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 […]
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
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 and address this can come at a significant cost to a business. (more…)
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. (more…)
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 indeed. (more…)
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. (more…)
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 engaging with fans, and the lessons business can learn. (more…)
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
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 and amateur hoteliers are taking advantage of Airbnb’s rapid growth. (more…)
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. […]
Devising new products and bringing them to market are vital parts of growing a business, but successful new product development rarely happens by accident. Product design is a complicated area, so we asked Chris Flynn, founder of product design consultancy Flynn Product Design to take us through the key phases of product design.
Anyone who decides to launch their own company is bound to experience challenges along the way, and these challenges will all be different depending on what sector you decide to tap into. For me, I knew launching a tech start-up in one of the most rapidly changing industries would be an exciting prospect. I knew […]
We are addicted to stories. A good story evokes emotion within us. Since the Stone Age, we have been telling stories to teach, to engage, to create laughter, to inspire and to influence behaviour. So why when we go into business meetings do we often abandon stories and instead vomit facts on power point slides?
There’s never been a better time to start or grow a business in the UK, with more funding options and tax incentives (for companies and investors) than ever before. Crowdfunding is an option that more businesses are turning to, so if you’re looking to turn a great entrepreneurial idea into a reality, or to scale […]
Make It Cheaper, the business energy switching service, is urging UK business owners to switch to a better business energy deal and lock prices in for as long as possible, as energy prices could soar when the UK leaves the EU.
We’ve all been there. The team meeting where nothing is achieved. The group discussion where it feels like you can cut the air with a knife. The team that is actually a team in name only, where it’s everyone for themselves and only the most vocal, political or best-connected survives. So how can you get […]
Every employee that has worked for you for more than 26 weeks has the statutory right to request flexible working.
Here’s what every small business owner needs to know about flexible working rights, and how to handle flexible working requests from staff so that you don’t end up in front of an Employment Tribunal.
If your business involves selling goods to customers you will, inevitably, need to deal with a percentage of customers that want to exchange items, or are seeking a refund. As a small business, it’s really important to know what your legal rights and duties are when it comes to customers that have bought your goods.
When it comes to business profitability, you’ll know that keeping overheads as low as you can is vital. But countless companies end up unwittingly paying more than they should for their business energy. And with energy prices on the rise, this can add up substantially, especially during winter months. But how do you know if […]
With each passing year, we are barraged with more and more stories of corporate scandals and wrongdoing. Recent examples include a global carmaker rigging their vehicles to cheat on emissions tests, a major bank illegally foisting accounts and credit cards on millions of customers without their knowledge or consent, and innumerable stories about sexual misconduct […]
If you are thinking of starting out as a freelancer or a contractor, you will very quickly need to get a basic understanding of the IR35 rules.
One of the key attributes of projects is that they are not structured in the same way as ordinary business departments. A number of people, possibly including contractors or consultants, are brought together to deliver a project. This lack of a corporate structure leads to a need for clearly defined roles in the project structure.
Starting a new business is exciting but can often be stressful too. Keeping costs at a minimum and budgeting effectively is a sure-fire way to get you through those difficult patches. One of the quickest and easiest methods is to compare your energy tariff and switch to a better deal. A quick business energy price […]
For any small business, making sure invoices are paid can be a big job in itself. If they’re not managed properly, payments can be consistently late, and your relationships with clients might suffer as a result. Even more significantly, you’ll struggle to keep cash moving smoothly through your business. No cash, no business.
Setting up a new business is an exciting, thrilling and all encompassing challenge. It is the best and most stretching form of personal and professional development that a person can do. Creating and selling your own products and services, building a network of happy customers and managing your own time are just three of the […]
Predicting the future is, naturally, a difficult task. If it wasn’t, life (and business) would be a lot less interesting. However, being able to spot the winds of change when it comes to business technology is vital for companies of any size to make the right long-term strategic decisions.
The transition from being a manager to becoming business leader, is one that many new business owners will need to make. Often, the success or failure of your business depends on how well and how quickly you can adapt to this fundamental role change.
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.
Everybody understands that starting up a business from scratch is not a simple process or an easy challenge to take on. Regardless of how lofty your ambitions are or whether you’re aiming to establish yourself as a sole trader or as a the boss of a burgeoning new enterprise, finding access to initial and early-stage […]
If you need to submit a Self-Assessment Tax Return (SATR) it’s imperative you get it in on time and free of any mistakes. There are penalties for not submitting your tax return on time and you may have to pay a fine if HMRC deem you have not taken enough care in completing it. This […]
It is common for individuals to exaggerate or embellish certain aspects of their CV when applying for a role, however employers can be faced with a serious problem if it turns out the person they hired does not have the experience or qualifications needed to carry out the job at hand. So what can you […]
No matter how successful your business has been with just you working in it, if you want to grow you’ll need to employ people. There are innumerable benefits of having employees. The right people will ease the workload on you and allow you take holidays. Good staff keep your business running day to day, so […]