Category

Starting a Business

Advice on how to start your own business, with guides to help you plan, develop and finance a start-up company, plus recommendations on registering the business, its legal structure and finding financial backing for growth. Whether you are just beginning or have already taken the first steps and want to keep everything on track, our expert articles will give you the knowledge to help lead you to success, whilst maintaining a good work-life balance.

Starting a business can initially seem daunting, but with good support and a strong idea you can quickly pass through the key stages of the setting-up process and be able to launch your company with a solid foundation.

Topics covered include: regulations and requirements for company owners, finding and selecting the professional services you may need (such as banking, insurance, accountancy etc.), legal structure options (self-employed person, sole trader, a partnership or a limited company), business planning, UK start up funding sources and finding your first customers.

7 investor personas: how start-ups can understand their motivations

Matthew Cushen, co-founder at Worth Capital, explains how start-ups can understand the motivations of 7 different investor personas

Advice

Business Ideas & Planning

Books for summer reading take a focus on the future

Some books for summer reading deal with making a business a success, selling that business and entering retirement and using the body's physical intelligence to live a stress free, happier life.

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Zaffrin O’Sullivan, Five Dot Botanics

Zaffrin O’Sullivan wondered why so many makeup brands listed impenetrable artificial ingredients. Her answer was to create sustainable eco brand Five Dot Botanics.

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Shane Lowe, Vitrue

Vitrue Health uses the camera technology developed for Hollywood blockbusters to help sports stars recover from injuries

Business Ideas & Planning

Start-up valuation – an investor guide to valuing a start-up

Matthew Cushen, co-founder at Worth Capital, explains the ins and outs, the art and not the science behind a realistic start-up valuation.

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Ed Bird, Bird Eyewear

Ed Bird wanted to create a sustainable fashion eyewear business with a social conscience. Entering The Start-Up Series competition helped him hone his vision

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Les Dawson, Uniblock

Les Dawson was facing an uphill battle trying to change the minds of Britain’s conservative housebuilders with his Uniblock building system. Until The Start-Up Series gave him the investment – and validation – he needed

Starting a Business

New company launches fell by a quarter between January and May

But company registrations bounced back in May, just 3% down year on year as entrepreneurs take the plunge.

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Les Dawson, Uniblock

Les Dawson was facing an uphill battle trying to change the minds of Britain’s conservative housebuilders with his Uniblock building system. Until The Start-Up Series gave him the investment – and validation – he needed

Starting a Business

New company launches fell by a quarter between January and May

But company registrations bounced back in May, just 3% down year on year as entrepreneurs take the plunge.

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Andy Roberts, Weekly10

Andy Roberts didn't know he'd launch an employee engagement platform when he began his career in financial services. He tells us how The Start-Up Series benefitted the business .

Startup Funding and Grants

7 funding choices when it comes to financing your start-up

You’ve got some inspirational market insight and created the killer idea for a business. You can see where the revenue will come from, and with a healthy margin. But what about the investment you’ll need to get it up and running?

Success stories

What winning The Start-Up Series meant for me – Nick James, Bedfolk

Nick and Jo James, co-founders of online bedding company Bedfolk, sold their flat to fund their online bedding business. Here Nick talks about what difference winning the Start-Up Series has made and why getting into bed with Worth Capital was so important

Sole trader

IR35 freelance tax changes will go ahead in April 2021 – are you ready?

MPs vote through IR35 tax reform, bringing thousands of freelance contractors within PAYE for the first time

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

Partner content

How should I select my business broadband provider?

As with any supplier, it’s important to do your research and ask important questions before you select a broadband provider for your business. But what are the must-have things you should take into consideration?

Business Technology

Future-proof your business communications set-up

Landlines as we know them will be scrapped in 2027 – along with a raft of upcoming business changes. Here's how to ensure your communications set-up is fit for whatever the future brings