, those who have outgrown their accountant on steering topics, without being ready to hire a full-time finance director. Executives structuring their company ahead of a scale-up, a fundraising, a sale or a new market find a peer-level interlocutor here, without the heaviness of a large firm.
- When should you call an advisory firm like Pelorus?
- A few typical signals: you steer the company without a reliable cash plan, you are preparing a fundraising or a sale in the next 12-24 months, you hesitate on a structuring decision (new market, investment, key hire), or you want to objectivise a hunch before committing to it. If one of these situations resonates, the first 30-minute free call lets us see if an engagement makes sense.
Method & deliverables
- How does an engagement actually unfold?
- Our method follows four steps: a scoping (we precisely delimit the objective and perimeter), a diagnostic (internal and external analysis of your situation), deliverables (structured, defensible, directly actionable documents) and a follow-up (milestones and transfer to your teams). You know from the start what you will receive, when, and at what budget.
- What is the 30-minute free scoping call for?
- It's a 30-minute exchange with a Pelorus partner, no sales pitch. We understand your situation and your decision-making stakes, then we honestly check whether we are the right partner: if yes, we point you to the right engagement; if not, we tell you straight. No formal deliverable at this stage; a short written follow-up can be sent within 24h on request.
- What concrete deliverables will I receive?
- Depending on the engagement: strategic diagnostic, 3-statement business plan, market study, valuation note, LBO model, 12-month cash plan, or AI prototypes and automation workflows. All our deliverables are handed over for your internal use and are designed to be transferable to your teams; you are not dependent on us to update them.
Pricing & engagement
- How much does an engagement cost?
- We work exclusively on fixed fees: scope, deliverables and duration are set before signature. The amount is confirmed after the first 30-minute scoping call, once your real need is qualified: no hourly billing, no blind quotes, no hidden costs.
- How are you compensated?
- Fees only: fixed flat fee or monthly retainer. No hourly billing, no success fee, no finder's fee, no commission indexed on a fundraising or a sale. Our compensation is therefore fully decorrelated from the decision you will make, a guarantee of independent advisory.
- How long does an engagement last?
- It depends on the perimeter: from a few days for a targeted service to 6-8 weeks for a full package, such as exit readiness. Indicative timelines are specified per service, and we commit to them at scoping.
Scope & regulatory framework
- Why is Pelorus not a Financial Investment Adviser (CIF)?
- Because our job is to prepare you, not to recommend an investment to you or to execute a financial transaction. Pelorus is not a CIF (art. L.541-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code) nor an investment services provider, and refrains from any personalised investment recommendation. This framework, contractually binding and reflected in our terms and engagement letters, ensures clarity of our role; details are on our Non-CIF Scope page.
- Can you help us raise funds or connect us with investors?
- We prepare the documents that make the difference in fundraising (investor deck, business plan, indicative valuation, info memo), and we hand them over for your internal preparation. However, no investor solicitation on your behalf, no investor introduction fee, no drafting of legal documents (term sheet, shareholders' agreement). Those fall under your lawyer.
Confidentiality & AI
- Is my information kept confidential?
- Yes. Your data and documents are processed solely for the engagement's needs, and we sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) whenever you request it, typically ahead of an AI audit or a sensitive engagement. Deliverables are handed over for your internal use; their distribution to third parties remains at your sole discretion.
- How do you use AI in your engagements?
- AI is for us an execution lever, not a gadget: document automation, internal data analysis, lead qualification, augmented research, custom prototypes and workflows (via Make or n8n for instance). We can deliver a POC designed to move to production and equip your teams with it. However, no automated investment recommendation: no robo-advisor, no robo-advisory.
- Do you work remotely and outside of France?
- Our engagements are largely conducted remotely, in French and in English, which allows us to support executives in France as well as internationally. We agree on modalities (videoconference, occasional on-site visits) at scoping.
First call on us
A question not on the list?
30 minutes with a partner to understand your need and see if Pelorus is the right fit.