Running a Business

This section takes you through every important aspect of how to run a successful business. It offers expert guides and advice articles on the key elements of business management such as employing staff, finding customers, marketing and sales, pricing, people management, office and home working, business technology and everything else an entrepreneur must tackle in order to succeed.

A secretary over the Internet

Find out how one small business owner offered a unique service using the internet.

Business Technology

Employing & managing staff

Redundancy is not the only option

Simon Kite, a partner at chartered accountants Saffery Champness, offers some tips on how to cut costs but avoid the redundancy route.

Business management

Sweet success: Charlotte and Lynne Fudge

After finishing her degree Charlotte Fudge started mail order biscuits company Biccies with her mum last year.

Finding and selling to customers

Healthy margins for speciality food

Splashing out on organic and home-grown foods is something we have developed a taste for, but with sales of fast food on the rise how are speciality and niche providers finding new ways to stimulate taste buds and be affordable?

Legal advice

Employers obligation to pay SSP to employee

I have a small shop and one of my staff is off work with a long term illness. He has indicated that he will not be returning to work. Am I still obliged to pay his statutory sick pay and is there any help for small business to cope with this cost?

Business Technology

Plan for the worst: business continuity

Business continuity provider SunGard and Smallbusiness.co.uk offer advice on how to carry on with ‘business as usual’ when the unexpected happens.

Business management

Rising Star: Paul Kelly

Championed by the likes of Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver, Paul Kelly started KellyBronze turkeys more than 20 years ago with his dad Derek Kelly.

Business Technology

Cost of building a website – expense or capital?

We are a start-up business currently having a bespoke website built (total cost will be around £10k). Will this be treated as a capital cost or trading expense by HMRC?

Business management

Rising Star: Paul Kelly

Championed by the likes of Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver, Paul Kelly started KellyBronze turkeys more than 20 years ago with his dad Derek Kelly.

Business Technology

Cost of building a website – expense or capital?

We are a start-up business currently having a bespoke website built (total cost will be around £10k). Will this be treated as a capital cost or trading expense by HMRC?

Finding and selling to customers