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 […]
The Summer is half over but British weather means that you’re never actually sure when the warm weather will come and go.
Summer holidays can cause staffing problems for small businesses, so we asked Gary Young of Equinox to share some ways you can use technology smartly to keep staff and customers happy when the sun is shining. (more…)
If you are dealing with a new customer or supplier and want to check whether the VAT registration number (VRN) they have supplied is valid, there are two ways you can do so.
One method is to call the HMRC VAT Helpline, the other is to use the online VAT Information Exchange System (VIES) run by the European Commission. (more…)
Delegation should be easy to do, or so you might think, however it can be very challenging in certain situations particularly for owners of small businesses.
As a business owner with a very small team, I have found it can be even harder to let go. It’s my baby. (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…)
Small business accounting software has changed massively in recent years. Thankfully, the advent of cloud computing has consigned the days of buying book-keeping software in a box and installing it on your own computer to history. (more…)
There’s no denying telecommunications play an important role for businesses. Your telecoms facilitate interaction between you and your customers, as well as keeping your employees connected. So, when it comes to your telephone infrastructure, you want to make sure it’s strong and stress-free. (more…)
“Put that coffee down. Coffee’s for closers only”. Alec Baldwin delivered this iconic line in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. It may sound harsh but that is the reality.
Pitching an idea and closing a deal can be a nerve-wracking process. Even successful business greats like Richard Branson found the skill of pitching hard to come by. (more…)
A productive business is a profitable business. A simple, but very true statement. But, according to a Close Brothers report (PDF), the UK lags behind the rest of the G7 countries by 16%.
So what is holding back productivity, and what can British businesses do to become more productive? (more…)
If you run a business and you’ve never switched to a new energy contract, you could be paying as much as 40% more than you need to for gas and electricity.
A recent study carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that a staggering £7 billion is being wasted by small and medium-sized businesses overpaying on their gas and electricity bills. (more…)
9 out of 10 company car drivers in the UK admit to having submitted inaccurate mileage claims in the past, according to a recent survey by Flexed.
Inaccurate mileage claims can cost businesses in inflated expenses claims and also bring the potential for fines from HMRC. So how can businesses ensure mileage records are accurate? (more…)
We can all learn from studying successful business people. How do some individuals seem to have the knack of succeeding? Are they lucky, or do they have certain skills or traits that help them to achieve? Paul Bassi CBE, a successful business owner himself, looks at what successful entrepreneurs have in common.
Small businesses have a tougher time than their larger and better-established competitors. Unlike the big brands, who enjoy plentiful resources and instant recognition in their industry, SMEs have plenty of hurdles to overcome, so we asked Craig Sams and William Fugard, co-founders of Gusto Organic drinks to share what they have learned from launching Gusto, […]
Entrepreneurship is on the rise in the UK, and one of the first decisions you will need to make when starting a business is where to locate your venture. Even today, the era of the digital nomad, the place you choose to set up shop – figuratively or literally – can have an effect on […]
If your business has a physical presence of any kind, or you exhibit or attend branded events, it’s imperative to invest in quality business signage that stands out from the crowd. The right signage and logo design will help build brand recognition, both offline and online, and ultimately increase footfall and conversions.
A lot of small businesses start using Google AdWords in the hope that it will help them increase sales with small investment. This isn’t true. Yes, AdWords can help you increase sales but only with the right investment. To get the return on investment you’re hoping for, you will need to set up your account […]
If you need finance for your business, one route you can take is a business loan. Business loans now come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, so you’ll need to choose the loan that’s best suited to your situation. One of the main options you’ll have is whether to take out a secured, […]
You have a small business and you want to keep costs low including book keeping and accountancy fees. But gradually those pesky invoices and receipts begin to take up your evenings and weekends. So we asked Jonathan Amponsah CTA FCCA, of The Tax Guys, to reveal how you can save time and money on preparing […]
As a business owner, it’s likely that you struggle to find time to do the performance appraisals for your team. You are not the only one. Surveys have indicated that owners and managers hate doing performance reviews and as many as 58% think it is a waste of time.
