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.
From tea in an aerosol can to a horse photography company, these ideas have come slightly out of leftfield, and are all the better for it. In this piece, we pay tribute to odd businesses.
Business Ideas & Planning
Advice
There have been financial crises all across Europe in the last few years and many with European investments may be tempted to call time on them and take the easy way out: Brexit them
Setting up a company
Emily Coltman gives a brief run-through of the extra information you now need to know if you are setting up a limited company in today's climate.
Setting up a company
Here's how one company, Wizzle, is challenging the big guns in the car buying space.
Advice
If you are planning a trip to Qatar, it’s good to know the different laws in the country in order to have a peaceful and pleasant stay.
News
Rather than saving into a pension, 630,000 self-employed people in the UK view their business as their financial lifeline, research finds.
Business Ideas & Planning
In this piece, in association with the Federation of Small Businesses, we look at the journey of four tech entrepreneurs, from raw tech talent to owner of a flourishing company.
Advice
Here, we look at seven of the best investing tips that small business owners should know:
Business Ideas & Planning
In this piece, in association with the Federation of Small Businesses, we look at the journey of four tech entrepreneurs, from raw tech talent to owner of a flourishing company.
Advice
Here, we look at seven of the best investing tips that small business owners should know:
Advice
Here, we look at how dual citizenship can be a handy thing to have for business owners.
Startup Funding and Grants
In this piece, we look at the ways in which parents can benefit from injecting cash into their offspring's business.
Advice
Family businesses still need robust HR policies – perhaps even more than other businesses – while succession planning requires clear thinking.
Advice
eSports, where live play is watched on TV and by audiences in an arena, has been a serious business in the Far East for over a decade and is now soaring in popularity in the UK.
Business Loans
Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.
Partner content
Hospitality businesses have faced a number of challenges in the last couple of years. Find out what funding and support is available.
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