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.

Business Loans

The facts you need on secured loans

Here, we look at why it's important to consider the ups and downs of secured loans before going ahead with an application.

Accounting

Could adapting your auditing process create value?

Here's how adapting how your business goes about the auditing process could free up finances and create value.

Tax

Six tax breaks commonly overlooked by small business owners

Here, we look at some key tax breaks that could save your small company money.

Accounting

Millions in R&D tax relief overlooked by SMEs

Thousands of businesses are missing out on valuable tax breaks for research and development that can help to fund IT development and technological improvements, a study finds.

Marketing

How a social media platform can enhance affiliate marketing

Here, we look at social media and affiliate marketing, and how the two can interact in the most effective way for your business.

Finding and selling to customers

How to harness negotiation and boost your sales success

Here, we look at four key tips for harnessing your negotiation skills to secure your sales pipeline.

Employing & managing staff

What sort of contract will I need if I want to employ staff on a flexible basis?

The employment landscape of the UK is changing rapidly. The rise of the gig economy, powered by companies such as Uber, Hermes, Deliveroo, and TaskRabbit, combined with an increase in the number of companies placing employees on zero-hour contracts, has created a great amount of uncertainty for many employees.

Advice

How can retailers beat the competition? Finding the tools to improve the odds

In this piece, in association with Close Brothers Retail Finance, we look at how offering retail finance can help put SME retailers ahead of the curve.

Advice

International Women’s Day: Is starting a business as a woman easier than ever?

On International Women's Day, we assess the current state of female entrepreneurship and ask whether it is easier today to launch a business as a woman.

Legal advice

Big or small, all businesses can be affected by the equal pay claim

In the wake of the equal pay dispute by Tesco employees, Russell Brown of Glaisyers Solicitors discusses how smaller employers can benefit from reviewing their workplace culture and practices.

Employing & managing staff

The measures I put in place to attract and retain new talent

Here, Mike Preston discusses the investment his business ProtectMyPeople has made to retain and attract new staff, and what he believes SMEs can do to attract more young employees.

Business management

Is it time for your company to ditch ‘dirty diesel’?

In this piece, we examine the reputation of diesel cars today and assess the factors that influence which vehicle to equip your staff with next.

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