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.

News

Three fifths of employees admit to stealing from their office

Some 61 per cent of workers have stolen items from their office ranging from toilet rolls to mugs, finds research.

News

London businesses holding the most cash in savings accounts

Small companies in the capital are soaring ahead of their regional counterparts by holding more than half a million pounds in business savings accounts, research finds.

Finding and selling to customers

The importance of customer prioritisation in testing times

Here, we look at why issues of trust mean that businesses need to become more customer-focused than ever.

Alternative finance

Invoice discounting as a liquidity source for SMEs

In this piece in association with Fundbird, Mark Thomas of C2FO looks at invoice discounting as a means of improving small companies' cash flow position.

News

UK businesses left disgruntled by poor professional advice 

Poor professional advice from third parties or consultants has resulted in one in six small and micro-businesses losing money, according to new research.

News

Pop-ups becoming a major factor in retail 

Pop-up retail is now worth £2.3 billion to the UK economy, an increase of 12.3 per cent on last year, research finds.

News

Majority of UK workers fail to take full annual leave

More than half of workers forgo an average of three days leave each year, research finds.

News

Google Shopping costs increase for small businesses 

The costs of Google Shopping to small companies have increased dramatically, while most businesses believe the Google 'Buy Now' button will be bad for their sales, research finds.

News

SMEs in danger of missing auto-enrolment deadline

Many of the 1.8 million small employers are at risk of missing their pensions enrolment deadline, financial adviser Lighthouse Group warns.

Business Technology

What impact could 3D printing have on small businesses?

Here, we look at the benefit of the still-developing technology of 3D printing for SMEs.

Accounting

New study shows extent of late payment crisis in UK

Nearly a quarter of all small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK are facing a potential financial crisis due to late payment of invoices, new research finds.

Advice

Turning best practice into habits of excellence

Here, we look at how BSI (British Standards Institution) can help guide your business in the right direction.