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.

Five tips for choosing the best name for your start-up

What's in a name? Toby Vacher of enthuse.me discusses the key considerations when naming your business.

Business Ideas & Planning

Work life balance

How to have it all: Growing a start-up and a family, without losing either

Phil Rothwell, marketing director of SellerDeck, discusses the art of sustaining a business and a family at the same time.

Advice

The ten biggest mistakes made by SMEs

Katherine Evans, PR and marketing executive at 08 Direct, looks at how the main pitfalls of running a small business can be avoided.

Business Ideas & Planning

Is your business investment-ready?

Here are some questions you should ask yourself before your company prepares for a funding round.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to be an entrepreneur (or why you shouldn’t be put off by the term)

The media has given the term 'entrepreneur' a specific image that may not always be accurate, argues Tina Boden.

Advice

Equipping the next generation for business

James King, of venture capital firm Find Invest Grow, discusses why a more direct relationship between commerce and education is needed to help boost new business.

Business Ideas & Planning

Supporting entrepreneurship around the world

How SABMiller invests millions each year to support entrepreneurs across the globe.

Business Ideas & Planning

How do you become a successful business coach?

Entrepreneur Nicola Bird gives some tips on moving into the business coaching arena.

Business Ideas & Planning

Supporting entrepreneurship around the world

How SABMiller invests millions each year to support entrepreneurs across the globe.

Business Ideas & Planning

How do you become a successful business coach?

Entrepreneur Nicola Bird gives some tips on moving into the business coaching arena.

Advice

Choosing the right advisers as a small business owner

Jonathan Richards discusses how entrepreneurs should go about selecting experts to consult.

Startup Funding and Grants

How I financed my accounting software business

Ed Molyneux, founder of Freeagent, tells SmallBusiness.co.uk about how he raised money for his business.

Investing in a franchise

Starting a franchise: From winning the master franchise to taking the brand global

Barry Oakhill went from a career in the construction industry to becoming beauty brand Biothecare Estétika's master franchiser. He talks to SmallBusiness.co.uk about concepts, funding and expansion.

Advice

Why going niche is the best choice for a small business offering

Entrepreneur Chloe Thomas discusses why budding entrepreneurs should focus on a particular area in which to sell.

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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