Mike Prescott

Helping small businesses to close the gap between could be and is.

About Mike

I work with organisations at key moments, at the points where there is a gap between where they are right now and where they'd like to be. I'm a systems and processes guy at heart, I love to figure out how things work and how they could be improved*.With a background in operational leadership with charities, social enterprises and limited companies over the last 20 years I've helped organisations get a clearer picture of where they're at and how they actually operate right now, understand what is causing friction or threatening growth and put firm foundations in place to build towards their goals.In practice that looks like combining operational thinking, robust systems and clear design to turn good ideas into things that actually work and stand the test of time.

*a trait I've had since I was a kid and thought was pretty endearing right up until I had a kid of my own who works in exactly the same way. Sorry Mum and Dad...

Working with not-for-profit groups

nfpSpark is a project I've wanted to start for a long time, providing not-for-profit groups with access to affordable, accessible technology built by someone who understand the needs of the sector.

My Work

How I Work

I work with organisations when things are starting to strain a bit - when growth is exposing gaps, when systems no longer match the reality of the work, or when good people are spending too much time holding together processes that should have been fixed properly a long time ago.

A lot of what I do sits in the space between strategy and delivery. I help organisations get clearer on how they actually operate now, where friction is building, what is slowing things down, and what needs to change to create something more stable, more useful and easier to scale.

That might mean tightening up systems and processes, improving governance, redesigning internal workflows, building better reporting, or creating low/no-code tools that make day-to-day work easier. Sometimes the issue looks digital on the surface. Sometimes it looks operational. Most of the time it is both.

My background is broad, but the common thread is this - I am usually brought in when something important needs to work better. Over the last 20 years that has included operational leadership, organisational development, service design, governance, digital transformation, reporting, team infrastructure and process improvement across charities, social enterprises and small businesses.

I am not especially interested in adding more noise, more software or more complexity for the sake of it. I am interested in helping organisations build the right foundations - the kind that reduce friction, support growth and make good ideas easier to deliver well.

What I Bring

I am good at understanding how things fit together - people, processes, information, responsibilities, bottlenecks and blind spots. That means I can usually get to the root of what is not working fairly quickly, then help shape something more effective in its place.

Where the answer needs a digital solution, I build practical low/no-code systems that solve real operational problems. That can include internal tools, reporting systems, client-facing platforms, databases, automations and joined-up workflows that replace messy workarounds.

I like strategy, but only when it survives contact with reality. My approach is grounded in delivery - making sure plans connect with capacity, structure, day-to-day operations and the actual pressures an organisation is dealing with.

I have spent a lot of time working in organisations where unclear structures, weak processes or patchy governance create risk and drag. Part of my work is helping tighten that up - not in a dry box-ticking way, but in a way that supports better decisions and stronger organisations.

I also bring a design brain to the work. That matters more than people sometimes think. Whether I am shaping a system, a service, a website or a report, I care about clarity, usability and making complex things feel manageable.

The Thread Running Through It

The roles and sectors have varied, but the work has stayed surprisingly consistent. I have led operational change, built digital systems, improved reporting, developed services, strengthened organisational foundations and helped turn vague ideas into things that people can actually use.

So while there is a work history behind all of this, that is not really the interesting bit.

The interesting bit is the pattern - stepping into organisations at key moments, figuring out where the gap is between could be and is, and helping close it with a mix of operational thinking, digital problem solving, structure, design and straight-talking practical support.

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testimonials

What people say about working with Mike.

V

Vicki

Founder · Wag n Waves, Liverpool

2026 · doggy soft play & swimming pool

When we started Wag n Waves it was exciting, but also pretty overwhelming. We knew what we wanted the business to be, but there were so many unknowns that it often felt like we were winging it.

The business plan was the thing holding us back. We had all the ideas, but turning them into a professional, formal document felt impossible — and we knew that if we didn't get the foundations right, the plan and the systems, it would come back to bite us once we were busy.

