Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
Advice on how to start your own business, with guides to help you plan, develop and finance a start-up company, plus recommendations on registering the business, its legal structure and finding financial backing for growth. Whether you are just beginning or have already taken the first steps and want to keep everything on track, our expert articles will give you the knowledge to help lead you to success, whilst maintaining a good work-life balance.
Starting a business can initially seem daunting, but with good support and a strong idea you can quickly pass through the key stages of the setting-up process and be able to launch your company with a solid foundation.
Topics covered include: regulations and requirements for company owners, finding and selecting the professional services you may need (such as banking, insurance, accountancy etc.), legal structure options (self-employed person, sole trader, a partnership or a limited company), business planning, UK start up funding sources and finding your first customers.
In this piece, in association, with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), we look at why small businesses now, more than ever, need to prioritise compliance with the health and safety regime.
Advice
Advice
In this piece, Grainne Kelly reveals what small business owners need to know when sourcing and negotiating with suppliers.
Advice
From recycling to ways of saving electricity, Hannah Pennell explores the measures you can take to make your business greener.
Advice
Now the dust has settled on the government’s announcement that the new Hinkley Point power station is being built, we take a look at what it could mean for UK businesses.
Startup Funding and Grants
The government could do more to encourage lending and raise awareness of different financing options – but first, it should examine what doesn’t work about its current approach to SME funding, Richard Prime argues.
Startup Funding and Grants
Robert Gordon discusses why Britain’s small businesses should consider bespoke asset finance to ride out uncertainty and keep pace with technological change.
Work life balance
In this piece, we speak to three mumpreneurs about their experiences before and after starting their own business, and how their work-life balance changed.
Business Ideas & Planning
Here are a few start-up businesses that are already changing the face of the beauty industry.
Work life balance
In this piece, we speak to three mumpreneurs about their experiences before and after starting their own business, and how their work-life balance changed.
Business Ideas & Planning
Here are a few start-up businesses that are already changing the face of the beauty industry.
Startup Funding and Grants
Here, Chloe Webber reviews the latest series of Dragons' Den so far, and discusses what business owners should take away from the fundraising experiences.
Setting up a company
IT contractor Dave Chaplin started a website to help others when IR35 tax legislation arrived in 1999. Here, he talks about setting up and growing the company.
Setting up a company
Neil Simpson discusses the factors to consider when deciding how to structure your company: LLP or Limited.
Advice
Thomas Lee, director of Bingosites.uk, discusses the direction in which the bingo market is going and how his bingo site fits in.
Business Technology
Landlines as we know them will be scrapped in 2027 – along with a raft of upcoming business changes. Here's how to ensure your communications set-up is fit for whatever the future brings
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
Business Technology
With the landline shutdown coming fast, there’s never been a better time to switch to VoIP. Don’t let your small business be left behind!
Export & Import
Many factors can affect products’ journeys from A to B. Here are some tips for best practice for successful shipping in the modern world