Business plan

September 2026

Background 

NeuroBusiness CIC is a 100% Neurodivergent-led Community Interest Company based in Rhondda Cynon Taf, supporting Neurodivergent people across South Wales into employment, self-employment and community life, and helping businesses to reshape their workplaces, to recognise the skills that neurodivergent people can bring. 

Founded in November 2023 by Charmaine Williams, the organisation grew rapidly in response to demand and now works alongside hundreds of people each year through one-to-one business and employment support, training for employers and community activities. As NeuroBusiness expanded, Charmaine wanted to ensure the organisation's planning and infrastructure kept pace with its ambitions. She came to Cranfield Trust after attending a workshop delivered in her area, looking for support to put a solid business plan behind her fast-growing organisation. 

Challenge 

NeuroBusiness had grown from Charmaine's idea into an organisation with a four-person board and a team of volunteers, but its planning hadn't yet caught up with its growth. The organisation had reached a pivotal stage in its development. Demand for its services was growing, but there was no multi-year strategy, clear financial forecasting or risk framework to help the board plan confidently for sustainable growth. 

As a neurodivergent-led organisation, NeuroBusiness also needed support delivered in a way that matched how Charmaine works best: structured, clear and paced sensitively, rather than the fast-moving, jargon-heavy style consultancy support can sometimes take. 

Solution 

Nicola Russell-Brooks, Wales Manager at Cranfield Trust, worked with Charmaine to shape a brief around the style of support she needed before matching a volunteer. 

"Understanding that we needed to work empathetically with Charmaine was critical to the success of this project," Nicola explains. "We developed a brief to support this, working alongside the volunteer to engage and communicate with Charmaine at the pace and in the style required to help her develop key business skills." 

Charmaine was matched with Craig Lewis, a Cranfield Trust volunteer with a background in management consultancy. 

"Working with NeuroBusiness CIC has been a pleasure, especially given the commitment Charmaine and the team have for supporting the neurodiverse community," Craig says. "I could see the enthusiasm that Charmaine had for the subject and the ideas she had to move the organisation forward. I saw my role very much as being there to support and guide in that process - she had the ideas, I was there to support in channelling those ideas through questioning and challenging some of the assumptions." 

Together, they worked through a structured planning process designed to turn Charmaine's vision for NeuroBusiness into a practical roadmap for growth, including: 

• a three-year strategic plan setting out NeuroBusiness's priorities and what growth should look like; 
• a one-year business plan translating that strategy into action; 
• financial forecasting to give visibility of income needs and cash flow; and 
• a risk register the board could review regularly. 

Throughout, the emphasis was on clarity over complexity. They developed practical tools and visual summaries that Charmaine and her board could genuinely use, rather than a plan that would sit unread. 

Impact 

NeuroBusiness now has a clear, board-owned plan for its future. With a three-year strategy, business plan, financial forecasts and risk management tools in place, the organisation is better equipped to manage growth, make informed decisions and strengthen its long-term sustainability. 

Charmaine says, "this will have a substantial impact on our beneficiaries." 

With stronger planning, financial oversight and clearer priorities, NeuroBusiness is better placed to respond to growing demand and continue developing its support for neurodivergent people across South Wales. 

The impact extended beyond the plans and spreadsheets. 

"It has helped me grow my own confidence and ability to carry out the tasks required of me," Charmaine reflects. She says the support has left her able to take on similar planning work independently in future. 

Craig, too, is pleased with the difference the project made: 

"I'm pleased that after our project, Charmaine had a fully formed business plan with financials that she was ready to discuss with the board of trustees. Very pleased to have made a difference to NeuroBusiness CIC, and I look forward to seeing their progress over the next few years." 

"I've found my experience of working with Cranfield Trust to be really positive. I was contacted very quickly after reaching out for support, and the communication throughout was excellent, particularly in making sure I understood the process and what to expect. The business support adviser I worked with was lovely, and having that support and accountability really helped me to make progress with my business plan. I now feel much more confident in the plan itself, but also in my own ability to complete this kind of work independently moving forward," says Charmaine.