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

Small companies unable to expand without cash injection

A quarter of microbusinesses feel they will need to raise additional funds in order to grow their business, research finds.

News

Small businesses hit hard by costly public sector tender process

UK firms bidding for public sector contracts face the second highest bidding costs in the EU, finds research.

News

Eligible businesses failing to claim back VAT

More than a third of the UK's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are missing out on significant VAT savings they are entitled to, according to a study.

News

SMEs burdened by increase in compliance costs over past two years

The average small business today pays substantially more on compliance costs than in 2011, finds research.

News

Small businesses taking on global mindset in bid to accelerate growth

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are making major changes to their business models to adapt to global markets, according to a study.

News

Graduates increasingly setting up on their own rather than joining labour market

The number of graduates fresh out of university choosing to work for themselves, rather than becoming employees, has more than doubled in the past year, finds research.

News

Small business owners feel like they are ‘masters of their own destiny’

Over nine in ten small businesses are either 'very' or 'quite' happy about prospects for business.

Advice

The ten biggest mistakes made by SMEs

Katherine Evans, PR and marketing executive at 08 Direct, looks at how the main pitfalls of running a small business can be avoided.

News

Good news for businesses looking for online funding as public shows interest in peer-to-peer lending

One in four people in the UK would consider loaning money to small businesses through peer-to-peer (P2P) lending once the sector is fully regulated.

News

Numerous small companies do not have a system for employee expenses

A quarter of UK businesses operate without a policy outlining what employees can and cannot claim on expenses, a study finds.

Government Grants

How to get a business grant from the Accelerator scheme

Economics student Zahra Charaffdeen received £2,500 in business funding from Accelerator, a specialist business incubator in East London. She talks to SmallBusiness.co.uk about the achievement.

Government Grants

Financial assistance for a small business: Regional Growth Fund and council grant

Kent-based indoor family entertainment centre Bumble Beez received an interest-free loan of £30,000 in November from the Regional Growth Fund and also received grant assistance from Kent council. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to founder Sarah Cannon about her funding experience.