Business121 Small Business Newsletter #28

In this week's Business121:

1. Sometimes it does pay to be self-employed!
2. Marketing – Finding your market
3. Setting up a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
4. Entrepreneurs Urged to Take the Plunge
5. The best Search Engine Optimisation Resources
6. Businesses reeling under complexity of taxation
7. Small Business Bank Lending up 11% Last Year
8. The Rise and Rise of British Black Entrepreneurs

Sometimes it does pay to be self-employed!
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Every now and then, when I forget how liberating running a business can be, I come across a story or article which reinforces my determination never to work for anyone else again. The classic reasons cited by many people who leave regular "employment" behind are; the relentless office politics, tea and coffee-making rotas, and having "work nights out" with people you don't really like. There are many more reasons of course - and it's hard to disgree with any of them!

One of our recent news articles - "World Cup could see a rise in work shyness" perhaps illustrates an unlikely benefit for being self employed. For many of us, there are more uncertainties, administrative duties and hard work involved in setting up and running a small business, compared to our old lives working for others. We could even be forgiven for pining after the "easy" life of normal employment on rare occasions when logic deserts us.

But, if watching the World Cup is your thing, the chances of you secretly watching a match during "work hours" is far less likely to result in any disciplinary action by a petty management official, so pity the poor masses, trapped in open plan office buildings all over the land when June comes around.

Croner, who carried our the World Cup research, which forms the basis of the news article, is urging employers to consider allowing employees to watch matches at work, but they should also update their annual leave policies now to include special advice for employees on the procedure for taking time off for sporting events, to serve as a reminder to employees who are thinking of bunking off to the pub.

http://snipurl.com/Work_Shy

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Marketing – Finding Your Market
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Marketing is about offering the right product, to the right people, at the right price, at the right time, and ensuring they understand the benefits of buying from you. A good guide to what’s involved.
http://snipurl.com/Find_Your_Market

Setting up a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
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An LLP is similar in some ways to a standard Partnership, except that the individual members have lower liabilities to any debts which may arise from running the business.

There are more administrative duties involved compared to the Partnership business structure. In fact, an LLP is more similar to operating a Limited Company.

Read our guide online - http://snipurl.com/LLP_Set_Up

Entrepreneurs Urged to Take the Plunge
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With ‘Apprentice’ fever sweeping across offices throughout the UK, would-be entrepreneurs are urged to seize the opportunity to start their own businesses.
http://snipurl.com/take_the_plunge

The best Search Engine Optimisation Resources
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Seven of the best SEO resources for small business people starting out in web marketing.
http://snipurl.com/Key_SEO_Resources

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HOW TO FIND, RE-PACKAGE AND PROFIT FROM PUBLIC DOMAIN WORKS
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If you're looking for low-cost ways to boost your business, then
re-packaging and re-publishing books that are in the public
domain could be your answer. By tapping into this underground
industry you can quickly, easily and legally create completely
new products from information that is freely available.

Our special report will show you exactly how you can make your
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http://snipurl.com/_Public_Domain
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SMALL BUSINESS NEWS
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Businesses reeling under complexity of taxation
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Two thirds of UK companies think the tax system has become more complicated over the last five years, a poll of business leaders released last week reveals.
http://snipurl.com/Taxation_Complex

Small Business Bank Lending up 11% Last Year
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The British Bankers Association has revealed that UK banks lent over £33bn to small businesses in 2005 (a rise of 11% on the previous year), with over half a million new bank accounts opened.
http://snipurl.com/Small_Biz_Lend

The Rise and Rise of British Black Entrepreneurs
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To celebrate the success of the black businesses community in the UK, the British Library is holding a panel discussion with four inspiring entrepreneurs on 15th May in London.
http://snipurl.com/Black_Entrepreneurs

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WHAT ELSE...
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Our first Sales for Non-Salespeople Workshop sold out in days, so we're
busy arranging the next day. We've got some great developments for
the next Workshop, including a BIG reduction in price. We'll email you
with the full details just as soon as they're all finalised, so watch this
space.

In the meantime, we have two possible dates pencilled in for the next
Sales for Non-Salespeople, Saturday May 20 or Saturday June 3. If you'd
like to attend and have a preference for either day please email me with
the date that suits you. emyr@Business121.co.uk

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CLASSIFIEDS
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making them easier to manage, distribute and use.
Download an evaluation version from http://snipurl.com/_nxpowerlite

HELPING TO KEEP YOUR BOOK-KEEPING IN ORDER!
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DO$H Software's Cashbook will enable you to keep your bookkeeping
straight, right from the start. It will even calculate any VAT
payments due! http://snipurl.com/_Dosh_Cashbook

MAKE MORE MONEY IN LESS TIME WITH LESS RISK
.................................................................
Club Entrepreneur Presents the above on Saturday 29 April
Crawley near Gatwick 4-star Arora Int'l. Led by the author of
'Entrepreneur'. Only £10/day first time. Just turn up.
Check out details at; http://snipurl.com/_Club_Entrepreneur

(c) Business121.co.uk 2006