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.
Sarah Musgrove, editor in chief of Opus Energy, offers a seven-point checklist to help you in setting up a business. Ian and Gary from Raybon Putters also share how they got started.
Setting up a company
Business Ideas & Planning
In this article, we've put together five ideas that you can use while you’re still a student to start your own business.
Success stories
Matt Turner, founder and MD of Clownfish Events, talks turnover, red tape and saying yes to everything.
Success stories
Starting a business by yourself is tough enough, never mind when you're pregnant and strapped for cash. Sara Lou-Ann Jones tells us how she did it with her company, Centre of Excellence.
Advice
As a landlord, you could see profits for both new and existing buy-to-let investors significantly decline. But if you're a limited company, this may not be the case. Here, Neil Lancaster explains why.
Advice
Here, we have compiled a list of well-written and informative business books to read during the summer heatwave.
Success stories
Luke Johnstone of PACK'D smoothie kits talks about launching a business with his childhood pal, crowdfunding and living in a shed.
Investing in a franchise
Here, Joel Bissitt of Franchise UK looks at some of the documents used to franchise a business and assesses the types of business that can operate as a franchise.
Success stories
Luke Johnstone of PACK'D smoothie kits talks about launching a business with his childhood pal, crowdfunding and living in a shed.
Investing in a franchise
Here, Joel Bissitt of Franchise UK looks at some of the documents used to franchise a business and assesses the types of business that can operate as a franchise.
Advice
Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive of Luxaviation UK, analyses current developments in the aerial urban mobility industry and wonders about the future impact on small businesses.
Advice
A 15-month renewal of Uber's London license is good news for budget-conscious small businesses – but ensuring traveller safety is also key, says Dafydd Llewellyn.
Success stories
Starting a business is often challenging, especially if you're younger. Kamil Bajolek talks more about how his online women's sportswear business, Flybery, came to be.
Advice
Do you need a mentor as a start-up business? Lucas London of Airtasker explains why you might want to consider it.
Partner content
Hospitality businesses have faced a number of challenges in the last couple of years. Find out what funding and support is available.
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
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