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 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.

Business Ideas & Planning

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.

Setting up a company

Why GoCardless founder Matt Robinson is now shaking up the property industry

Here, we speak to Matt Robinson, founder of GoCardless, about why he decided to take on the estate agents for his latest business Nested.

Business Ideas & Planning

Is London the worst place for your start-up business?

In this piece, we look at why high rents, tough competition and prohibitive initial start-up costs mean that London may not be the SME mecca it seems.

Setting up a company

Why GoCardless founder Matt Robinson is now shaking up the property industry

Here, we speak to Matt Robinson, founder of GoCardless, about why he decided to take on the estate agents for his latest business Nested.

Business Ideas & Planning

Is London the worst place for your start-up business?

In this piece, we look at why high rents, tough competition and prohibitive initial start-up costs mean that London may not be the SME mecca it seems.

Setting up a company

Everything you need to know about going self-employed

In this piece, we discuss the process of going self-employed and speak to business owners about the lifestyle changes they experienced.

Advice

How to start a business in the mobile gaming sector

In this piece, we talk to Project M, a mobile game studio based in East London’s Tech City area, operating in both the mobile gaming sector and the investment sector.

Advice

Why your business must get Personal Protective Equipment right

In this piece, we look at how to protect your employees by ensuring they are wearing the right clothing and using the right safety equipment.

Setting up a company

How to launch an insect-based food product

Thinking about launching a food company using insects as the star ingredient? You have been pipped to the post by Christine Spliid and her company Gathr.

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