Press Coverage
“I Spent 15 Years Fixing Other People’s Businesses.
Then I Realised It Was Time to Build My Own”
After years of being the go-to fixer behind fast-growing companies, Liverpool-based Catherine Greslow has launched Formative Consulting, a new business designed to help founders step out of chaos and into clarity.
She’s 40. She’s a mum of two. One of her children has autism. And until recently, she was still putting off starting her own thing until the time was right.
“Honestly, I kept thinking I had to wait until I had more time, or more energy, or the perfect plan,” she says. “Then I turned 40 and thought, no one’s coming to give me permission. So I gave it to myself.”
Catherine’s journey isn’t a traditional startup story, and that’s exactly why it stands out.
She’s spent the last 15 years quietly working in compliance and operations, helping businesses create the structure they needed to grow. But when she looked around, she saw a growing number of founders doing too much, teams running on fumes, and no one teaching people how to actually run a business… just how to start one.
“Founders are great at what they do, but that doesn’t mean they know how to scale. They get stuck in the weeds. The business works, but only just. That’s where I come in.”
But the bigger story isn’t just operations, it’s ownership.
“I wanted to build something that fits around my real life. My son sometimes needs extra support, and I needed flexibility. I also needed to back myself. That’s what Formative stands for. Clarity, calm, and doing things on your terms.”
Now based in Liverpool, Catherine says her goal is to make operations feel simple, useful and empowering, not corporate or intimidating. Her next step? Expanding into digital courses and group support to reach even more founders and under-supported businesses.
“I don’t want people to feel like they’ve failed because they need help. That’s exactly when you bring someone like me in. And if I can finally back myself, I’m certain others can too.”
