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 make a business idea happen

If you've got a great idea for an invention, now could be the ideal time to take the plunge. Read our guide on how to make a new business idea a reality.

Business Ideas & Planning

Work life balance

Top start-up tips for mums

Gillian Nissim, Founder of WorkingMums.co.uk, gives her advice to mums who are looking to start a business.

Business Ideas & Planning

10 point guide to creating a successful business plan

Setting out a plan for your business can seem like a daunting task, especially before you've even got it off the ground. This 10-point guide shows the benefits of a good business plan and what to consider when writing one.

Business Ideas & Planning

Start-ups defy recession

Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and General Electric were all founded during slumps - proving the tenacity of great business ideas.

Advice

Bootstrap your way to start-up success

If you manage costs correctly, a tight budget shouldn't necessarily hold back your desire to start your own business.

Work life balance

Paternity leave proposals unattractive for fathers

Fathers will not take up the new paternity leave entitlement set out by the government, claims the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Business Ideas & Planning

EU citizen

What are the requirements for a European citizen to start a small business in the UK?

Advice

The importance of fitness and wellbeing for entrepreneurs

Whether you’re scaling mountains, racing cars or going to the gym, undertaking some form of healthy activity will not only help you to combat rising stress levels, you might actually live longer too.

Business Ideas & Planning

EU citizen

What are the requirements for a European citizen to start a small business in the UK?

Advice

The importance of fitness and wellbeing for entrepreneurs

Whether you’re scaling mountains, racing cars or going to the gym, undertaking some form of healthy activity will not only help you to combat rising stress levels, you might actually live longer too.

Business Ideas & Planning

Interview with Jennifer Irvine

Jennifer Irvine, founder of The Pure Package, talks about her business.

Business Ideas & Planning

Start a business for under £200

SmallBusiness.co.uk has a wealth of articles and guides to help you save money when starting out in business.

Startup Funding and Grants

How to survive the Dragons’ Den

Aside from the entertainment value, there are a number of valuable lessons to be taken from the BBC’s Dragons’ Den. Here are the top five from Smallbusiness.co.uk.

Advice

Peter Jones’ school for entrepreneurs

Multimillionaire and star of Dragons’ Den Peter Jones talks to SmallBusiness.co.uk about training the next generation of entrepreneurs through his National Enterprise Academy (NEA).

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