How to set up and run a small business

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How to maximise your chances of securing a small business loan

December 3, 2015

One of the biggest challenges start-ups and fledgling businesses face is securing the funding they need to realise their potential. A majority of business owners feel that finding finance is difficult in the current climate, and in particular, that banks are reluctant to provide business loans at competitive rates. So to help you maximise your […]

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How peer-to-peer lending offers start-ups and small businesses a new funding option

October 24, 2015

If you need more finance to grow your business, there are a number of options which you might wish to consider. You could turn to your own personal savings, ask family members for help, get a bank loan, issue shares, or speak to some business angels or venture capitalists. Or you could consider peer-to-peer (P2P) […]

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What is “gearing” and how can you make it work for your business?

October 12, 2015

When people talk about ‘gearing’ in a business, they are usually referring to one of two types; Financial gearing Operational gearing Here’s a guide to what gearing is, and how you can use it to increase the returns your business makes;

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Low profit is no barrier to achieving a high price when you’re selling a business

October 9, 2015

For most business owners, selling their business is a once in a lifetime event. It’s also often the culmination of decades of hard graft so it’s important you get it right. When building up your business, you will have invested a huge amount of your time, energy and money so you will want to make […]

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How to switch business banking providers

September 27, 2015

Most individuals use the same bank for decades, if not for their lifetime. Many small businesses are the same, and stick with their high street bank even if they are missing out on far higher interest rates and lower bank charges which are available elsewhere.

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10 Top tips to ensure your crowdfunding efforts are rewarded

September 10, 2015

Business owners that are exploring some of the newer business funding options, commonly referred to as ‘Alternative Finance’, can sometimes struggle to distinguish between ‘crowdlending’ and ‘crowdfunding’, not least because they sound remarkably similar. Both describe ways of raising business finance, but there are huge differences between the two which need to be clearly understood […]

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What to do if your company is running out of cash

August 26, 2015

Starting up and sustaining a company is a tough challenge for even the most gifted of entrepreneurs or the brains behind the business world’s biggest and best ideas. Within that context, the margins for error tend to be slim, particularly when it comes to financial matters and the business of balancing your books. Here are […]

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Cashflow Forecasting – top tips to produce a better cash flow forecast

May 18, 2015

When you are starting a new business, you will most likely need to produce a cashflow forecast. If you’re looking to raise money, from either a bank loan or outside investors, a cash flow will be one of the financial forecasts that you will need to produce for prospective lenders and investors. As your business […]

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8 signs that a small business may be approaching insolvency

April 17, 2015

Although it does not necessarily herald the end of a small business, decline into insolvency can bring significant changes in company structure, operations and management style. It’s worth checking your company for characteristic signs that, if spotted and acted upon early enough, could help you to steer the business away from danger. Here are 8 […]

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Business angels or dragons – who do you trust to invest in your company?

March 30, 2015

Looking for an investor to help fund your business? You’d better make sure they’re an angel, not a dragon! Most businesses require outside investment at some point in their development. Whether you are a new business needing a cash injection to get started, or an established company looking to launch a new product or move […]

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10 late payment excuses used by customers – and how to deal with them

February 27, 2015

With late payment problems a constant burden for small business owners, we look at the most common delaying tactics used by customers, and how you can overcome these late payment excuses.

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ByteStart’s Guide to insolvency, liquidation and bankruptcy for business owners

November 27, 2014

If there’s one piece of advice to hold above all others while running your business, it’s this: cash is king. It doesn’t matter how much you are selling or the size of your profit, if your business doesn’t have enough cash to pay staff and suppliers you are in big trouble. Even successful and profitable […]

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7 ways to make sure your business gets paid on time, every time

October 14, 2014

Cash is the lifeblood of any business. And in the first few years of your start-up, the ability to get cash into your bank account faster than it goes out again will be one of the main measures of whether it is a viable business. Every year, many small businesses fail, simply because they run […]

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How to get your customers to fund your business start-up

October 10, 2014

While “entrepreneur” may occasionally be a euphemism for “out of work”, there are more and more individuals working in earnest to start a business of their own. Indeed, statistics show no fewer than 400 million such individuals globally, with over 2 million in the UK and 20 million in the US. Sadly, many of these […]

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What do you do when your business is struggling under mounting debts?

October 8, 2014

While it may be tempting to ignore a mounting debt problem in your business, it is the worst thing you could do. If your business is a limited company, there are many avenues open to you to resolve debt-related problems. So, where do you start?

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Business debt recovery – A practical guide for small businesses

October 8, 2014

If your customers do not pay you on time (or at all), then they are inflicting serious damage to your business. It is something that is so often overlooked as ‘one of those things’ small businesses just have to put up with, but with the right approach you needn’t let your business succumb to this […]

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Raising finance for your business

October 8, 2014

To raise money to grow your business, you have to convince likely lenders that your idea is profitable, or at least has the potential to be. Here, we take a look at two the two key elements that should drive your search for funding; The different types of finance available What lenders and investors look […]

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How to avoid late payment problems

August 28, 2014

The single biggest cause of small business failure in the UK is poor cash flow management, most often brought on by late payment issues. It’s therefore vitally important that you do all you can to ensure that your customers pay you on time. Here are 7 things a small or start-up business (or any organisation […]

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Using ‘Credit Limit Application Forms’ for new customers – the factors you need to consider

August 12, 2014

Credit limit application forms are a useful way of finding out the financial capabilities of a new client or customer, before you agree to provide them with any form of credit.

