Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
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
The uncertainty surrounding Scottish independence leaves a question mark hanging over the future of public data access, a debate critical for businesses either side of the border, says Chris Oatts, operations director at Graydon UK.
News
The number of companies setting targets for their employees has risen by 17 per cent on last year, research finds.
Business management
Tony Harris started specialist financial advice service Contractor Financials in 2002 and has since built it to almost £3 million in turnover. Here, he talks about starting up and the benefits of short-term employment contracts.
News
More than half of British workers confess that a fear of failure stops them from turning a potentially game-changing idea into a real business, research finds.
Export & Import
Richard Parris, founder of cyber security company Intercede, discusses how to make inroads into the US market.
News
Two fifths of small business owners who set their company up in the past three years are already finding themselves in financial trouble, research finds.
News
Fewer SMEs are using the more traditional 'core' forms of finance compared to two years ago, research finds.
Marketing
Here, Linzi Boyd, author of Brand Famous: How to get everyone talking about your business, looks at how to get your brand on the fast track to exposure.
Business management
Steve Spriggs, founder of William Clarence Education, which offers private academic tuition, talks about his company's marketing challenges, controlling costs and his growth plans.
News
Some small businesses are waiting up to 40 days for payment from local councils, far behind central government guidance on prompt payment of suppliers, research finds.
News
UK businesses have paid out more than £878,000 over the last three years due to hackers successfully accessing cardholder data, research finds.
Business Loans
Here, we look at community development finance institutions (CDFIs) and how they can assist small companies with finance.