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.
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
Business Ideas & Planning
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.
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
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
Advice
Licences are one of the first things you should research when you're starting your small business. Here's what you need to know
Starting a Business
Zaffrin O’Sullivan created her skincare brand Five Dot Botanics to answer a consumer need for transparency and simplicity in ingredients. Today, her brand is stocked in Holland & Barrett health food stores
Starting a Business
Ruth Bradford started her award-winning business because she was dissatisfied with board books for babies available on the market. Today, The Little Black and White Book Project imprint sells nationwide through bookshops as well as direct through her website
Starting a Business
Setting up your business can feel overwhelming with hundreds of things to do simultaneously. Bringing in outside expertise can lighten your load and help you avoid costly mistakes
Employing & managing staff
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
Business broadband offers a host of advantages over standard domestic connections, here’s why you should be considering an upgrade
Partner content
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
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