About

Ben Lobel was the editor of SmallBusiness.co.uk from 2010 to 2018. He specialises in writing for start-up and scale-up companies in the areas of finance, marketing and HR.

Alternative finance

A peer-to-peer lending case study: Red Advertising

Job advertising network Red Advertising secured a loan of £150,000 over five years through peer-to-peer lender ThinCats.com.

Alternative finance

Fundraising through equity-based crowdsourcing

Alex Kammerling founded spirit manufacturer Kamm & Sons in 2011 and raised £180,000 through Crowdcube, a website that offers equity-based crowdsourcing as a means of raising funds.

Legal advice

Can we get rid of a director?

I own a small business, incorporated in February this year, as one of three directors. One director is proving awkward to work with and won't agree to anything the other two directors decide on. We want to continue in business with just us two directors and get rid of the third guy. What are our options?

News

FSB: Employers relief needed for SSP

Government must introduce a small employer's relief for the recovery of statutory sick pay (SSP), says the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Startup Funding and Grants

What is credit easing and how does it apply to small businesses?

Business management

SMEs should open their doors to the world

There has never been a better time for small enterprises across the UK to be embracing worldwide trade in order to help their businesses flourish and grow.

Crowdfunding for Business

Funding, cubed

Crowdcube provides a platform for entrepreneurs of startups and growing businesses to connect with potential investors. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to co-founder Luke Lang.

Blog

Be clear on new agency worker rules

So the new Agency Workers Regulations are now in force, but what do they mean for small businesses?

News

FSB: ‘Stable environment’ needed for SMEs

Business Secretary Vince Cable must promote a stable environment for small businesses to thrive, the Federation of Small Businesses will tell the Liberal Democrat Conference this week.

Government Grants

The green grant

Neil McManus, owner of telecoms provider GHM Communications, won a business grant of £1,000 from Sustainable Routes, an environmentally-friendly project that helps businesses in reduce the cost of business travel.

Business management

Playing the game

Mobile games studio Neon Play started in May 2010 and already forecasts revenues of £2 million for the next year of trading. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to founder Oli Christie.

Employing & managing staff

Innovating from within

Companies are empowering staff at all levels of authority to contribute key ideas and strategies and the resulting intrapreneurs can benefit businesses in multiple ways, writes Ben Lobel.

Ben Lobel

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