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.

How to tell if trade credit is right for your SME

Here, Rachel Mainwaring, operations director at Creditsafe, examines why trade credit might be right for you.

Startup Funding and Grants

Advice

Company directors can secure bigger mortgages by highlighting net profits

Here, Alastair McKee, managing director of One 77 Mortgages, explains how company directors can secure a higher mortgage through highlighting net profits.

Advice

How to get unpaid invoices settled within four weeks

Here, Shweta Jhajharia of The London Coaching Group, guides us on a 4 week plan to chasing up unpaid invoices.

Work life balance

SME work culture inspires a better work/life balance in healthcare

With the rise in gig-economy working among SMEs, healthcare workers are inspired to find a better work/life balance.

Work life balance

Time to take a break: Top tips for a better work-life balance this summer

Gary Turner, UK co-founder and managing director at Xero, gives his top tips to find a better work-life balance this summer.

Business Ideas & Planning

Inspiring ambition in the female founders of the future

Kate Jack, country lead for UK Innovation Hub, discusses what needs to be done to encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM subjects and entrepreneurship.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to jump on foodie trends without losing your brand identity

Here are a few key points to consider when choosing which trends to adopt, which to ignore and how best to implement your campaigns.

Advice

An SME guide to renewable electricity

According to research three quarters of British small businesses want to be more committed to renewable energy.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to jump on foodie trends without losing your brand identity

Here are a few key points to consider when choosing which trends to adopt, which to ignore and how best to implement your campaigns.

Advice

An SME guide to renewable electricity

According to research three quarters of British small businesses want to be more committed to renewable energy.

Advice

Starting up a business in Brexit Britain

Here, Gregor Kleinknecht, partner in the business services department at Hunters Solicitors, tells us how to start a business in Brexit Britain.

Advice

Lessons learned from the Uber CEO crisis

Here, Jennifer Janson is author of The Reputation Playbook and chairman of Six Degrees, tells us what lessons can be learned from the Uber CEO crisis.

Advice

Start-ups shrug off uncertainty to forecast strong growth

Research finds almost 90 per cent of start-ups are expecting sales growth next year – a quarter anticipate an increase in sales of more than 25 per cent.

Advice

Don’t just set up, step up – growing your business to success

Here, Simon Burckhardt of Vonage UK and founder of the Home Business 100 and the Step Ups, advises us on growing a business.

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