Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning – all 21st Century “buzzwords” which you now see referenced often in news articles, at virtual conferences, on company social media posts and blogs.
But what do they really mean, and how can you practically apply them in business? (more…)
Were you aware that there are currently well over 7.1 million online retailers across the world (1)? Although this figure is staggering in and of itself, there is no doubt that the digital domain will only continue to gain momentum in the coming years. This is why so many freelancers are now choosing to take a foray into this potentially lucrative space. (more…)
We are all fully aware what the last year has represented. Living through the unprecedented circumstances of 2020 has meant that we have had to adapt. Luckily, because of the nature of who we are, we are adaptable beings. So, if your business wasn’t online at the start of 2020, then you most certainly will have taken the steps to change this by the time the year ended, if, of course, the business is one that can also adapt. (more…)
The widespread optimism surrounding the start of the New Year has swiftly subsided. Is it any surprise, when the headlines are dominated by rising death tolls, tougher restrictions and ever-growing Government debt? ‘Normal’ life feels more out of reach than ever, and 2021 looks set to be just as disruptive and unpredictable as 2020. (more…)
As a small business owner, you’ve probably heard of the phrase “Intellectual Property”, or IP as it’s commonly referred to. But studies show that despite knowing what Intellectual Property is, many small businesses assume that protecting their Intellectual Property is only something that larger, well-known businesses need to worry about.
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It is important for employees to have a work-life balance. Work-life balance is basically how much time employees spend working and how much they spend with family or doing things that they enjoy.
At times it is hard for employees to get the right work life balance, however having a good work life balance is vital. It improves their health and wellbeing, helps keep their stress levels to a minimum, and also helps prevent burnout. (more…)
Few who decide to become IT contractors live to regret it thanks to the greater financial and personal freedom they enjoy; but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks involved.
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At Bytestart, we receive hundreds of press releases every week. Although around 40% are usually relevant to UK small businesses, out of these we probably only end up using 4 or 5 a week in our news articles. Many are not relevant to our business, some are poorly written, and the majority are not newsworthy.
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There are now more online business ventures in existence than ever before. This only stands to reason, as we have already witnessed countless shoppers migrate to the digital community when purchasing everyday goods and services. While this creates opportunities for budding entrepreneurs, there are many challenges to overcome for an online business to become a success. (more…)
Although most professional contractors work via limited companies, a significant percentage prefer to (or have to) work through umbrella companies. Here we look at the pros and cons of contracting via an umbrella.
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Most new businesses are started from home. But with space at a premium and other pressures – such as COVID-19 – making households busier than ever, might buying a garden offer a solution for your startup?
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If your new business needs staff straight away, then you may find choosing the right office space difficult.
In this guide, we look at the benefits a serviced office could provide and give some tips on things to watch out for when you’re trying to find a serviced office. At Bytestart, we’ve worked at several serviced offices over the years.
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Where do you stand legally if you have outstanding contracts that you cannot fulfil through no fault of your own, or have contracts with others for the supply of goods or services which they cannot fulfil?
We asked Amanda Hamilton, Chief Executive of the NALP to outline the legal implications. (more…)
If you are thinking of working as a freelancer or a contractor via your own limited company, you need to very quickly get a basic understanding of the IR35 rules. (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…)
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 dust off that CV and start applying. (more…)
Whether you’re an established small business or a start-up about to launch your enterprise in a competitive market, one of the key ingredients you need to succeed is a unique selling point.
Some would go further than that and say having a USP is the key to success, and is more important than anything else, including marketing, service and pricing. A USP is what differentiates you from your competitors and can give you a vital edge.
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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, here’s a guide to employment contracts for small business owners. (more…)
As a business owner, you will no doubt, face some of the common team challenges experienced by many businesses today. When you do face these problems, you will need to know how to overcome them if you want your team to deliver.
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Alongside freedom, the potential financial benefit associated with contracting is a prime motivator for many people thinking of working for clients as an independent worker.
One of the first things people ask is: “what hourly / daily rate should I charge as a contractor?”
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Acquiring another company is one of the most common and effective ways to grow a business – but first-time buyers will need a helping hand. Here are ten questions you must ask yourself during the acquisition process, kindly provided by PKF accountants and business advisers.
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Content is at the heart of every modern marketer’s toolkit. But aligning this material with sales departments is a common problem many organisations face.
Your marketing team might be well-armed with blog posts, case studies and whitepapers to generate leads and brand awareness, but you need a well-equipped and driven sales team to nurture leads over the finish line. (more…)
With the inevitable ups and downs a small business faces, there may be times when you need to lose some staff.
To stay on the right side of UK employment laws, employers must understand how to carry out the redundancy procedure correctly, so here’s a step-by-step guide to the redundancy process, and how to negotiate it safely. (more…)
If your business has a physical presence of any kind, or you exhibit or attend branded events, it’s imperative to invest in quality business signage that stands out from the crowd.
The right signage and logo design will help build brand recognition, both offline and online, and ultimately increase footfall and conversions. (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…)
The statutory right to request flexible working is available to all employees who complete 26 weeks of continuous employment.
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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 do if after you’ve hired an employee, you subsequently find out they lied on their CV? (more…)
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 a number of essential things you will need to learn about, to keep on the right side of the law.
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Company reviews left on websites such as Glassdoor and Indeed can be a great way for your organisation to build a positive reputation and help in efforts to recruit new talent.
However, there is always the risk that staff may leave negative reviews on these websites, which can have a very different impact altogether. (more…)
Taking on your first employee should be an exciting time. It means your business idea is working and you need help to expand. But while employees will help your business grow, they will also bring new stresses you may not have encountered before.
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Following a successful recruitment and selection process, employers will be able to identify which candidates they wish to employ.
Making a job offer to the successful candidate appears to be a straightforward area of law, however, there are several factors that employers should consider to put themselves on the best path. (more…)
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, employees are entitled to take a minimum of 5.6 times their normal working week as paid annual leave each year.
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A recent study found that 48% of millennial graduates believe a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) to be the ideal sized business to work for as opposed to a larger organisation.
Even with this encouraging statistic, graduate recruitment can be difficult for small businesses. If you are to succeed you need to take a multi-faceted approach to gain interest from students and graduates alike. Here are 4 things you can do to ensure your graduate hiring process delivers. (more…)
Are you an employer that is being taken to the Employment Tribunal by an employee for alleged sexual harassment or racial discrimination or for unfair dismissal?
Are you an employee that feels your job situation is untenable? If so, then here’s what to do. (more…)
Moving into a proper office can make what you do seem a whole lot more real – but it’s a daunting move to make, and with more options available than ever before, it’s unsurprising that many small business owners make the wrong decisions, or delay the move from home entirely.
To help you choose the best route for your business, we compare the more traditional option of renting an office on a commercial lease and the serviced office option. We look at what each one gives you and highlight the benefits and drawbacks of both, so you can come to the right decision.
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When running your business, there may be times when you’ll need to obtain legal advice. Quite often, a solicitor will be called upon to review a contract, or to provide a legal opinion on a wide variety of business issues.
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How to write a good creative brief 
Should you rent or buy your business premises?