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 […]
The Government has advised businesses to encourage staff to work from home wherever possible. While some businesses may be well versed in how to manage staff who work from home, for others this is likely to be new territory.
You’ll want to ensure that despite having less regular contact with your staff, business is still able to carry on as normally as possible, so we asked Francesca Mundy, Senior Legal Editor at Sparqa Legal to highlight key issues for employers to consider. (more…)
Peer-to-peer lending offers an innovative way to invest and earn a return on your money, which is often far greater than using a typical savings account or ISA from your high street bank. (more…)
The long-awaited statement from the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak regarding COVID-19 support for the self-employed has been announced.
Accountants, HFM have produced a handy summary of the support scheme to help self employed individuals to understand how it will work. (more…)
If you have a website (which you probably should), you will no doubt have considered how to get more visitors to the site. Without attracting high quality traffic, a website offers very little real value to any organisation. (more…)
It’s a challenging time for small businesses right now; 2020 has certainly not got off to a promising start.
If you are the director of a company, you are likely quite concerned about the year ahead. To help you tackle potential issues, here is some general advice from Hudson Weir Insolvency Practitioners for business survival in 2020. (more…)
Are you worried about managing your business’ remote teams during the current coronavirus pandemic?
John Williams, Head of Marketing at Instant Offices, shares his advice on how to overcome the challenges of managing a remote team, and highlights the main pros and cons of remote working in the long-term… (more…)
Across the globe, millions of employees are being advised to work from home, but managing and coordinating a remote workforce is unfamiliar territory for many business owners.
We asked Paul Jeffrey, of cloud and continuity experts Iomart, to share his must-do tips on maintaining resilience and integrity when employees have to work remotely. (more…)
You’ve big ideas for your business. You’ve identified how much cash you need to bring the next stages of your vision to life and projected a healthy return on investment.
So, it can be somewhat deflating when you apply for a business loan and despite a strong business plan, your bank declines your application. Particularly if it’s because of past credit issues. (more…)
Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business, and managing it effectively can mean the difference between make or break.
When we refer to cash flow management, we’re talking about making sure there is enough cash available to cover all your outgoing expenses. If your outgoings are more than your sales and you run out of cash to pay staff or suppliers, your business will risk insolvency. (more…)
The digital age has not only revolutionised the entire business world but in the process, created platforms and opportunities that offer small businesses a level playing field.
It’s for this reason IT support and services are vital for the ongoing success and longevity of modern enterprises. (more…)
In the face of Brexit uncertainties and the COVID-19 outbreak the new Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, delivered his first Budget. He announced a number of measures to help both individuals and businesses to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, and these are summarised in this Budget Summary which comes courtesy of our friendly accountants, HFM;
In the permanent disruption of the 2020s, the ability to invent new products, processes and value propositions is critical for any business. Not surprisingly, there’s a growing premium placed on individual creative-thinking as it invariably sparks the journey towards innovation, so we asked author and speaker, Greg Orme, to explain how you can harness your […]
Running a small business can be a bit of a roller-coaster. Just when you think everything is going smoothly, an unexpected shock can hit your business and all of a sudden, your business is experiencing a very tough time. So how do you turn your business around when times are bad, and all seems lost? […]
If you have ever had to make an important presentation or a big pitch, you will have had words of wisdom showered upon you. Although well-intentioned, much of that advice however is misguided, so we asked Anthony Garvey of Toastmasters International to reveal the most common myths when it comes to public speaking and presenting.
Small start-up businesses will initially use their business plan as a blueprint or a guide to help set up and get their enterprise off the ground. However, the plan you started with may start to become ineffectual after a while, once your business has found its feet.
In all industries, businesses are starting to realise the potential AI (artificial intelligence) can bring; strengthening decision-making whilst automating complex and time-consuming tasks. Through the power of AI, businesses can help to streamline their operations, increasing efficiency and overall productivity.
