Cameron Small recognised as Asset Finance Connect’s Rising Star of 2023

Recognising new and upcoming industry talent, the AFC Rising Star Award 2023 could not have been bestowed on a more worthy recipient and exceptional new talent – Cameron Small – who has demonstrated a true passion for the asset finance industry, made a positive impact, and has the ability and ambition to excel and succeed.

On winning the award at the AFC Summer Awards, Cameron Small noted, “It’s incredible to be recognised by my peers within the asset finance industry as a ‘rising star’. There are a lot of amazing people in this sector so to stand out is fantastic. It really does give me the drive to build a business which is outstanding in the sector.”

Since Cameron Small founded Honey Asset Finance in 2017, having come straight out of Sixth Form College only six months prior, the company has grown from strength to strength, with the number of completed deals and clients growing exponentially.

This rapid growth was a result of Cameron’s attention to detail and work ethic, and always putting the client at the centre of all interactions and transactions, which has been instilled in all the company’s employees.

Cameron has been called “a fantastic leader, who always puts his people first to excel and thrive.” Not being afraid to take advice from more experienced individuals within the industry, Cameron is able to invest in the people in his business by sharing his expertise and experience, providing them with the opportunity to expand their knowledge.

With his strong entrepreneurial drive, Cameron has steered the company through the effects of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the current period of high inflation, engineering Honey’s strategy so that the company successfully emerges from each of these events stronger than it entered them and with an even larger number of loyal clients.

Although still a young person in the industry, his clear focus and plan for achieving his goals within the business and driving the company forward has enabled him to build a successful business which has arranged over £20m of funding for clients.

Cameron has continued to develop the business leading it into new markets which are ESG focused and encouraging clients to explore more efficient technology which is beneficial to the environment. He is challenging the boundaries of what is possible and recently convinced one of the world’s leading financial institutions to support the financing of electric bicycles for a client within the last mile delivery sector across the UK, through multiple tranches.

With Cameron at the helm, Honey Asset Finance continues to grow and is actively seeking more opportunities to further develop the brand and the business beyond a typical brokerage.

In his drive to increase both the success of Honey and place the needs and requirements of new and existing customers at the centre of all his activity, Cameron developed the innovative “Honeycomb Network” which allows Honey’s clients to network amongst themselves allowing for synergies to be created among Honey’s customers, in turn creating more business for Honey due to the increased demand for new plant and equipment.

Joining the industry and achieving what he has at such a young age, Cameron has a particular passion and focus on the next generation of young people to build and enhance the future of the industry.

“The asset finance industry offers young professionals a great sector to work in; truly no day is the same, with different assets to look at and a wide variety of clients, every day is different,” according to Cameron. “The industry offers young professionals the ability to work with the current generation and the next generation of businesses – which I think is really exciting! The industry is awash with knowledge, so to be surrounded by great people will only further develop young professionals and hopefully keep them in the industry!”

Cameron is involved in a number of initiatives within the local area such as mentoring and supporting school leavers with degree-based apprenticeships relevant to the sector, arranging work experience opportunities for students at the local college, and arranging a young professionals networking group for other young business owners and professionals to network and build connections.

Cameron’s key advice to new talent entering the asset finance industry is, “Ask questions! I still ask questions and bounce ideas off people both in the business and the industry. Be prepared to learn, there are lots of people in the industry happy to run through things with you if you don’t understand. I think that you’re never done learning, so try to soak up as much as possible from all those around you. And build your network; you never know when they may be able to help, and you may be able to help them. I was once told ‘your network is your net-worth’ which has stuck with me throughout my career.”

small cameron 2023 awards

On receiving the AFC Rising Star Award 2023, Cameron commented, “It truly means a lot to me to be recognised for the hard work and dedication I’ve put into growing the business over the last five years, and I hope to continue the work bringing young people into the industry.”

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