Start-Ups

I think everyone is counting down the days before they can officially say goodbye and good riddance to 2020 – a year like no other… for all the wrong reasons.

Over the festive season, it can be tempting to enjoy a care-free break with loved ones, or as Sid Madge of Meee explains, we could opt for a low-key Christmas, reduce the health risk and kick-start our businesses for 2021 instead. (more…)

I wonder what your attitude is towards work? Perhaps you can relate to the person who said: “I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.” (Jerome K. Jerome.) Or Douglas Adams’s observation: “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.”  (more…)

Got time, money and effort to waste? I thought not! Whether you’re working on something totally new or improving something that already exists, whether you are thinking about a marketing campaign, entering a market or set of features, I am going to recommend that you test before you invest. (more…)

It’s been a bruising year for small business not just as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic but also because of the endless uncertainty around Brexit. With so many challenges, and so many unknows, it can be hard to know what to do for the best. (more…)

Starting a business may be exciting, however there are a few things that you need to make sure that you get right from the beginning.

Here are eight top tips for startup success that business expert, Carl Reader, shares in his new book, BOSS IT; (more…)

What do I mean by “Leadership Simulator”? A Leadership Simulator is a situation where we can hone our skills, make mistakes without catastrophic results, celebrate our innate qualities and those of our teams, and initiate new ways and ideas without suppression or consequence. Developing leadership skills is important for start-ups and other small businesses to grow. (more…)

We live and work in unprecedented times.

The term VUCA – an acronym developed by the US military to describe the state of affairs post cold war, sums it up well. VUCA – which stands for, Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – is as true today as it was then. (more…)

2020 has been a struggle. Covid-19 has caused chaos at home and at work and it has been a particularly testing time for small business owners and startup founders.

It is hard to plan for the future when we are having to deal with more changes from the government regarding Covid restrictions and we still don’t know what that future will hold. (more…)

Starting one’s own business is a desire that many people have. Some harbour the ambition from a very young age, while for others it is something that grows throughout their working lives; for some, the lure is the opportunity to be their own boss, for others there is a very clear issue or gap in the market that they have an idea of how to solve. (more…)

As entrepreneurs, when we have an idea for a start-up, we want our business to succeed and grow. Defining your products and services is part of the journey and having responsive and agile processes is a key part in this. Just remember not to lose sight of your initial idea or concept. (more…)

Striking the right balance between work and play is an issue that most business owners have always had to wrestle with.

And now the coronavirus pandemic means business owners and leaders are re-evaluating their work-life balance further, so we asked Sid Madge, author of ‘Meee in a Work Minute’ to share his experience on how to strike a fulfilling balance. (more…)

As a restaurant entering the post-Covid world , delivery and click & collect services are no longer a ‘nice to have’, they are a fundamental part of the revenue streams of the future. Get it right now, and you will effectively future proof yourself for years to come. (more…)

The coronavirus pandemic led to many UK businesses in the entertainment industry closing their doors. Only in the last few weeks have some started to re-open under strict social distancing guidelines (meaning significantly reduced capacity and revenue). (more…)

Have you ever ended a presentation and wondered if your audience got the point or was convinced to invest in your venture? If you have, chances are you did not properly prepare your closing.

Here, Vinette Hoffman-Jackson of Toastmasters International explains how to close your speech, pitch or presentation successfully. (more…)

As small business owners, the switch to virtual communications means we’re spending big chunks of every week in online meetings, joining webinars as well as dealing with social media.

We asked Lyn Roseaman to share her advice and tips on how you can get the most from communicating online. (more…)

Your business is your lifeblood – you have poured your passion and determination into it to make it a success. You’ve spent countless late nights and weekends to create a business you are proud of, but how can you ensure your small business remains profitable as you grow? (more…)

In two years, what decisions will you have wish you had made today?

It’s a question that leaders should continually ask. But the pressure of day-to-day business means that thinking about the future can feel like a luxury in many companies. (more…)

Life is full of surprises, any one of which can knock us off our feet. In business this can range from the printer going on strike in the middle of a huge collation job, to a key customer taking their business elsewhere. (more…)

Covid-19 came at us out of “left field“. It was sudden and brutal. A wave of disbelief followed that disrupted our normal working pattern significantly, and maybe, irretrievably.

For all of us who run a business, there is a deep uncertainty right now. We are worried about what will happen to the business we’ve worked so hard to build up, and we are concerned for our employees and their long-term futures. (more…)

If you are an athlete how can you create a startup and grow a business as you transition from your sports career?

Former pro basketball player, Ferran Martinez knows exactly what’s needed, so we asked him to share his top tips on how to turn a sporting career into a successful business. (more…)

In the permanent disruption of the 2020s, the ability to invent new products, processes and value propositions is critical for any business.

Not surprisingly, there’s a growing premium placed on individual creative-thinking as it invariably sparks the journey towards innovation, so we asked author and speaker, Greg Orme, to explain how you can harness your full creative potential. (more…)

Running a small business can be a bit of a roller-coaster. Just when you think everything is going smoothly, an unexpected shock can hit your business and all of a sudden, your business is experiencing a very tough time.

So how do you turn your business around when times are bad, and all seems lost? Business owner, Anthony Main shares what he learned when his business was on the brink. (more…)

If you have ever had to make an important presentation or a big pitch, you will have had  words of wisdom showered upon you.

Although well-intentioned, much of that advice however is misguided, so we asked Anthony Garvey of Toastmasters International to reveal the most common myths when it comes to public speaking and presenting. (more…)

Whether you are a start-up or an established small business, you are likely to come across a challenge that requires outside input at some point in your business’s journey.

But consultants are expensive – for most SMEs, too expensive, so here are some alternatives that can help you out of a hole, without breaking the bank. (more…)

Starting your own business from scratch can be a terrifying prospect filled with self-doubt and worries about failure and going broke.

To help you safely negotiate the path of entrepreneurship, we asked business mentor and author Brian Marcel to share his blueprint for business success. (more…)

Becoming a business owner and an entrepreneur is deciding to become a leader. As a leader, your actions, behaviours and attitudes decide the ultimate fate of your business.

With leadership being vital, Florian Bay, explores some of the pitfalls leaders can fall into, and the steps you can take to lead your business to success. (more…)

In many cases, acting as a broker and introducer for a business can be more profitable than being the company that actually lends the money.

Typically, there can be 5 or 10 times more brokers than there are lenders in an industry and they will usually receive a fee for every application, or a commission on the funded sale. (more…)

Leadership is one of the most written about topics in business. You can be an ‘Authentic Leader’, a ‘Facilitative Leader’ or an ‘Agile Leader’.

Some of these labels may have currency, others do not. What is true is that there is no one, indisputable, formula for effective leadership. (more…)

Despite uncertainties over Brexit and a volatile political climate, the number of small businesses in the UK continues to grow year on year.

According to the Federation of Small Businesses, there were 5.8 million new startups in 2019, representing a 3.5% increase on the previous year. (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…)

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. (more…)

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 Taste Award. (more…)

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. (more…)

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. (more…)

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? (more…)

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: (more…)