Steve Thorne
Project Proposal

Discussion document V.1.
23.06.25

Introduction

This proposal marks a new chapter in how STC and River Projects work together — built on mutual respect, proven experience, and a shared belief in doing things differently.

At the heart of it is a simple but powerful idea: you bring exceptional industry knowledge, relationships, and delivery capability — and River brings brand, creative firepower, and a Collective of senior talent ready to support growth where it matters most.

This isn’t just a brand overlay or a referral agreement. It’s a structure that allows STC to operate with full access to our strategic thinking, positioning frameworks, and creative resources, while staying completely in control of your business and your clients.

We see this as a way of giving even more traction to what you already do, while giving River a clearer way to support and benefit from that success.

You’ll have the option to use the River name and platform under licence, backed by ongoing access to advisory input from me, whether that's brand direction, strategic shaping, or business planning. If you want, we can also shape a full 12–24-month strategic plan together.

It’s clean. It’s flexible. And it lets both sides focus on what they do best, while building something bigger than either could alone.

Commercial Objectives

This collaboration is designed to unlock the full potential of STC by aligning your consultancy with a platform that elevates your already strong reputation while expanding your reach, offering, and expanding market opportunity.

Our key objectives are:

  • To maximise your existing strengths — leveraging your proven credibility, deep market knowledge, and operational track record across serviced apartments, boutique hotels, and luxury accommodation.

  • To enhance your market presence through a more refined, creatively-led brand presentation under either the River identity or a revised brand name.

  • To connect your delivery expertise with River’s broader creative and commercial ecosystem, offering optional access to strategic advisors, branding specialists, and operational consultants from the River Collective.

  • To drive local market traction by activating PR, brand awareness, and professional networks across both the Italian and UK hospitality sectors.

  • To align your consultancy with complementary leadership experience, combining your operational focus with my own background in strategy, innovation, and deal-making.

  • To provide the option of a full strategic planning process, if desired, including annual business planning, service structure, and commercial pathway development.

  • To broaden your opportunity base, allowing us to collectively pursue new market segments, brand propositions, or investor-led ventures — with agility, credibility, and creative confidence.

This isn’t about reinventing STC— it’s about evolving it into a brand-powered, opportunity-rich platform with the support and backing to grow.

 

Branding

As part of this agreement, STC will be granted the right to operate under the River name and visual identity, under licence, for a defined initial period. This includes access to the River Projects website, brand assets, tone of voice, presentation materials, and strategic positioning — all designed to enhance credibility, differentiation, and client traction.

Alternatively, should a bespoke identity be preferred, a revised brand can be co-developed while still operating under the River Projects framework. This hybrid approach allows STC to retain its own voice while benefiting from the strength of an established brand narrative and infrastructure.

To support brand execution, Heat Design, will act as the preferred branding and communications agency for STC. This ensures cohesion between brand identity, digital presence, and market expression. While engagement with Heat is not mandatory, the agency offers immediate access to a trusted, high-performing team that understands the nuances of River’s positioning, delivering anything from identity refreshes, storyboards to investor decks.

Additionally, STC may choose to purchase the River Projects brand and/or website outright at a future date, via a pre-agreed option-to-buy arrangement. This ensures flexibility and allows long-term planning with full ownership clarity.

The financial terms and options for all brand pathways are outlined in the final section of this document.

Market Opportunites

This model enables STC, under the River Projects brand, to unlock a distinct and under-served segment of the Italian hospitality real estate market — where creative insight and commercial value intersect.

Key opportunities include:

  • Seller-Facing Services: Offering pre-sale consultancy to hospitality asset owners — helping maximise sale price through creative repositioning, brand narrative development, and commercially driven asset enhancement strategies.

  • Estate Agent Collaboration: Forming strategic partnerships with real estate agents to offer add-on services that elevate the saleability and positioning of their managed properties — enabling joint marketing, faster movement, and greater returns.

  • Buyer-Focused Strategy: Supporting prospective hotel purchasers with advanced asset appraisals, feasibility reviews, and development concept planning — bringing River’s commercial and creative logic to acquisition decisions.

  • Finance Enablement: Facilitating introductions to UK-based hospitality funders (e.g. Azure Hotels and others) who are actively seeking repositioning and JV opportunities in Italy and Southern Europe — creating finance-ready opportunities that appeal to cross-border investors.

