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.

6 types of business funding for UK tech companies

Here we explore six types of business funding that can help your UK tech company expand and reach its goals.

Financing

Investing in a franchise

A guide to franchise agreements

If you have decided to go down the franchise route, you need to be sure that the contract you are signing suits your plans and doesn't tie you in to anything unexpected.

Business Ideas & Planning

What to know before starting your own cleaning business

We give some pointers on starting your own business in the cleaning sector, including costs, insurance and building your customer base

Setting up a company

How to start a dropshipping business

What is dropshipping, what are the advantages and how do you start a dropshipping business?

Business Ideas & Planning

Starting a subsidiary company

What are the advantages and disadvantages of setting up a new company compared to establishing a subsidiary of your existing company?

Business Ideas & Planning

6 best small business ideas for 2023

With the pandemic behind us, climate goals to reach ahead of us and a recession staring us in the face, here are six small business ideas to consider in 2023

Success stories

6 business tips from The Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur

This year's winner of The Apprentice, Harpreet Kaur, offers up her top tips for running a successful business

Business Ideas & Planning

Top five online businesses you can start today

Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration

Success stories

6 business tips from The Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur

This year's winner of The Apprentice, Harpreet Kaur, offers up her top tips for running a successful business

Business Ideas & Planning

Top five online businesses you can start today

Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration

Sole trader

How Liz Truss can win over the self-employed

Truss needs to unveil a plan that can revitalise a sector that contributes £303bn to the UK economy, says IPSE’s director of policy Andy Chamberlain

Success stories

Meet the startup: Mike Radley, Nibble

Micro-influencers can significantly increase your restaurant or café’s presence, but more importantly influence the buying decision of customers. But how do you find the right ones?

Sole trader

7 advantages of being a sole trader

Business formation is one of the biggest decisions you'll make when starting out. Here are seven key advantages of being a sole trader

Sole trader

Can I switch a limited company to sole trader?

Yes you can, says Simon Thomas of Ridgefield Consulting. But you have to follow these steps to wind up your limited company first

Business Technology

Why you should upgrade your tech now rather than later

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

Should I buy a franchise or go solo?

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

16 ways to improve your business cash flow

Read here for 16 tried and tested tips and tricks to improve potential cash flow problems

Business management

How to create good cashflow habits

HSBC - Advertising feature