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How to get your business ready to sell – 10 things to do before you put up the for sale sign

April 30, 2014

So you want to sell your business? The place where you’ve spent more time than with your family; invested money which you’ve sometimes had to borrow in order to expand or buy new equipment; given your heart and torn out your guts; worked anywhere from 60 – 80 hours a week, maybe more; tackled a […]

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5 things you should know if you want to attract business angels

April 22, 2014

Angel investors can be a lifesaver for a small enterprise – not only can they supply capital investment, but they often have years of valuable experience to offer a fledgling business. As viewers of Dragons’ Den will know, securing angel investment is no easy task. Although much of the BBC show is put on for […]

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Factoring for small businesses – the pros and cons

November 21, 2013

If you’re doing well enough that your business is growing rapidly you would expect your finances to be healthy. But that isn’t always the case. If your firm is expanding quickly, you could find that your cash flow becomes a problem, even though your business is profitable. It’s a unique financial situation where you are […]

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The free tools businesses can use to credit check new clients

October 25, 2013

One of the big issues when you’re taking on a new client is whether you can trust them to pay you or not – so how best do you deal with this concern? Some people charge a deposit or part-payment upfront, but that can be off-putting to customers, who equally don’t know whether you’re trustworthy […]

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£100 million business funding scheme now open to all high growth potential companies

July 5, 2013

The Angel CoFund, which provides investment capital for businesses with the potential for rapid growth, can now be tapped by companies from all over the UK. Previously, only high-growth businesses in specific geographical areas of the UK were eligible for funding through the CoFund. However, a £50 million finance boost from the government’s Business Bank […]

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What are business angels and how they can help your business?

May 3, 2013

Although it may not reflect ‘real life’, the BBC’s Dragons’ Den programme has done a good job in highlighting the role that angel investors play in the business world. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the ongoing economic downturn has actually resulted in an increase in business angel activity. As the returns from more traditional means […]

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Guide to the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme

March 27, 2013

The Government launched the EFG scheme to encourage lenders to provide further funding to smaller businesses following the credit crisis. In this article, we look at the how the scheme operates in practice, and how small firms can benefit.

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Popular funding options for fledgling businesses

February 19, 2013

Many businesses will need to raise funds at some time – either at the start-up stage, or to finance expansion. With ‘traditional’ credit still in short supply and the possibility of a ‘triple dip recession’ in 2013, here is an overview of the various options open to small businesses looking to raise funds.

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What to do when a client refuses to pay or can’t pay

November 21, 2012

If you’ve got a business headache right now, there’s a pretty good chance it’s to do with clients owing you money. It’s almost as if the economic downturn has become a prime opportunity for anyone who fancies improving their own cash flow to help themselves to better credit terms from their suppliers… but without asking […]

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What are County Court Judgements?

June 18, 2012

Often when you see adverts for loans – particularly debt consolidation loans – you’ll hear them speak of ‘CCJs’ as something that might have prevented you from being approved for a loan elsewhere. CCJs are County Court Judgements, and are a legal process designed to resolve issues such as non-payment by taking your client to […]

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Late payment the biggest cash flow killer

May 2, 2012

A recent survey shows, once again, that late paying customers remain the biggest single threat to the health of the UK’s small businesses. Here, we provide some tips on how to avoid late payment problems.

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Crowdfunding – a new alternative for small and start-up businesses looking to raise money

February 9, 2012

Raising business finance is difficult at the best of times but in today’s age of austerity banks, business angels and governments are tightening their belts, cutting off the supply of cash which is leaving start-ups and growing businesses who need seed finance thirsty for money. As a result venture capital is being democratised.

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5 ways to instantly improve your cash flow

February 8, 2012

Cash flow is the most important thing in your business – more important even than profit. If you imagine cash to be the blood cells of a business, then cash flow is the flow of blood, keeping the business alive. A healthy person will quickly die without blood. And a healthy profitable business will quickly […]

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Top 10 business finance tips for start-ups

November 16, 2011

When you are starting a new business you have a million and one things to think about. As a new business owner, many of the issues you will need to tackle, will be completely unfamiliar to you. With so much to do, you will need to learn quickly. If the financial side of the business […]

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Free business banking for startups – what to look out for

November 15, 2011

When you set up a business, one of your first tasks will be to choose a bank account. With many of the high street names offering ‘free business banking’, what does ‘free’ actually mean, and what else should you bear in mind when choosing a banking provider?

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How to compare business bank accounts

November 15, 2011

If you’re starting out in business – either as a limited company, a sole trader or partnership, one of the first things you need to do is find the best business account for your needs. So what should you look out for when comparing business bank accounts?

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Business internet banking – what to look out for

November 15, 2011

These days, virtually every business owner will expect to have access to internet banking for their business bank account.

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