When you need to find business funding fast, what are your options and what are the quickest ways for you to secure more finance? We talk you through the most viable fast funding options for SMEs who need finance in a hurry, and include practical tips on how to ensure your funding application goes as […]
The area of tax for small businesses is not straightforward, in fact it can be a real minefield for the unwary. However, if you take a little time, and work with your accountant, it’s usually possible to find ways to save some tax. To help you think about ways you and your business could pay […]
If your new business is going to be operating in a competitive marketplace, it’s crucial that you find a way to differentiate your business from all the competitors out there.
In short, why should customers choose your products or services over what’s already available? (more…)
From flexible hours to an easier commute, working from home seems like an ideal option for many employees and it can have a lot of benefits for business owners too.
In this article, Peter Watton of matched betting start-up OddsMonkey, offers his advice to businesses who might be considering offering a working from home policy. (more…)
Financial reports are standardised measures of a business’ financial health. They are a necessity for publicly traded companies, but this does not mean that they are only useful for large organisations.
If you know what to look out for, these financial reports are great tools for businesses of all sizes. (more…)
Take a close look at any business that has been thriving over the last few years, and there’s a very strong chance you’ll see it has a clear USP, or Unique Selling Point.
Your USP is something you need to develop as you start your own business. So here’s how you can work on your USP to help draw more customers to your business. (more…)
Successful business owners know how to make the most of every minute of every day.
Wasted time costs money and clients, but when you’re slowed down by administrative tasks, an over-flowing inbox and endless meetings it can be hard to keep up, so here are ten ways to maximise your productivity every day: (more…)
Regularly reviewing employee performance is vital for businesses, as it provides both employer and employee with important information about the employee’s progress, needs and skills.
It can also help improve employee productivity – but only if it’s done in the right way. (more…)
Due diligence is a term bandied around quite a lot. However, not many people understand what it means or what is involved.
If you ever consider buying, selling, or investing in a business, then you’ll need to know precisely what due diligence means, what the process is, and how to conduct due diligence properly. (more…)
While a large corporation can absorb the damage of a handful of negative reviews, for startups and small businesses, negative reviews can often seriously harm your reputation.
By dealing with bad reviews in the right way, you will show that you care about customer service, and take feedback on board to improve your business as a whole. (more…)
As a small business owner, your legal responsibilities when taking on staff can be somewhat daunting but with a little help you can soon get your head around what’s needed.
One of your first duties as a new employer is to ensure you comply with employment contract law. To help you understand your legal obligations, here’s a guide to employment contracts for small business owners. (more…)
According to the Office for National Statistics 357,000 businesses closed their doors in the UK in 2017. Some of those businesses were less than a year old.
There aren’t any statistics that reveal the precise reasons why these businesses failed, but often the answer is as simple as cash flow. (more…)
Equity crowdfunding has become entrenched as as a serious way to fund small and medium-sized UK businesses. Rather than go to friends and family, asking for a bank loan, or pitching to angels or VC, business owners can instead access finance directly from members of their “crowd”.
Although the sole trader route, which is commonly referred to as being self employed, is the most popular way of running a business in the UK, there are significant advantages of operating as a limited company. Here, we highlight 10 of the biggest benefits a limited company gives you over working as self-employed.
Here’s how company dividends are taxed, and how you calculate the amount of tax you need to pay on your dividends.
Here are 5 morale-boosting tips to help your team grow stronger and perform better
In recent years there has been a big rise in the number of individuals working for themselves. Becoming self employed is a new and exciting chapter of life, but it does come with extra responsibilities. With so much to think about, we asked David Genders, author of The Daily Telegraph Tax Guide to explain the […]
As a start-up, every piece of data; whether it’s information about a new customer, a networking contact, your sales brochure or invoicing data, is hard won and valuable. As your business matures much of this can be re-purposed and re-used to save time, and cut costs – but only if you’ve kept it safe. So, […]
Savvy business owners are always looking to keep their costs down by ensuring they get the best deal possible. Savings made on everything from stationery to electricity can add up over the year and allow spare cash to be invested in areas that can really make a difference to the business. But where in the […]
10 Ways you can cut your business telecoms costs
If you’re starting a new business, then the bookkeeping requirements are unlikely to be at the forefront of your mind. At this stage there are more pressing things for you to think about. However, once your business is taking shape, you will need to start thinking about keeping up-to-date and accurate accounting details of your […]
Use this roadmap – developed from 70+ crowdfunding campaigns – to help your equity crowdfunding campaign succeed.
