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

Government scheme approves 25,000th small business loan

The government's Start Up Loan scheme has reached £130 million in funds lent to new companies.

News

Government to weigh in on late payment and supply chain bullying

The Federation of Small Businesses is assembling an influential cross-party group of MPs to identify possible solutions to the deterioration of payment practices in the UK.

Accounting

Managing your books and keeping control of your accounts as a small company

Here, in association with Bibby Financial Services, we look at why it's important to have a plan for bookkeeping and accounts right from the start of your business.

News

Business owners start up in order to work for themselves

Being your own boss is the main driver for people to give up their day job and start a business, research finds.

Marketing

Incorporating data capture into your social strategy

Start-ups often ask how they can enrich their email marketing pool in a cost-effective and ethical way. Here, Victoria Browne gives some tips.

News

Concern over disparities in credit ratings for small companies

Significantly different credit ratings and rating limits are being recommended across agencies for the same businesses.

News

SMEs would prefer to deal with fewer suppliers 

The majority of small business owners believe their company would perform better with a smaller number of suppliers, finds research.

Legal advice

The impact of the copyright exemption on the games industry 

Here, Christopher Williams discusses the copyright considerations businesses in the games industry should make following new legislation.

Finding and selling to customers

Managing your Christmas gift returns as a small company

No company owner wants to contend with a high rate of product returns, but they are an unfortunate reality for retailers large and small. Here, we look at the problem and what can be done about it.

News

Concern over red tape and skills shortages for small businesses 

Half of small and medium-sized businesses are worried that tough legislation will hamper their ability to grow in the next 12 months.

News

Higher costs impacting on cash flow for small businesses

More than half of small and medium-sized companies in the UK are experiencing increased operation costs on last quarter.

Startup Funding and Grants

How three small businesses raised money and grew

Here, we look at three companies at different stages of development, how they acquired funds and built their businesses.