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.

Tips for small businesses on finding the right supplier

In this piece, Grainne Kelly reveals what small business owners need to know when sourcing and negotiating with suppliers.

Advice

Advice

How your small business can go green

From recycling to ways of saving electricity, Hannah Pennell explores the measures you can take to make your business greener.

Advice

How will Hinkley Point affect small business electricity prices?

Now the dust has settled on the government’s announcement that the new Hinkley Point power station is being built, we take a look at what it could mean for UK businesses.

Startup Funding and Grants

How the government is failing small businesses on financing options

The government could do more to encourage lending and raise awareness of different financing options – but first, it should examine what doesn’t work about its current approach to SME funding, Richard Prime argues.

Startup Funding and Grants

Small businesses and asset finance in the post-Brexit world

Robert Gordon discusses why Britain’s small businesses should consider bespoke asset finance to ride out uncertainty and keep pace with technological change.

Work life balance

How three mumpreneurs took the plunge and started their own business

In this piece, we speak to three mumpreneurs about their experiences before and after starting their own business, and how their work-life balance changed.

Business Ideas & Planning

How beauty and tech are making waves together in the start-up world

Here are a few start-up businesses that are already changing the face of the beauty industry.

Startup Funding and Grants

Dragons’ Den Series 14: Takeaway tips for entrepreneurs

Here, Chloe Webber reviews the latest series of Dragons' Den so far, and discusses what business owners should take away from the fundraising experiences.

Business Ideas & Planning

How beauty and tech are making waves together in the start-up world

Here are a few start-up businesses that are already changing the face of the beauty industry.

Startup Funding and Grants

Dragons’ Den Series 14: Takeaway tips for entrepreneurs

Here, Chloe Webber reviews the latest series of Dragons' Den so far, and discusses what business owners should take away from the fundraising experiences.

Setting up a company

The contractor who started a business for contractors

IT contractor Dave Chaplin started a website to help others when IR35 tax legislation arrived in 1999. Here, he talks about setting up and growing the company.

Setting up a company

Should you go for Limited Liability Partnership or Limited Company?

Neil Simpson discusses the factors to consider when deciding how to structure your company: LLP or Limited.

Advice

Interview with Thomas Jones, director of Bingosites.uk

Thomas Lee, director of Bingosites.uk, discusses the direction in which the bingo market is going and how his bingo site fits in.

Startup Funding and Grants

Small business, big plans: How to raise growth finance

Here, we look at the diversity in the alternative finance market and what small businesses can expect in today's funding landscape.

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

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