ByteStart is delighted to announce the launch of a new service to help businesses cut their energy costs. Created in conjunction with the UK’s leading business energy price comparison service, Make It Cheaper, the partnership gives you access to brilliant value business energy, broadband and phone deals.
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 […]
In a competitive marketplace you can’t always give staff cash bonuses or pay rises. Rewarding employees with other forms of incentives can help you to overcome this and also lead to a more productive workplace where people want to work. (more…)
Is your company an authority in its chosen market? If it’s not — it should be.
Being seen as an authority in your line of work is a key part of attracting customers, so here are 4 ways you can build your authority and get yourself ahead of the competition. (more…)
When it comes to selling your business, there are a number of routes you can take. To ensure your business sale goes smoothly and you get full value for your business, we look at the process of selling a small business and highlight some of the key considerations you will need to make. (more…)
Networking is a skill you can acquire just like any other. Sure, while you’re learning you might make some mistakes but the reality is, mistakes are lessons to learn from.
To help you quickly master the skills you’ll need, here are 5 networking hacks. (more…)
Copper is dead. Long live fibre broadband – or so the ISPs will have you believe.
But as Mike Ianiri of Equinox, explains, fibre broadband will soon be overtaken by better alternatives so businesses should not be tempted to install it. (more…)
Entrepreneurs usually need investors to stump up the funding to fuel their dreams. The mistake many make is putting a huge effort into persuading investors to back them, only to neglect them once they have invested.
This approach is damaging, especially when you need more investment for your next phase of growth, so we asked, Scott Haughton, COO at Envestors to explain why you need to communicate with your investors and how to do this. (more…)
Resilience determines whether you succeed or fail in life. It’s true in sport, business, entertainment, and it’s true in your life.
Starting and running your own business certainly tests your resilience, so here’s how to develop your positive thinking to help beat the stresses of running your own business. (more…)
If an employee is suffering with substance addiction, this can cause real problems for a small business so needs to be dealt with promptly. However, as with all issues relating to employment law, business owners must tackle the problem very carefully, so we asked employment lawyer, Sarah Chilton to explain how employers should navigate the issue. (more…)
Many new business owners can struggle to get to grips with the numbers behind their business. However, your accounts can reveal so much about your business and getting your head around them will help you make the right decisions. Here, Jonathan Amponsah CTA FCCA, of The Tax Guys explains the key numbers to look out for in your company accounts, and what they can tell you about your business. (more…)
Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life and our bodies are hard-wired to respond to it. However, it’s clear stress is taking a negative toll on businesses across the country.
Poor mental health costs employers between £1,205 and £1,560 per employee every year. This cost is for all employees, not just those who are ill, so we asked Brendan Street of Nuffield Health to show how employers can cut the cost of stress. (more…)
My most radical prediction is that in a matter of years, the word ‘consumer’ will have lost all relevance. Look at the signs, and it’s clear that consumerism is already fading. In its place, we’re seeing more reciprocal relationships between brands and their customers, relationships based on genuine engagement, and not merely a quick transaction. […]
Starting a new business is never easy especially in this day and age, when you may well be competing with hundreds of others offering the same service or selling similar/identical items. If someone bad-mouths your business, you can lose sales immediately and suffer long-term damage to your reputation. So what can you do, if this […]
Most entrepreneurs really struggle to bring in investment without the proper tools to bolster their proposition. An engaging pitch deck is a key part of any successful fundraising strategy, so it’s vital to get it right. With no clear consensus on what a great pitch deck for raising funds looks like, we asked funding expert, […]
When fashion chain, Ted Baker, hit the news last year among stories of ‘forced hugging’, it’s likely that many businesses across the country began to look at how practices in their own organisation’s culture may be received by its staff. And the key question many business owners will be asking is, can hugging at work […]
Many businesses now allocate much of their marketing budget to raising their online profile. However, this does mean that some of the more traditional methods of marketing risk being side-lined. The printed brochure is one of those valuable sales tools that can sometimes be overlooked. Yet one of the reasons that brochures have been such […]
Your domain says a lot about you and your company. It’s your address on the internet, the place people go to find you, and a name intrinsically associated with your brand. But is one domain name enough, and what options do small businesses have when it comes to deciding on a domain strategy?