This is a value-driven service extension that positions STC as both a local operator and a cross-market opportunity maker — enabled by the tools, networks, and strategic oversight of the River platform.

Project Deliverables

As part of this agreement, River Projects will provide a defined suite of support and services to STC — designed to strengthen brand presence, unlock commercial opportunities, and add ongoing strategic value.

The following deliverables form the core of the engagement:

  1. Fully Functional Website
    A high-quality, branded website that aligns with the River Projects identity and supports your consultancy’s positioning, services, and client outreach.

  2. Optional Revised Company Identity
    Where appropriate, a refreshed visual identity and naming architecture — developed in collaboration with River’s creative partners — to better reflect your market focus and growth trajectory.

  3. Access to the River Collective
    A flexible, project-based team of senior experts across brand, operations, finance, PR, and development — available to support your client delivery when required.

  4. Contracted Advisory Input
    Ongoing input and oversight from Sean Rafter, providing senior advisory support, strategic input, and brand governance across key areas.

  5. Optional Strategic Plan (12–24 Months)
    A tailored roadmap for growth, including commercial goals, market segmentation, service structuring, and opportunity mapping — delivered as a full strategic document.

  6. Alignment with River Projects Concepts
    Access to a suite of pre-developed River Projects brand concepts and hospitality IP — with commercial terms to be agreed on a project-by-project basis.

  7. Introductions to Strategic Partners
    Where appropriate, introductions to commercial partners such as Azure Hotels, as well as access to River's wider network of brand collaborators, promotional ambassadors, and public-facing talent.

  8. Performance Review Framework
    Regular monthly check-in calls to support traction and alignment, along with an annual review to assess progress, refine direction, and agree future targets and areas of focus.

This deliverable structure is designed to give STC both the credibility and capability to expand its consultancy practice, while maintaining the flexibility to scale and adapt based on opportunity and performance.

Operating Framework

This section outlines how the collaboration will function day to day, helping establish transparency, trust, and a sense of rhythm.

Key elements to include:

  • Brand Governance: STC agrees to uphold River Projects’ brand tone, values, and quality benchmarks in all communications and delivery.

  • Independence: STC remains an independent consultancy, responsible for its own contracts, billing, and client relationships.

  • Alignment Protocol: STC agrees to share quarterly updates on client pipeline, upcoming proposals, and brand representation activities.

  • Non-Compete Clause: STC will not represent other hospitality brands or operate under alternative white-label identities during the licence period, unless agreed in writing.

  • Territory Agreement: This licence is non-exclusive within Italy and Southern Europe; additional territories can be explored jointly or reserved by mutual consent.

Growth & Exit Options

This section adds forward-looking credibility and gives Steve a roadmap for longer-term decision-making, while also clarifying your strategic protection.

Options might include:

  • Option to Buy Brand/IP: At any point during or at the end of the licence period, STC may trigger an agreed purchase of the River Projects brand and/or website. Pre-agreed pricing tiers and terms will be outlined separately.

  • Licence Renewal Terms: The licence may be renewed annually at a pre-agreed rate, subject to review and mutual satisfaction.

  • JV or Equity Pathways: Specific client opportunities or new brand concepts may be jointly pursued under new SPVs or licensing deals, where both parties agree to structure equity or revenue participation separately.

  • Reputation Clause: Either party may trigger a review of the agreement if actions taken by one materially damage the reputation of the other.

Proposed Terms

Website/IP Licence Period: 12 months, with option to renew for a further 12 months. Cancellation term, 3 months

Licence Fee: Initial 12 months, £12,000 per annum payable monthly in advance.

Chairman Role: Advisory support or Director appointment, from Sean Rafter. Annual remuneration set at 15% of gross billed revenue, paid quarterly in arrears (minimum fee of £500 per month- fully deductible from gross billed revenue)

Creative Support: Heat Design to act as preferred creative partner; all work scoped and billed directly to STC

Collective Support: Additional services from the River Collective and Heat+ Collective are available on a per-project basis

Partner Network Access: Introductions to commercial partners, funders, and ambassadors, subject to relevance and agreement

Review Cycle: SR two weekly Zoom meetings, maximum 1 hour each. Monthly review meetings and one annual onsite strategic review

Strategic Plan: Optional 12–24 month strategic commercial plan if requested and at a negotiated rate

Concept Projects: Revenue to be shared at 50/50% when introduced to STC directly by SR