Spark Financial

Data-Driven Financial Strategy for Small Business Owners

About

Spark Financial is an independent consulting firm founded by Silas Manning, a Computational and Mathematical Finance major at Babson College — the nation's top-ranked school for entrepreneurship and second-ranked for business overall. Spark exists to help small business owners make smarter decisions through clear, data-driven financial strategy.

Raised in a blue-collar family of hardworking professionals, Silas understands the challenges faced by business owners who are deeply committed to their craft but may lack access to formal financial training. Spark was built to bridge that gap — combining Wall Street-level analytical rigor with Main Street practicality.

Silas brings extensive experience in financial modeling, forecasting, and operational analysis. He has worked with businesses across industries, where he developed tailored solutions to real-world problems in capital allocation, strategy, and performance improvement. His work is grounded in precision, transparency, and measurable impact.

In addition to his consulting engagements, Silas has successfully launched and operated several ventures of his own, gaining firsthand insight into the importance of customer-centric decision-making and sustainable business growth. At Spark, he applies the same entrepreneurial mindset to each client engagement — partnering closely with owners to identify inefficiencies, uncover opportunities, and accelerate growth.

Whether you're looking to solve a specific business challenge or simply want greater clarity in your numbers, Spark Financial provides the tools, insights, and support to help you move forward with confidence.

Examples of Work

City of Providence Treasury

Delivered a statistical bank clustering analysis, providing first of its kind data-driven evidence of financial service gaps used to strengthen negotiations with banks on expanding local access.

CemCycle

Developed financial forecasts, identified the most profitable target markets, analyzed the competitive landscape, evaluated equity funding and grant opportunities, and supported the refinement of their go-to-market strategy.

Crosspoint Associates

Advised on navigating municipal regulatory requirements by designing a cost-effective strategy to implement EV charging and solar energy at a commercial site, minimizing impact on the property's cap rate and overall profitability.

Reef Labs

Assisted in developing a scalable growth plan focused on equity compensation structures and performance-based incentive strategies to attract and retain key talent.

Testimonials

"Working with Spark Financial has been a phenomenal experience. My B2B business has experienced unprecedented growth and as a founder with experience primarily in B2C, I struggled to analyze my financials with the unfamiliar business model. Working with Spark allowed me to understand what story my financials were telling me and ultimately helped me expand the team and enable more growth through in a risk averse strategy all thanks to the help of Spark's recommendations and insight. Overall a great experience that truly contributed to our success and couldn't be more grateful."
AJ Matise, Founder & CEO at Reef Labs
"It was a pleasure working with Spark to evaluate options for Solar and EV Charging at our new commercial property. They did an exceptional job evaluating the need to satisfy the required Stretch Energy Code while making the best financial decision for the property. It will be great seeing the proposed solutions in action."
Crosspoint Associates
"The statistical analysis provided by Spark Financial gave us unprecedented insights into our local banking landscape. Their data-driven approach strengthened our position in negotiations and expanded access to financial services for our community."
City of Providence Treasury

Services Offered

Financial Modeling and Forecasting

Fundraising Support

M&A / Buy-Side Due Diligence

Operational and Cost Optimization

Go-to Market / Business Plan Refinement

Our Values

Clarity Through Data

We believe accurate, organized data is the foundation of smart decisions. We cut through the noise to deliver insight, not just information.

Entrepreneurial Drive

We operate with urgency, creativity, and ownership. Every problem is an opportunity to build, test, and improve.

Growth is the Goal

We are never satisfied with yesterday's success. We seek out challenges, learn constantly, and evolve with every client and project.

Client-First Thinking

We treat our clients' goals as our own. Their wins are our wins – we prioritize real impact, not just deliverables.

Our Process

1

Initial Consultation

Every engagement begins with a free consultation to understand the context of your business, as well as strategic priorities and other key concerns. This conversation allows us to assess alignment and determine how we can best support your goals.

2

Problem Framing

If a specific challenge or initiative is already defined, we work closely with you to clarify the scope, desired outcomes, and success metrics. If the problem is not fully formed, we conduct a high-level diagnostic to identify the most pressing opportunities based on your existing data and operations.

3

Analytical Deep Dive

Leveraging financial and operational data, we conduct a structured analysis to uncover root causes, inefficiencies, and growth levers. Throughout this phase, we may hold additional working sessions to refine hypotheses and validate findings.

4

Solution Development

Based on our analysis, we deliver targeted, data-backed recommendations tailored to your objectives. Solutions are practical, actionable, and designed to drive measurable outcomes. Implementation support is available where needed.

5

Engagement Close or Ongoing Advisory

Once the issue is resolved to your satisfaction, the engagement may conclude – or, if continued strategic support is desired, we offer ongoing advisory services on a retainer basis.

FAQ

How are services priced?

Services are priced based on the scope and complexity of the engagement. Most projects are billed at a fixed rate agreed upon upfront, while ongoing advisory services are available on a monthly retainer. All pricing is transparent, with no hidden fees. A free consultation call is offered to assess your needs and provide a tailored quote.

What Sectors are we focused on?

We work across a range of sectors, with particular expertise in technology, services, public sector, sustainable energy and ESG, real estate and asset management, and consumer discretionary. Our approach is highly adaptable, allowing us to deliver tailored insights regardless of industry, if we feel it is a good fit.

Can we help you raise capital?

Yes — but only if it's the right time. We begin by assessing whether your business is truly ready to raise capital, as pursuing funding too early is a common and costly misstep. If the fundamentals are in place, we support you with investor-ready financial models, pitch materials, and strategic positioning to help you approach the right funding sources with confidence. While we do not directly raise capital or broker deals, we ensure you're prepared to make a strong case to investors, lenders, or grant programs.

Do we offer one-off projects or continuous support?

Yes — we offer both. Some clients engage us for a single, well-defined project, while others retain us for ongoing strategic support as their business evolves. We tailor each engagement to your needs, budget, and goals.

What makes Spark different from other consultants or advisors?

We combine Wall Street-level financial rigor with a founder's mindset. That means we don't just give advice — we build practical, data-driven solutions that actually work in the real world. Our goal isn't to sell time — it's to create impact.

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