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.

Sole trader: Freelance consultant 

Jo Turnbull is a freelance SEO consultant, providing online marketing advice to small and medium-sized businesses. She talks about starting up on her own after being put out of a job.

Sole trader

Sole trader

Dana Elemara on starting rare oil company Arganic 

In 2012, Dana Elemara started Arganic, offering rare argan oil, grown exclusively in Morocco, to the cosmetic and food industries. She talks to SmallBusiness.co.uk about her company and how it began.

Sole trader

Sole Trader Case Study: Running a SEO business

Sam Wright started SEO and web content provider Blink in 2010. He talks to SmallBusiness.co.uk about starting up and how the lifestyle of a sole trader suits him.

Business Ideas & Planning

Business plan creation advice and tips

Michael Lister, managing partner at MLP Solicitors, is often approached for advice by the owners of new and growing businesses seeking funding from their bank. Here are his top tips for creating the perfect business plan.

Business Ideas & Planning

Why I started a business: Serial entrepreneur

Norman Shaw, founder of mobile data security company ExactTrak, talks funding, intellectual property and entrepreneurial ambition.

Advice

How to negotiate supplier relationships 

Consultant Chris Merrington explores how to manage supplier relationships to deliver the best return for the business.

Work life balance

Being a woman in the tech sector

Béatrice Piquer Durand, of Ipanema Technologies, discusses the challenges of being a female in the male-dominated world of IT.

Investing in a franchise

Being the first franchisee

Carpenter Graeme Worsley took on the first franchise arm of property maintenance company Aspect.co.uk. He tells SmallBusiness.co.uk about why he decided to take the plunge.

Work life balance

Being a woman in the tech sector

Béatrice Piquer Durand, of Ipanema Technologies, discusses the challenges of being a female in the male-dominated world of IT.

Investing in a franchise

Being the first franchisee

Carpenter Graeme Worsley took on the first franchise arm of property maintenance company Aspect.co.uk. He tells SmallBusiness.co.uk about why he decided to take the plunge.

Business Ideas & Planning

Why I started a business: Tech entrepreneur Sohail Rashid

SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to Sohail Rashid, founder of venture capital-backed property finding app Property Place, which launched in January 2012.

Business Ideas & Planning

Why I started a business: Consultant 

Mary Cummings talks about the transition from working for a corporate to starting her own marketing consultancy.

Business Ideas & Planning

Why I started a business: Market trader

Kathereen Paterson founded market trading business Dulce Kitchen in 2011 and tells SmallBusiness.co.uk how life for her is different now.

Business Ideas & Planning

How to make a business partnership work

Companies led by a duo rather than a single head often attribute their success to the power of their business partnership.

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