While cyberattacks on companies that are household names are often highly publicised and reported on, attacks on small businesses often go unnoticed by the media despite accounting for 43% of targeted attacks. These attacks might not hit the front page, but they are having a significant impact on small businesses across the globe.
All workers are entitled to receive a minimum of 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave. Whilst this is a benefit for staff, employers can find themselves struggling to manage staff holidays around their business needs. To help make sure your business runs smoothly, here is an overview of how to successfully manage staff holidays.
When you are running a business, it can often feel as though your margins are being squeezed year after year. Seeing the costs of your supplies, subscriptions and other essentials rising while the prices you charge are being forced down is an understandable cause for frustration.
In the latest results from the Which? annual survey of the ‘best and worst energy suppliers’ survey, smaller suppliers come out well on top, while the Big Six languish at the foot of the table. But, given the recent spate of small energy suppliers going to the wall, is it safe to switch to a […]
Remortgaging is a popular way to save money on your mortgage – with lower rates available to those that switch. Introductory rates are often available for the first few years of your mortgage deal, but once you get to year 3 or 5, the standard variable rate (SVR) kicks in.
If you need an injection of cash for your business, there are now many different and increasingly flexible alternative finance products available to suit your unique requirements. One of the more recent and most innovative among them is the merchant cash advance. So what exactly is a merchant cash advance, and is it a suitable […]
We are living in an exciting time… a time where technological changes are booming. And with change comes the opportunity for new products and services, and for new businesses to fulfil new needs.
Whatever stage of growth your business is in, there may come a time when you need a fresh injection of cash and you are faced with the uncomfortable prospect of signing a Personal Guarantee.
In April 2020 the Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Act, is due to come into force. This will place legal requirements on businesses to give employees who have suffered a bereavement time off work so we asked HR Consultant, Kirsten Cluer, to explain what businesses should do to prepare for the new legislation.
Virtually every business now relies on technology to trade successfully so need to invest in the right technology. For large businesses, this is rarely an issue, but for early stage and small businesses, these can be big decisions and the wrong ones can cause real problems. This guide aims to help you make the right […]
Even in an age of digital marketing, the use of direct mail as a way of attracting and converting new customers as well as touching base with previous clients remains a tried and tested technique. However, if you make any of these common direct mail mistakes, you will almost certainly be wasting time, paper, ink […]
Making Tax Digital (MTD) is arguably the biggest change to the UK’s tax system for a generation, so here’s a quick walkthrough of what MTD means for small businesses, together with five practical steps to help you tackle the changes.
Equity crowdfunding has flourished as a key form of alternative finance for early and growth stage businesses. It’s become a great alternative to bank loans and other traditional funding sources, allowing entrepreneurs to engage a crowd of passionate investors for financial backing. However, the popularity of equity crowdfunding has left platforms, like Crowdcube and Seedrs, […]
For some people, power (and therefore impact) sits in symbols of power such as a corner office, a nice company car or an executive assistant. Symbols can, at times, play an impactful role but real and lasting impact is so much bigger than that. It’s how you conduct yourself, your actions and behaviours, that will […]
As a small business owner fundraising can be a daunting prospect but digital technology is changing this. You can now raise the funds you need to develop and expand your business in a way which you’ll find more user-friendly and which puts you in control of the process.
Young businesses and start-ups that are looking to raise funding have a dizzying array of choices nowadays. In fact, there has probably never been a bigger range of places to go for early-stage finance, from crowdfunding and angel investors through to government-backed start-up loans and P2P lenders.
5G is the word on everyone’s lips at the moment, with the UK recently taking strides to develop its network infrastructure. The technology is expected to be rolled out properly by 2020 and hit over one billion connections by 2025. The fifth generation of mobile networks promises even faster download speeds, less lag and a […]
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, […]