About

Tim Adler is group editor of Small Business, Growth Business and Information Age. He is a former commissioning editor at the Daily Telegraph, who has written for the Financial Times, The Times and the Daily Telegraph. He is the author of three nonfiction books, the most recent of which was reviewed by The Sunday Times as “compulsively readable” and by the Daily Mail as “dazzling”. Since becoming editor of Small Business in 2019, the website was named alongside the BBC, the Guardian and the Telegraph as a top live blog covering the coronavirus pandemic by journalist trade magazine Press Gazette.

Business Ideas & Planning

A small business guide to self employment

Being self-employed means, you are captain of your own ship. But there are key decisions to make before you quit full-time employment, unless you want your ship to run aground

Alternative finance

Is your business a good candidate for a merchant cash advance?

Merchant cash advance is the fastest-growing area of business funding, enabling businesses to raise working capital against till sales. It’s a new way of funding driven by technology.

Business Loans

Personal guarantees for loans stifling growth, say business owners

Small business lobbyist calls out banks’ use of harsh personal guarantees, which can force small business owners to put their homes on the line

Getting Online

How can I promote my small business website?

We answer 5 common questions on how to grow and market your small business website, from understanding SEO to advertising on social media

Business Technology

Call for increased tax breaks for spending on digital services

Signatory Sage has said small businesses embracing technology could add £232 billion of value to the UK economy

Employing & managing staff

Can I monitor my staff while they are homeworking?

Some business owners want homeworking staff to keep laptop cameras and microphones switched on, so they can scrutinise whet they’re doing. But is this even legal, let alone intrusive?

Business Loans

How to get a business loan in 5 steps

Follow this 5-step plan if you want to secure a loan for your small business. There is a wealth of high-street banks and alternative SME lenders to choose from.

News

Three quarters of small businesses ‘surviving, not thriving’

#SBS State of the Nation Roundtable report reveals that 72% of small businesses feel they are surviving, rather than thriving

News

Late payments watchdog collects less than £1m in past two years

Office of the Small Business Commissoner claws back just £800,000 in late payments since new commissioner took over, saying sums involved are getting smaller

Business management

Is it better to buy or lease a car for your small business?

Leasing a company car vs buying one is a vexed question for many small business owners. Small Business offers the pros and cons of leasing vs buying

Finding and selling to customers

Shopify alternatives for UK businesses

Over 180,000 UK businesses use Shopify for their ecommerce platform. However, there are alternatives to Shopify out there which are cheaper or even free

Blog

Sage pop-up shop winner #2 – Katie Cross, Cake or Death

Katie Cross, director of vegan bakery Cake or Death, sits down with Small Business to tell us about her experience of winning the Sage pop-up competition

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