Guy Walker shields his team from cash flow stress. iwoca helps him do it.

Guy Walker started his first business at 15 from his mother’s bedroom. No business degree, no family connections. Just a knack for sales and a determination to figure things out as he went.

Ten years later, he founded Dovetail and Slate, now the UK's largest recruiters for further education. The company supplies colleges, housing associations, and councils across the country. It turned over £60m last year, employs over 100 people directly and a thousand indirectly, and was ranked 63rd on the Sunday Times Fast Track in 2025. That same year, Guy won Entrepreneur of the Year.

But none of that stops him checking his cash flow spreadsheet at 2am.

"Finance and cash flow have consistently been my greatest challenge," Guy says.

"I look at the cash flow before I look at the balance sheet or P&L. Every single night." – Guy Walker, Founder of Dovetail & Sate

Peak season arrived. The revenue didn't.

‍At the start of 2025, things were going well. Then came what Guy calls a "triple whammy": National Insurance increases, a minimum wage rise of around 9%, and the cancellation of in-year growth funding for colleges.

The impact hit Guy's clients and rolled straight through to his business. Revenue flatlined at the worst possible moment, in what should have been peak season.

"It was environmental," Guy says.

"I knew the business was strong... but I still needed to bridge the gap to get to the other side."

He needed a partner for all seasons

‍Recruitment is cash-intensive: staff get paid weekly, but clients pay on 30-day terms or longer. That mismatch doesn't shrink as you grow, it gets bigger.

The business is also highly seasonal. Colleges close, income drops, but payroll, VAT, and suppliers continue. For a £60m-turnover business, a short-lived gap can still equal £250,000 to £500,000. 

Guy knew he needed a flexible funding partner he could turn to when cash flow was tighter and pay back when it wasn't. He chose iwoca.

"Having a funding source available is a critical part of our risk register," he says. "High-growth businesses need a reliable partner. That's just the reality."

"Having a funding source available is a critical part of our risk register. High-growth businesses need a reliable partner."

From application to approval in two days

‍Guy had tried mainstream lenders before. Jumping through hoops, providing paperwork in specific formats, only to get turned down. "Even as an award-winning, high-growth business, tier-one banks had no interest in supporting us," he says.

"iwoca was different. There were no pushy salespeople," he says.

"They were clear about the model, the amount, the payment structure, and the interest. I didn't even need to involve my finance team, which never happens with lending."

Guy applied with a handful of documents, and approval landed two days later.

He used the funds to bridge VAT, salaries, and suppliers over the summer, before revenue picked up in August and September, as expected.

But what stood out most was the relationship. His account manager, Omed, took the time to understand the business; when the pressure points hit, when support would actually help.

"The finance world can be murky," Guy says. "Commissions, fees, people who don't care about your outcome. With iwoca, I genuinely felt they had my best interests at heart."

He could also repay early without penalty, clearing debt faster and paying less interest overall.

No sleepless nights. No missed payments. No drama.

‍The gap was bridged. Guy’s team kept working without feeling the crunch. Clients stayed happy, suppliers stayed paid.

Guy still checks his spreadsheet at night, that's just who he is. But having iwoca as a flexible partner means the weight is more predictable and manageable.

"It buys you time," he says. "It takes away the stress and anxiety.

"You can focus on what you're actually good at; running your business and looking after your people."

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