Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
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.
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
Success stories
Sole trader
MPs vote through IR35 tax reform, bringing thousands of freelance contractors within PAYE for the first time
Advice
Single parents start their new businesses with less money than most start-ups and they work longer hours. Joanna Morris shares 10 tips to make your single-mum (or dad) business a success
Advice
Freelancing expert Dave Chaplin explains how to set your freelance rate, the importance of tailoring your CV and where to find your next project.
Business Ideas & Planning
With many facing redundancy as businesses emerge from lockdown and those on furlough lose their jobs, here are five low-cost ideas for starting your own business post Covid-19
Starting a Business
Swamped with direct mail marketing flyers? What about suspicious junk mail trying to scam you? LegalZoom’s Registered Agent service sifts your mail before it reaches your home address, protecting you and your business
Starting a Business
Don’t offer your home address as your business address. Protect your privacy and that of your family by using a Registered Agent service
Starting a Business
We all shield our personal lives on social media, so why should your business be any different? LegalZoom’s Registered Agent protects your personal address.
Starting a Business
Don’t offer your home address as your business address. Protect your privacy and that of your family by using a Registered Agent service
Starting a Business
We all shield our personal lives on social media, so why should your business be any different? LegalZoom’s Registered Agent protects your personal address.
Work life balance
The government’s announcement that key workers can carry over statutory annual leave into the next two years is welcome, says Steve Arnold. But you want to encourage staff to take holiday even when self-isolating
Starting a Business
Forming your own company can be overwhelming for anybody starting out. LegalZoom has a range of packages to make starting a limited company as easy as possible.
Setting up a company
Salon Gold explores the pros and cons of starting a mobile beauty business vs starting up a salon on the high street.
Advice
Starting a new business from home needs lots of preparation, from setting up a limited company to health and safety and being compliant. Here is an easy guide on how to start a home business
Business Technology
To run an optimal business, you must have optimal tech. We explain why you must upgrade your business technology on a regular basis
Investing in a franchise
Starting a new business is an exciting venture. But – especially in well-established industry sectors – a key question is whether it would be better to buy a franchise or go solo.
Partner content
Read here for 16 tried and tested tips and tricks to improve potential cash flow problems