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.

What’s the first thing to do to start a business?

I am thinking of starting my own gardening business but know nothing about starting a business. I was wondering what is the first thing I need to do?

Business Ideas & Planning

Startup Funding and Grants

Growth funding made easy

Carly Trisk-Grove started a cafe with her husband four years ago as a lifestyle business, but the couple have now secured £525,000 in funding to expand.

Business Ideas & Planning

Start a business in seven days

God supposedly built the world in seven days, so why not do the same with a business? Naturally, you would have to do some serious planning in advance and know your business idea inside and out.

Sole trader

Can you register twice as a sole trader?

Is it possible for me to have more than one business? I currently operate a small business as a haulier but I would like to commence a separate business as a landscape gardener.

Business Ideas & Planning

Setting up a business abroad

How do I go about setting up a business abroad? I wish to use a bank outside the UK to hold the account: should I get legal representation here or there?

Investing in a franchise

Franchising ‘can bring returns within the first few months’

People new to business should consider starting a franchise before starting up their own business alone, it has been claimed.

Work life balance

Working and running a family

Do you have children and want to use your skills and earn an income? Here are some tips for business mums.

Success stories

Starting up later in life

By 2042, almost a quarter of people living in the UK will be aged 65 or older, up from 18 per cent in 2016. The number of people aged over 70 who are in full- or part-time employment is steadily rising too, with around one in 12 of those still working compared to one in 22 working 10 years ago. Is starting your own business another option?

Work life balance

Working and running a family

Do you have children and want to use your skills and earn an income? Here are some tips for business mums.

Success stories

Starting up later in life

By 2042, almost a quarter of people living in the UK will be aged 65 or older, up from 18 per cent in 2016. The number of people aged over 70 who are in full- or part-time employment is steadily rising too, with around one in 12 of those still working compared to one in 22 working 10 years ago. Is starting your own business another option?

Startup Funding and Grants

Have your say: Funding for women

Financial institutions may well need a shake up when helping female entrepreneurs. SmallBusiness.co.uk speaks to some women in business about their experiences of raising finance and asks for your comments.

Startup Funding and Grants

Ladies who launch: women and funding

SmallBusiness.co.uk speaks to five high-achieving women to find out whether it really is a man's world.

Advice

Taking the plunge and starting your own business

Taking the plunge and starting your own business is a big step to take and the pressure of keeping yourself afloat can weigh heavily on a small business owner.

Business Ideas & Planning

Self-employment: six steps to success

The chance to steer your own career is a major attraction of becoming self-employed. However, success needs a firm foundation, so before you take the leap, follow these six quick steps to success.

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