Lots of companies that we encounter on a daily basis, like Google and Microsoft, were set up by university students who decided to run with their business ideas.
So if you’re a student at university and feeling entrepreneurial, here are 10 practical tips to help you launch a successful business while you study
Innovation is not just about big, new ideas – or radical technologies. Here’s how the 6 ‘I’s® of Innovation, can help you to innovate and create value in your day-to-day work.
Fintech company Capital on Tap is celebrating the major milestone of lending over 1 Billion pounds to small and medium sized businesses across the UK. Since its creation, less than 7 years ago, Capital on Tap has helped more than 65,000 small business owners fund their business ambitions.
Loyalty schemes can be a great way to drive repeat purchases & reward regular customers. And now blockchain technology is opening up more opportunities for small businesses looking to create a customer loyalty program.
Content is at the heart of every modern marketer’s toolkit. But aligning this material with sales departments is a common problem many organisations face. Your marketing team might be well-armed with blog posts, case studies and whitepapers to generate leads and brand awareness, but you need a well-equipped and driven sales team to nurture leads […]
To stay on the right side of UK employment laws, employers must understand how to carry out the redundancy procedure correctly, so here’s a step-by-step guide to the redundancy process, and how to negotiate it safely.
For entrepreneurs with new food or beverage products, getting listed by a supermarket can feel like a watershed moment for your brand. Your brand awareness is likely to skyrocket with sales following. You also get positive brand association by being seen in a major supermarket, which can help secure more stockists.
Stress, business failure, differences of opinion and personal clashes can all contribute to SME businesses relationships breaking down. But where do you stand if you co-own a business with your partner and you are facing a shareholder dispute? Louise Hebborn, Commercial Partner at Stephensons Solicitors LLP, looks at shareholder’s legal rights when the relationship between […]
Whether you’re starting a business, or taking it to the next level, the right finance can be a significant factor in driving growth. Perhaps the growth of your business depends upon the purchase of new equipment to enable you to increase capacity, provide additional services, or win a particular new contract. In that case, asset […]
In the minds of many an entrepreneur, equity crowdfunding should be a shoo-in. You’ve had the spark of a bright idea, built a remarkable product, and a strong business model – the crowd would be mad not to invest, right? Sadly, the reality is often very different so we asked crowdfunding expert, John Auckland, to […]
Feedback is critical in every arena of life. For good or ill, it can permanently alter our self-perception, businesses and relationships. Failing to take on board good feedback can lose companies customers, investors and revenue, whilst a preoccupation with negative feedback can do just as much damage.
A failed business can have a devastating impact on a business owner. But, the lessons learned can also make an entrepreneur stronger, wiser and more determined to succeed next time. Author and international speaker, Jonathan MacDonald, was floored by a business failure, but after the initial despair, he picked himself up and used the experience […]
When asked whether SME businesses need to protect themselves from cyber attacks, the response is easy: 43% of cyber attacks are aimed at small businesses. If you are a small business and aren’t protecting yourself, you need to review this and put suitable protection in place. Mike Ianiri, Redsquid explains what you should do.
Aside from the sole trader route, the limited liability company is the most popular business structure in the UK. With a limited company, the liability of company directors is ‘limited’ in that the company’s finances are separate from the personal finances of the business owner. This is not the case for those who run their […]
Early-stage businesses have a great opportunity to use equity crowdfunding to raise funds, grow brand awareness, and build a loyal crowd of supporters, even before the product launch. However, while it may look simple to set up and run an equity crowdfunding campaign on a platform like Crowdcube or Seedrs, it actually takes a lot […]
Everyone wants to get the best deal on their telecoms – but buying just on price, is unlikely to give you a great return. Not all telecoms solutions are the same; so, it’s important you ask the right questions to ensure you get the best deal. We asked, telecoms specialist, Dave Millett to reveal the […]
