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.

Entrepreneur Q&A: ‘The Internet is the current issue for us’

Sandra Corcoran, co-owner of Bradford-based Pennine Cycles, talks about adjusting to life running a business, Brexit and promoting Yorkshire.

Success stories

Business Ideas & Planning

Pre-revenue business: Nic Pillow, CEO of Rhizome Live

In a new series on firms with minimal sales, we speak to Nic Pillow at Rhizome Live about the development of its online learning platform.

Investing in a franchise

Six steps to franchising your business

From choosing franchisees to providing specialist training, aspiring franchisors must ensure they follow all the right steps to make their operation a success. Here are some best practice tips to franchising a business.

Business Ideas & Planning

Registering your business: sole trader or limited company? 

Here, we speak to four small business owners about the decisions they faced when registering their company and what influenced their choices.

Success stories

Entrepreneur Q&A: ‘Going on Dragons’ Den fast-tracked business growth’

GripIt founder Jordan Daykin talks about starting a business at the age of 13 and securing investment from Deborah Meaden.

Startup Funding and Grants

Business funding for graduates launching a start-up

Here is a rundown of business funding options for graduates launching a start-up company.

Advice

Young entrepreneurs: overcoming key challenges in starting your business

Young entrepreneurs sometimes face issues in starting their businesses. We speak to Innovate UK's Ian Campbell about how to overcome them.

Advice

The most important aspects of running a family business

In this piece, we look at the key ingredients required for a successful family business and give first hand advice on managing one successfully.

Advice

Young entrepreneurs: overcoming key challenges in starting your business

Young entrepreneurs sometimes face issues in starting their businesses. We speak to Innovate UK's Ian Campbell about how to overcome them.

Advice

The most important aspects of running a family business

In this piece, we look at the key ingredients required for a successful family business and give first hand advice on managing one successfully.

Success stories

Entrepreneur Q&A: ‘I’m a risk-taker, but I take calculated risks’

Abbass Zadeh, founder of luxury car hire firm AZ Luxe, talks about building his reputation and expanding into jet chartering.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to define your company vision and use it to create success

Michael Hanby takes a look at how having a strong business vision has paid off for his health products company.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to turn your one man band business into a market leader

In this piece, we look at some of the most effective pathways to turning your one man band business into a market leader.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to create a new business model in a crowded market

In today's competitive business landscape, being able to innovate is a key attribute. Here, two business owners discuss how they implemented a new business model.

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

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.