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 to save up to £3,000 in tax being self-employed

Changes in the way the self-employed must report tax mean sole traders could face having to pay an additional £3,000 in tax. Becoming a limited company could reduce your tax bill, says Marcin Durlak

Sole trader

Getting Online

Registering a company name – a Small Business guide

Your Small Business guide to registering a UK company name at Companies House.

Advice

How to choose a workplace pension provider

If you need to set up a workplace pension for your employees, make sure you know what to consider and which providers are out there

Sole trader

Number of self-employed falls one fifth since Covid-19

IR35 taxation changes, Brexit and Covid-19 blamed for choking off rise in self-employment

Business Ideas & Planning

6 best small business ideas for 2022

What are the best ideas for starting your own business in the post-pandemic world we now live in? Here are six suggestions from becoming a yoga instructor to walking dogs or becoming a social media expert.

Business Ideas & Planning

Five business ideas that are bound to click

To help you make the right decision on what type of company to start, here are five business ideas to consider.

Business Ideas & Planning

What emerging business ideas could boom in the future?

UK entrepreneurs are looking to take advantage of the next emerging business trends which could boom in the near future and beyond.

Business Ideas & Planning

Why market research is so important for a start-up business

We look at why market research is so important for start-ups and the different types of research you can do.

Business Ideas & Planning

What emerging business ideas could boom in the future?

UK entrepreneurs are looking to take advantage of the next emerging business trends which could boom in the near future and beyond.

Business Ideas & Planning

Why market research is so important for a start-up business

We look at why market research is so important for start-ups and the different types of research you can do.

Business Ideas & Planning

Planuary: How to create a business plan in four weeks

In this piece, Tim Sawyer presents a four-week business plan to help your small business get started.

Business Ideas & Planning

Top tips for writing the perfect business plan

In this piece, we provide essential pointers on how to write the perfect business plan to help your company succeed.

Starting a Business

Touker Suleyman 7 tips for starting your own business

Touker Suleyman, star of TV’s Dragons' Den, shares his top tips for starting your own business

Business Ideas & Planning

Five low-cost business ideas for your consideration

Here, we look at five of the most useful low-cost business ideas you can consider in any country

Business Loans

A guide to getting a small business loan

Everything you need to know on what small business loans are and what types of loan are available for your business.

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

Business Technology

Friendly guide – top tips for small businesses switching to VoIP

With the landline shutdown coming fast, there’s never been a better time to switch to VoIP. Don’t let your small business be left behind!

Export & Import

Avoid delays with exports and imports

Many factors can affect products’ journeys from A to B. Here are some tips for best practice for successful shipping in the modern world