Category

Starting a Business

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.

Top five online businesses you can start today

Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration

Business Ideas & Planning

Sole trader

How Liz Truss can win over the self-employed

Truss needs to unveil a plan that can revitalise a sector that contributes £303bn to the UK economy, says IPSE’s director of policy Andy Chamberlain

Success stories

Meet the startup: Mike Radley, Nibble

Micro-influencers can significantly increase your restaurant or café’s presence, but more importantly influence the buying decision of customers. But how do you find the right ones?

Sole trader

7 advantages of being a sole trader

Business formation is one of the biggest decisions you'll make when starting out. Here are seven key advantages of being a sole trader

Sole trader

Can I switch a limited company to sole trader?

Yes you can, says Simon Thomas of Ridgefield Consulting. But you have to follow these steps to wind up your limited company first

Success stories

Meet the startup: Matthew Vamplew, Paranimo

Mental health challenges cost the UK economy nearly £118bn annually, Paranimo aims to democratise workplace access to the right mental health support to create psychologically healthy cultures.

Advice

What we’ve learned from startup founders on the Launch Lessons podcast

Launch Lessons is a podcast from Airwallex, the financial suite which empowers businesses to go global from day one

Sole trader

What business insurance do I need as a sole trader?

What are the main types of business insurance for a sole trader and what if I’m working from home?

Advice

What we’ve learned from startup founders on the Launch Lessons podcast

Launch Lessons is a podcast from Airwallex, the financial suite which empowers businesses to go global from day one

Sole trader

What business insurance do I need as a sole trader?

What are the main types of business insurance for a sole trader and what if I’m working from home?

Sole trader

What is a sole trader? A small business guide

Emily Coltman, chief accountant at FreeAgent, investigates one very popular structure for new business owners: sole tradership

Sole trader

Can two people run a sole trader business?

Can two people run a sole trader business and can you register a newly formed limited company as 'dormant' and start off as a sole trader?

Advice

How microbusinesses take the first steps toward sustainability

Helping the environment can open up the possibility of more revenue, says Ben Law, VP and head of UK and Ireland at GoDaddy

Sole trader

40% of self-employed earn less than £1,000 a month

One third of self-employed struggling with daily living expenses, especially as energy is a major cost for small businesses

Business Technology

How to keep your small business safe online

Here's how Security Service Edge from Vodafone can help to protect your SME from ever-increasing cyber threats

Business Technology

How to grow a global creative agency in record time

Find out how creative agency, Myth Studio, used technology to grow their business and quadruple their staff count in 18 months

Partner content

Attracting and keeping top talent through Total Reward

Employment benefits specialist, Drewberry, explain why you should base your benefits around a Total Reward Strategy

Partner content

5 things every small business owner needs to know before starting

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