Fundraising for your business is rarely a walk in the park. It’s a tough process, regardless of the industry you’re in, it can take up vast amounts of time, and more often than not, ends in failure. Communicating effectively with investors will really boost your chances of success, so we asked funding expert, John Auckland, […]
In light of the launch of the Certificates of Tax Position tool, there has never been a more important time for entrepreneurs to be aware of the risk on any undeclared offshore income or gains. We asked Mark Wilson, a Partner at Richard Nelson LLP and specialist in resolving tax investigations, to explain what entreprenurs […]
Changes in telecoms, that are already in motion, will be developing at an even faster rate over coming months. To help you understand what’s happening, we asked Mike Ianiri of independent telecoms brokerage, Equinox to explain what business owners need to know about the telecoms changes heading our way.
Whether you’re an ardent protestor or you prefer the status quo, it’s hard to deny that society is rapidly shifting power to the people and away from traditional institutions. Populist politicians are seizing on the mistrust of ‘the establishment’, #MeToo is cracking down on men misusing their power, while the recent plastic straw ban show […]
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance cyber security is already on your radar. That’s a good place to have it, because cybercrime is relentlessly on the up. Data breaches, phishing scams and ransomware attacks fill the digital headlines. All of which begs the question: How do you protect your business from hackers and […]
We are at a significant moment in our history when there is momentum building, putting increasing pressure on businesses to act in the right way. Our staff want us to change, our children need us to change and our customers expect us to change.
Cyber-attacks aren’t letting up, with corporate giants such as Facebook, British Airways and Marriott International all hitting the headlines in the last 12 months. Yet, despite publicity around these high-profile cases, for small businesses, it’s still tempting to think that cyber attacks aren’t something that you really need to worry about.
As business leaders, it’s easy to get consumed in the pressures of running your business. It’s stressful, but there is a consequence to that stress, and it can be damaging for business, as well as your own health.
Whilst most employers will be well versed in dealing with under-performing staff, the situation can be trickier when faced with those who appear to be coasting at work. Given the increasing demands placed on business owners it can be easy to overlook staff who are doing just enough to get by, however failing to recognise […]
Environmentally conscious businesses are rapidly gaining much larger audiences by providing a different kind of value, as consumers are now more likely to pay more for products with an ethical incentive. A forward-thinking mentality can set you apart from the crowd, especially in a time where sustainability and social responsibility have become top purchasing drivers.
It’s no secret that most startups struggle to build a solid, scalable and remarkable business. Most remain stuck fighting for the attention of their audience, investing time and money trying to convince buyers and often engaging in price races to the bottom that leaves everyone exhausted and defeated. The solution? Simple! Not easy, but simple […]
Businesses are responsible for more than half of the UK’s energy consumption, so it’s important every business looks to reduce the energy it uses and considers using renewable sources for its energy needs.
The most successful bands are now the ones that engage their fans. These fans don’t just bring recognition – they bring financial success too. They are what allows the band to make money and prosper. Businesses want to do the same, so we asked Mark Jennings, founder of Subba Media, to reveal how musicians are […]
Having a data network has become a requirement for all modern businesses, regardless of size. An IT network gives your workforce access to the internet and other services like VoIP, allowing employees to communicate and share files with clients, customers and each other.
If you are looking to make sales online, tackling the specialist subject of ecommerce SEO is vital to your long-term success. With SEO for ecommerce websites requiring such specific expertise, we asked Joe Cox of Superb Digital to share his knowledge on how to grow sales through ecommerce SEO.
Airbnb’s revolutionary business model — which ranked the home-sharing company third in 2018’s Disruptor 50 list — has now dominated a total of 191 countries. And with its more than 5 million listings, 300 million customer reservations, and a value of $31 billion, it’s not surprising that a lot of would-be short term let landlords […]
Savvy entrepreneurs seem to make more money, yet find legal ways to optimise their taxes. So what do they know, and do differently to cut their tax bills? We asked Jonathan Amponsah CTA FCCA, of The Tax Guys, to explain how some entrepreneurs manage to keep more of their hard-earned cash.
New analysis of data from over 3 million SMEs up and down the country has revealed the areas of the UK where late payment is at its worst. 121 areas of the UK were scored and ranked based on how quickly businesses pay their invoices, highlighting which regions are the highest and lowest risk for […]
When it comes to starting up a business, London has itself a new rival. With more and more entrepreneurial spirits being drawn to the North, cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield have developed strong technology cultures, making them popular locations for tech start-ups.
The UK is the third largest e-commerce market in the world and for good reason. The internet has allowed innovative small businesses to reach a much wider audience, while cutting down on overhead costs. Plenty of UK entrepreneurs and startups have capitalised on this and built a lucrative business out of selling their products online. […]