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.
It's not just Dragons’ Den contestants who need to demonstrate a credible product idea before getting a grilling. Here Alan Gleeson, manager of Palo Alto Software, gives his top ten tips on how to create a winning business plan.
Business Ideas & Planning
Startup Funding and Grants
At some stage, your business will need to get its hands on capital. If it is below the radar of outside investors and bankers are giving you the cold shoulder, you may consider tapping your friends and family for investment.
Startup Funding and Grants
A case study for SmallBusiness.co.uk reveals how companies can increase their chances of funding by getting their investor presentations right.
Startup Funding and Grants
If you are thinking about starting or growing a business, one of the toughest challenges you will face is securing funding for the project. Are Business Angels a solution?
Business Ideas & Planning
A business plan is not only essential for starting a business or for raising funds, but it is vital for running the business. It will help you keep on a specific course or alert you to situations when things are not going to plan and force you to take action.
Business Ideas & Planning
I am going to start up a new business. I don't want to register my home address, although I will be using my home as my office. What are my options and can I do this?
Advice
SmallBusiness.co.uk investigates how executives can gain value from an assessment of their performance as a leader.
Advice
Serial entrepreneur Frank Joshi learned about business the hard way. He reveals the trials and tribulations of his career before he started social business software company Mvine.
Advice
SmallBusiness.co.uk investigates how executives can gain value from an assessment of their performance as a leader.
Advice
Serial entrepreneur Frank Joshi learned about business the hard way. He reveals the trials and tribulations of his career before he started social business software company Mvine.
Business Ideas & Planning
Tatiana Karelina launched Tatiana Hair Extensions in January 2009 and her company is now approaching £1,000,000 in turnover.
Startup Funding and Grants
Becoming a business angel can be hugely rewarding, personally and financially, but it’s not as easy as they make it look on the TV.
Business Ideas & Planning
Lorenzo Caffarri co-founded ubiCabs with Jay Patel in October 2010. The company locates and books taxi services in London.
Advice
Aamir Ahmad, founder of furniture company Dwell, tells SmallBusiness.co.uk what he learned from his mistakes in business.
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