Mástoras helps founders, trades, and community organisations turn unclear ideas into grounded decisions — before they commit money, time, or reputation.
No pitch. No obligation. Just figuring out if I can help.
Four services. Not sure which one's yours? About to commit to something big — Pre-Build Assessment. Can't explain what you do — Brand Story Sprint. Stuck on one specific thing — The First Fix. Running a trade and your pricing or day-to-day needs sorting — Trades Business Tune-Up.
Pre-Build Assessment
Before you commit money or reputation to a new idea — stress-test it properly. Decision memo, route comparisons, a clear recommendation, and an exit strategy built in from day one. Three tiers depending on complexity.
Brand Story Sprint
"We do good work, but struggle to explain it." One sprint to turn scattered ideas into a narrative you can actually use — brand summary, core messaging, and a Field Guide built for every sales conversation, pitch, or proposal you'll ever write.
The First Fix
One session to find your single biggest bottleneck and clear it. Works for any type of stuck — an offer that isn't landing, a funding application that keeps falling short, a plan that needs a second opinion before money goes in. 1-page diagnostic, 30-day action plan.
Trades Business Tune-Up
Specialist support for owner-operators in the trades. Pricing review, day rate documented, job scheduling workflow, and customer communications — sorted. Built by someone who has spent 25 years on sites, not in an office.
Need something different? Get in touch — most things can be scoped.
Three patterns. All of them solvable — with the right conversation first.
Good at what they do. Can't communicate why it matters. Every pitch, every proposal, every sales conversation takes three times as long as it should — because the story isn't there yet.
A new venture. A second location. A pivot. The numbers look reasonable. The risks haven't been named. Once the money's in, walking back is expensive — getting clarity before is not.
The project is genuine. But the application reads like it was written for a committee, not a person. Funders don't fund projects — they fund narratives that make sense of projects.
No discovery calls that go nowhere. No proposal decks. Three steps — and you'll know within 20 minutes whether there's a fit.
Two sentences is enough. What are you working on, and where are you stuck. No preparation needed — the conversation will find the right questions.
Free. No pitch. I'll ask questions, you'll get clarity on whether I can help — and on what the actual problem is, which is sometimes different from the one you arrived with.
What I'd do, how long it takes, what it costs. If there isn't a fit, I tell you that too — and usually point you somewhere more useful.
"Mástoras is Greek for craftsman. It reflects how I approach this work: careful, grounded, built to last."
I spent 25 years in construction. I know what it looks like when a plan that sounds good falls apart on site — and I know what it takes to build something that doesn't.
I started Mástoras because I kept watching capable people — founders, trades, community projects — fail at the step before the build. Not for lack of effort. For lack of clarity.
This consultancy does one thing: it closes the gap between a good idea and a grounded one. Supportive in how I work. Uncompromising on what's true.
Most organisations apply for the wrong schemes — not because the project is bad, but because the matching was guesswork. The Mástoras NI Funding Match tracks 140+ NI and all-island schemes to show what fits your profile. But the real work is the judgement call underneath: is this idea actually ready to apply?
Free. Instant. No sign-up required.
The full Funding Fit Report — with application intelligence, a funding fit score, and a consultant's view — is available as a standalone service. Ask about a report →
Top matches, scored & ranked by fit
Ranks your top 10 from 140+ schemes — not just a list of what's open
No. Most of the people I work with are either pre-launch or operating as sole traders. You don't need a formal structure — you need a clear one.
Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland. I work with clients across NI and beyond. Most work is done remotely, with in-person available for local clients who prefer it.
The First Fix is a single session — usually 90 minutes. A Pre-Build Assessment takes 1–2 weeks depending on complexity. A Grant Reframe typically takes 5–7 working days once we've had the initial conversation.
That's what the 20-minute call is for. Tell me what you're working on and I'll tell you what I think you actually need — which is sometimes not what you came in expecting.
Yes. No obligation, no follow-up pitch if it's not a fit. I'll give you something useful in the conversation regardless.
Yes. A significant part of the work is with CICs, charities, and community projects — particularly around funding narratives and governance clarity. The Grant Reframe service was built specifically for this.
Not ready to book a call? Drop a message and I'll come back to you — usually within one working day.
Tell me what you're working on and where you're stuck. Two sentences is enough to start.
If you have a new idea or expansion decision, the free BRICK may be a useful starting point before we talk.
Or email directly:
hello@mastoras.ukPrefer to talk?
Book a free 20-min call →