Whether you are a start-up or an established small business, you are likely to come across a challenge that requires outside input at some point in your business’s journey. But consultants are expensive – for most SMEs, too expensive, so here are some alternatives that can help you out of a hole, without breaking the […]
Small businesses and start-ups often provide a more flexible approach to work. That might be working from home a couple of days a week, working remotely, flexitime on core hours, flexibility for parenting duties and perhaps a more relaxed working environment.
You know things, we all know things – some useful (i before e, except after c), some less so (only one King in a pack of cards doesn’t have a moustache). But sometimes we only think we know things. For example, if you need to go to court, you must employ a solicitor … right? […]
PROMOTED GUIDE – This is a promoted guide from our Insurance Partner, Digital Risks. Digital Risks, offers affordable, highly personalised business insurance as a flexible, monthly subscription. When starting out as a small business, hiring your first employee is a big milestone. With that comes great responsibility for you as a business owner as […]
Starting your own business from scratch can be a terrifying prospect filled with self-doubt and worries about failure and going broke. To help you safely negotiate the path of entrepreneurship, we asked business mentor and author Brian Marcel to share his blueprint for business success.
Architectural visualisation uses computers with powerful rendering capabilities and intricate modelling methods to create digital models of spaces, structures and buildings. Often abbreviated to arch viz, this creative process is a powerful lead generation and communication tool.
The office environment is now the frontline of employee engagement, with businesses everywhere investing in their working spaces for the benefit of staff. The right working space will improve productivity and the bottom line through a series of benefits that we’ll detail below.
So it’s February and chances are you’ve just paid your personal tax bill. Having already paid your corporation tax. As a small company director, it’s always useful to look at your combined tax bill (both personal and company) to ensure you’re not robbing Peter to pay Paul. So we asked Jonathan Amponsah of The Tax […]
Becoming a business owner and an entrepreneur is deciding to become a leader. As a leader, your actions, behaviours and attitudes decide the ultimate fate of your business. With leadership being vital, Florian Bay, explores some of the pitfalls leaders can fall into, and the steps you can take to lead your business to success.
More and more of our computing, whether it’s storing data or running applications, is being carried out in the cloud. But what about the desktop? The collection of things that make up your day-to day computing.
From April 2020, new laws regarding IR35 means businesses will need to be careful when hiring consultants. Here’s what to watch out for
With the UK finally set to leave the UK, businesses are now waiting to see what the post-Brexit trading relationship with the EU will be like. With a lack of clarity on what the future holds, Ritam Gandhi, founder of Studio Graphene, shares steps that UK tech companies can take to future-proof their business.
Tech Nation, the UK network for ambitious tech entrepreneurs, today reveals the 30 companies joining its prestigious Upscale programme for the UK’s most exciting and fastest growing scaleup tech companies.
A closer look at what bridging loans are, how they work and what you need to look out for
In many cases, acting as a broker and introducer for a business can be more profitable than being the company that actually lends the money. Typically, there can be 5 or 10 times more brokers than there are lenders in an industry and they will usually receive a fee for every application, or a commission […]
Getting funds together to accelerate your venture won’t be a quick task. Choosing the wrong fundraising activities can not only prolong the process, it can even deter investors from backing your business. So, what are the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when trying to bring in funding for their companies?
Leadership is one of the most written about topics in business. You can be an ‘Authentic Leader’, a ‘Facilitative Leader’ or an ‘Agile Leader’. Some of these labels may have currency, others do not. What is true is that there is no one, indisputable, formula for effective leadership.
When it comes to buying or selling a business, the most important question you need to ask is – how much is it worth? There is no single formula that can be used to precisely value every private business. The seller will want to drive the price up, and potential buyers will want the opposite.
The betting industry has developed a significant relationship with one of the most popular games in the world – football. Through sponsorships, advertising and other various deals, football and betting have become strongly linked to one another.
The majority of small business owners recognise the power of digital marketing and that a website is a must have. With limited funds and marketing budget, most small businesses tend to buy their website from an agency or designer that does everything. However, as Tim Butler, founder of Innovation Visual explains, this might not be […]
