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 […]
According to the founding father of Microsoft Bill Gates: “If your business is not on the internet, then your business will be out of business.”
The statement is bold and even controversial, but the Internet is without doubt, an excellent opportunity to tell as many people as possible about your business. (more…)
The APPG’s (All-Party Parliamentary Group) chair for Gambling Related Harm, Carolyn Harris, has recently called for further reform of the Gambling Act 2005, and the UK Gambling Commission, to help improve the protection of vulnerable people from the industry. (more…)
Good planning is important for both startups and established businesses, and a financial plan is no exception.
So to help you get your financial plan right we asked Robin Booth of Brixx.com to outline the 6 steps you need to take to develop a coherent, holistic financial plan of your business. (more…)
Complaints about poor service are increasing across the UK telecoms sector, by both consumers and businesses alike.
Whether it is missed appointments, late setup, poor quality connections or simply “it doesn’t work”, customers can now seek redress for sub-standard telecoms performance. (more…)
The inspiration to start a business can come at any time: in the pub, in the shower, in the supermarket, walking the dog.
How many times has someone you know announced they’ve had a great business idea? And how many of those eureka moments ended up as no more than a few notes on a napkin? (more…)
We no longer live in a Product Economy where organisations are all powerful; instead we find ourselves firmly in the Customer Economy, where customers have more power than ever, exercising influence as online reviewers, advocates and critics. (more…)
It is virtually impossible to eradicate staff sickness absence. However, for small businesses, the costly nature of absenteeism can be extremely disruptive to the day to day running of the business. (more…)
As we head into 2020, one thing is for sure, and that is that 2019 was the year influencer marketing reached the mainstream.
So how can businesses successfully use influencer marketing to reach more customers and grow sales? (more…)
You have a great business concept. Now you just need to sell it – not to customers, well, not yet. But to your backer.
Your top sales tool is a business plan. But take care. Potential investors banish the vast majority of plans to the bin, so you need to make sure business plan does the business. (more…)
A credit score is a reflection of a person’s or business’ creditworthiness.
As a general rule, the higher your credit score, the more trustworthy you are to lenders. But does your personal credit rating affect your business credit score? (more…)
Out of Home (OoH) advertising are any ads you see whilst out and about in your daily life, such as fixed signage and billboards.
According to the Oil & Gas UK Workforce Report, there are around 280,000 people working offshore in the UK alone. If you’re interested in a career working offshore, whether it be on an oil rig or working, research vessel or servicing and installing wind farms, here are eight things you’ll need to know before you […]
It’s Christmas! Well, nearly – and that means festive gifts and the goodwill. If you’re smart, your generosity can be tax deductible, so we asked Jonathan Amponsah of The Tax Guys to explain how you can claim some Christmas tax reliefs, and reduce your tax bill whilst still keeping the taxman happy.
Tis the season for office parties and dinners and, for many business owners, speeches, pep-talks and toasts. Your Christmas party is an opportunity to bring everyone together as a group, and with the right words, inspire your team as you head into another year.
Some businesses will work on Christmas Eve but then close down until Thursday, 2nd January. It may feel as if everyone is off work and every office is closed (especially with many schools closed until the 6th or 7th of January as well) – but that’s not entirely accurate. As a small business owner you […]
5,580 people in England and Wales had accidental falls mentioned as an underlying cause of death on their death certificate in 2017, according to new research by Safety Services Direct.
Office technology has developed rapidly in recent years resulting in new ways of working and doing business. A growing number of companies rely on remote workers who operate outside the traditional office space and many UK-based businesses draw a significant percentage of their customer base from abroad.
As your business grows, your brand becomes an ever-increasingly important tool to drive your success. It’s importance means you’ll want to nurture and protect it, and part of this will be developing your brand style guidelines.
Within the food and beverage industry, the Great Taste Awards are highly-respected and often considered the gold standard of speciality food and drink accreditation. Securing such a prize can catapult your product into the limelight, so we asked Kim Havelaar, Founder of Roqberry to share her know-how and advice on how to win a Great […]
Transforming a start-up business into a scale-up is an incredibly challenging task, which can be difficult to plan and prepare for. Although there is a lot to consider, moving from start-up through to the stages of rapid growth is practically impossible for any entrepreneur without having the right team or talent in place.
If you are setting up a limited company, you should think carefully when choosing your company name. Alongside the business reasons for choosing an appropriate name, there are also a number of company naming rules you should be aware of.
Over the last decade, organisations and business both big and small have been steadily investing more and more in their digital user experience (digital UX). Interestingly, the digital UX rules businesses are employing online can be applied to help you write great speeches, talks and presentations.
The ISO 9001 certification is highly sought-after and becoming increasingly popular amongst businesses. To help you understand whether ISO 9001 is something your business would benefit from, we asked Sean Huggett of Evalian to explain what it’s about, and what’s needed to achieve it.
Black Friday 2019 is coming up, and consumers are getting ready for a frenzy of online deals. Last year, there were 194 million site visits on Black Friday alone, with over 1.2 billion visits across the whole of Cyber Week for the top 10 retailers. Clearly, this is an event that retailers should be taking […]
It has long been an expectation for businesses to make physical spaces accessible for people of all abilities, and improvements have been made. Now the onus is on online retailers, where there is still a lot of work to be done, so we asked Hilary Stephenson, MD at user experience (UX) design agency, Sigma to […]
Whether you’re just getting started with your new business, you’ve got a seasonal company that sees a yearly slump or you’re looking to invest in a must-have asset, getting the finance you need can seem like a daunting and almost impossible task.
Recruiting the right person is a challenge for any business. For startups and SMEs without an in-house HR team or even a single HR specialist, it can be especially daunting. Hiring executive talent brings extra complexities and takes valuable time. But be warned, failure to do your homework on candidates for senior positions can be […]
If your new business is going to be operating in a competitive marketplace, it’s crucial that you find a way to differentiate your business from all the competitors out there. In short, why should customers choose your products or services over what’s already available?
From flexible hours to an easier commute, working from home seems like an ideal option for many employees and it can have a lot of benefits for business owners too. In this article, Peter Watton of matched betting start-up OddsMonkey, offers his advice to businesses who might be considering offering a working from home policy.
Financial reports are standardised measures of a business’ financial health. They are a necessity for publicly traded companies, but this does not mean that they are only useful for large organisations. If you know what to look out for, these financial reports are great tools for businesses of all sizes.
Take a close look at any business that has been thriving over the last few years, and there’s a very strong chance you’ll see it has a clear USP, or Unique Selling Point. Your USP is something you need to develop as you start your own business. So here’s how you can work on your […]
Successful business owners know how to make the most of every minute of every day. Wasted time costs money and clients, but when you’re slowed down by administrative tasks, an over-flowing inbox and endless meetings it can be hard to keep up, so here are ten ways to maximise your productivity every day:
Regularly reviewing employee performance is vital for businesses, as it provides both employer and employee with important information about the employee’s progress, needs and skills. It can also help improve employee productivity – but only if it’s done in the right way.
Due diligence is a term bandied around quite a lot. However, not many people understand what it means or what is involved. If you ever consider buying, selling, or investing in a business, then you’ll need to know precisely what due diligence means, what the process is, and how to conduct due diligence properly.
To help you handle bad reviews and get the best possible result, here are the dos and don’ts of handling negative reviews
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, […]