Mike made a massive difference, because he didn't just give advice — he actually helped us pull everything together. It shifted us from guessing to actually operating as a business. Having that professional plan was the turning point that let us open the doors and get going properly.

He's still there in the background, too — currently building us a custom app for our day-care record keeping, which is going to be an absolute game changer for how we work day to day. Knowing he's not just maintaining things but actively building tools to make our lives easier gives us a huge amount of peace of mind.

JP

Jacquie Price

Worked with Mike on fundraising & bid-writing

June 2026

I had the pleasure of working with Mike during our recent fundraising and bid-writing efforts to support a life-changing pupil visit to our partner school in Hainan, China.

Mike brought clarity, structure and calm to what could have been an overwhelming process, especially with families under financial pressure and school staff already stretched. His ability to streamline tasks, communicate clearly, and keep everything moving made a huge difference.

Thanks to his expertise and guidance, we were successful in securing £40,000 of Turing Scheme Funding, enabling our pupils to experience an unforgettable international opportunity.

Mike is knowledgeable, supportive and genuinely committed to helping small teams achieve big outcomes. I would highly recommend him.

WM

Wayne Malcolm

Director, Bread Media Limited

June 2026 · Mike was Wayne's client

I recently asked Mike to support me on a project to process-map and democratise a crucial stage in a client's operation.

Mike possessed a real drive to get under the bonnet of my client's conundrum. With an impressive arsenal of questions and a suite of interesting tools, he quickly understood the project and, working to a tight budget, unravelled the systems, simplified them and created a solid solution.

Word of warning though — ensure you have access to lots of coffee, don't try and outdrink him.

I hereby pronounce him a lovely guy, a cracking supplier and the King of Low/No Code — recommended!

CC

Claire Caddick

Charity CEO & inclusion consultant

June 2026 · Mike was Claire's client

When I started as CEO, my enthusiasm was quickly replaced by sleepless nights. Our booking process was clunky, our CRM was an Excel spreadsheet with all the functionality of a brick, and there seemed to be a different way of doing everything depending on who you asked.

I originally contacted Mike because I thought we needed a new website. After patiently listening to my long list of frustrations, he simply said, “I can help with that.”

What followed was the discovery that one system could solve problems I didn't even know could be solved. Now I can track membership and event attendance from my phone, drill down into protected characteristics for reporting, and keep all our policies in one place — so I no longer have to play “guess which folder it's in today.”

Whenever I want to tweak a process or ask what's probably a silly question, Mike always has a solution — usually a much simpler one than I've spent three hours inventing. Working with him has made our charity more efficient, more professional, and significantly reduced the amount of hair I feel compelled to tear out.

Contact Mike

I'd love to hear from you so please do use the form below to get in touch!

Thank You

Thanks for getting in touch.

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Softr Certified Professional

I’m a Softr Approved Professional specialising in practical, well-built low/no-code systems for charities, small businesses and growing organisations.My work focuses on turning messy processes into clean, usable digital tools - including databases, client portals, booking systems, CRMs, impact dashboards, staff tools and internal business systems.I work across platforms like Softr, Airtable, Google Workspace, Fillout, Make and Stripe to build systems that are useful from day one - not overcomplicated, not bloated, and not dependent on huge software budgets.Recent clients include Families United, Alfie’s Squad, Wag n’ Waves, Jennifer Green Therapies, Bread Media and more - with projects ranging from activity booking platforms and charity impact tracking tools to customer portals, operational dashboards and bespoke admin systems.Whether you need a simple internal tool, a member portal, a booking workflow or a full custom business system, I can help you shape the idea, build the right structure and get something live that your team can actually use.

Mike Prescott
interim ceo · senior turnaround leader

Mike Prescott

Charity and social enterprise leader for crisis, transition and recovery - board-level operational grip at pace.

