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.
Ask a successful designer what the most important part of developing a product is and they’re most likely to say the briefing phase, notes Tim Gluyas, director of inventors’ resource IdeasintoProfit. Without a clear brief, it can prove almost impossible to design and develop a commercially successful product.
Business Ideas & Planning
Startup Funding and Grants
How can I use surplus cash in my existing limited company to fund my new start-up business?
Business Ideas & Planning
I need to know if it is possible to have a business registered in the UK with a UK address but the owners lives in France. All taxes would be paid in the UK and the business would only have UK operations but our residential address is French.
Work life balance
As a mother of two and founder of WorkingMums.co.uk, Gillian Nissim says she knows what it is like to try to get back into work and start a business after having a child. SmallBusiness.co.uk asked her to touch on some of the issues faced by mums returning to work and offer some insights.
Business Ideas & Planning
Seeking funding for your new business can be a real challenge. Meeting with potential investors or banks is daunting, but having a sturdy business plan to back you up should help boost your confidence and your chances of gaining finance. Here are some top tips from SmallBusiness.co.uk.
Sole trader
When raising an invoice as a sole trader, do I have to raise it in my name or can I use the title I am trading under. For example if I am John Smith t/a JS Associates, can I just use JS Associates?
Advice
Many companies don't want to buy freehold premises, preferring to take a lease for a set number of years or 'term'. Nicola Heaney of Sherrards Solicitors explains what to look out for when taking a leasehold premises.
Sole trader
As a sole trader I want to take on a first employee, but want to guard against a drop in business activity. Is offering a “zero hours” contract a possible answer and what are the implications?
Advice
Many companies don't want to buy freehold premises, preferring to take a lease for a set number of years or 'term'. Nicola Heaney of Sherrards Solicitors explains what to look out for when taking a leasehold premises.
Sole trader
As a sole trader I want to take on a first employee, but want to guard against a drop in business activity. Is offering a “zero hours” contract a possible answer and what are the implications?
Work life balance
New maternity and adoption rights came into effect on 1 April 2007 as a result of the Work and Families Act 2006.
Startup Funding and Grants
Could you explain how the Small Firms Loans Guarantee Scheme (SFLG) works please?
Startup Funding and Grants
Julia Chanteray, resident business expert on Channel 4's Risking It All programme, founded business advice and mentoring service The Joy of Business to help small firms through the difficult early years of growth. SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with Chanteray and asked her to share some pearls of wisdom on the funding routes available for small firms.
Startup Funding and Grants
Can you give me examples of financing routes for my first business?
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
Partner content
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
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