Category

Running a Business

This section takes you through every important aspect of how to run a successful business. It offers expert guides and advice articles on the key elements of business management such as employing staff, finding customers, marketing and sales, pricing, people management, office and home working, business technology and everything else an entrepreneur must tackle in order to succeed.

The 99p entrepreneur

Young buck Suleman Sacranie dropped out of university to launch online discount operator 99p Shopper in July and already has dreams of floating the company.

Business management

Marketing

Social networking and business

What can small businesses learn from larger enterprises that have embraced social networking?

Business Technology

Better business data

If you're looking to streamline your business processes, there are a variety of software tools available.

Office & home working

Office moves – The Essentials

Relocating a business takes time and money. Read these tips to ensure your office move goes without a hitch.

Business management

Sara Pomfret on setting up her home furnishing business Raines & Willow

Sara Pomfret set up her home furnishing business, Raines &Willow, earlier this year with her father, David Brown. It's already making a profit.

Finding and selling to customers

Interview with David Strang of toy company Wicked Vision

David Strang's boomerang and toy company Wicked Vision has soared since he first launched it ten years ago.

Employing & managing staff

Unpaid leave

Some of my staff are having unpaid time off, although they have an entitlement of 24 days per annum. Can the amount of holiday entitlement be adjusted because they are not working the amount of time they are contracted to do?

Employing & managing staff

Are part-time employees entitled to redundancy pay?

Is a part time employee entitled to redundancy pay? They have worked around 20-25 hours per month on a casual basis over the last 2 years.

Employing & managing staff

Unpaid leave

Some of my staff are having unpaid time off, although they have an entitlement of 24 days per annum. Can the amount of holiday entitlement be adjusted because they are not working the amount of time they are contracted to do?

Employing & managing staff

Are part-time employees entitled to redundancy pay?

Is a part time employee entitled to redundancy pay? They have worked around 20-25 hours per month on a casual basis over the last 2 years.

Employing & managing staff

Calling in sick 

Bosses are rendered powerless by the line: ‘I feel a bit fluey, I don’t think I’ll be able to come in today.’

Employing & managing staff

Excessive sick leave

I have an employee who I think is having excessive time off sick. His latest excuse is that he has had to take an extra job to make ends meet and was too tired to come into work this morning. How do we stand regarding disciplinary procedures?

Legal advice

Paying redundancy 

How can I pay redundancy if I don't have any money?

Finding and selling to customers

Margins Matter

Making money is more about having an instinct for buying and selling than coming up with the next killer idea, says Simon Cook, CEO of venture capital firm DFJ Espirit.

Business Loans

A guide to getting a small business loan

Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.

Partner content

What are the funding options for hospitality businesses?

Hospitality businesses have faced a number of challenges in the last couple of years. Find out what funding and support is available.

Employing & managing staff

The importance of vocational rehabilitation services for SMEs

In Aviva’s latest SME research*, 57 per cent of employers surveyed agreed that nowadays employees expect benefits to protect against loss of income or earnings. What do you offer your people?

Partner content

What are the benefits of business broadband?

Business broadband offers a host of advantages over standard domestic connections, here’s why you should be considering an upgrade