Liverpool, UK07737 415675[email protected]linkedin.com/in/mikeprescott84

interim ceo / senior turnaround leader

Senior charity and social enterprise leader with more than 20 years' experience steadying organisations through pressure, instability and change. I have repeatedly stepped into complex situations as the most senior internal leader - in more than one case without a CEO in post - carrying broad executive responsibility while reporting directly to the board, and leading practical improvement across operations, governance, finance, compliance, people, systems and service delivery.

areas of strength

Interim and transitional leadership
Organisational turnaround
Crisis response and stabilisation
Governance, compliance and risk
Financial grip and sustainability
Operational leadership and service redesign
Board and trustee relationships
Workforce leadership and restructuring
Strategic planning and implementation
Systems, reporting and digital transformation

relevant experience

Chief Operating Officer / Board Director

Aug 2018 – Oct 2024
Active Community Enterprise (ACE)

Stepped into ACE as the most senior internal leader at a point when the organisation was financially fragile and lacked structure across governance, systems and reporting. With no CEO in post, my remit spanned operations, finance, governance, compliance, recruitment and systems, reporting directly to the board.

Impact
  • Stabilised an organisation in serious financial difficulty and contributed to restoring a sustainable position
  • Rebuilt operational structure, accountability and core systems from the ground up
  • Overhauled governance, risk and compliance processes, and rewrote policies and HR systems
  • Moved the organisation from paper-based records to digital, including an in-house app I built
  • Led development of a five-year growth plan with management, staff and service users
  • Supported a wider reset across culture, staff wellbeing and organisational foundations

Crisis Leadership - Covid Response

Active Community Enterprise (ACE)

At the start of Covid, ACE lost its funding in full and faced an immediate threat to service continuity and organisational viability. I played a central leadership role in the crisis response, helping redesign delivery rapidly while maintaining confidence and protecting the future of the organisation.

Impact
  • Helped ACE become one of the first local organisations to reopen safely and move support online for adults with disabilities
  • Secured funding for a Covid-safe refit
  • Produced a Covid safety plan rated as exceptional and adopted as a template by other organisations across the city region

Director of Operations

Sep 2016 – Sep 2018
MitE Chaplaincy

Worked as the senior internal leader reporting directly to the board in the absence of a CEO structure. MitE provided wellbeing services to a range of organisations including Warrington Borough Council, St Helens Borough Council, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Merseyside Police and Liverpool BID Company.

I joined during a period of significant financial challenge and shortly afterwards identified serious compliance risks relating to IR35 and the contractor-versus-employee distinction.

Impact
  • Helped the board get a clear grip on financial and compliance risk
  • Secured legal advice and led a restructure to separate genuine contractual work from roles requiring employment arrangements
  • Strengthened organisational systems for training, reporting and service delivery
  • Improved the quality of evidence and reporting to support funding and commissioning
  • Developed in-house training that improved delivery and created an additional income-generating offer

Founder and Vice Chair of Trustees

Apr 2018 – Dec 2022
MANWELL

Founder member and trustee within a men's health-focused organisation. This role strengthened my experience of governance, strategic oversight, fundraising, communications and board-level leadership.

earlier leadership and sector experience

Earlier roles include leadership and frontline work across Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool South Methodist Circuit, Pais Project, L'Arche Internationale, independent care provision and youth mentoring. Together these provide a strong grounding in community, disability, youth and inclusion-focused work, and a clear understanding of the operational realities of service delivery.

what I bring to interim ceo work

  • Ability to enter difficult environments and understand reality quickly
  • Confidence in working directly with boards and trustees
  • Strong operational judgement under pressure
  • Calm, practical leadership during crisis, transition and reset
  • Focus on short-term impact without losing sight of longer-term sustainability
  • Willingness to be hands-on where needed while maintaining strategic grip
  • Strong commitment to values-led leadership, inclusion and accountable decision-making

leadership style

Direct, practical and grounded. I do not panic easily, I can make decisions under pressure, and I am comfortable combining pace with judgement. My focus is on bringing order where there is confusion, identifying what matters most, and helping organisations move from firefighting to a more stable and sustainable footing.

additional information

Interested in interim CEO, senior turnaround, COO, governance and organisational improvement assignments within the charity and social enterprise sector.

References available on request.