Entrepreneurs

The Entrepreneurs archive offering advice and tips to help small businesses start and succeed in business.

Business management

Rising Star: Stefan Topfer

Stefan Topfer started his first business when he was at university and went on to help found what is now communications giant Tiscali.

News

Entrepreneurs want to be their own bosses

The main aim of European entrepreneurs is to be their own boss, as opposed to their US counterparts who say making lots of money is their main motivation.

Business management

Rising Star: Sara Murray

Founder of insurance comparison website Confused.com, Sara Murray set up GPS tracking device company Buddi which is due to hit a turnover of £4 million.

News

New Dragons’ Den scheme could aid UK

Around 20,000 new businesses could be created in a Dragon's Den-style programme for the unemployed proposed by the Tories.

Accounting

Recession beater: Martin Warner

Martin Warner is chief executive and co-founder of business networking site Talkbiznow.

Business management

Rising star: Stephen Brooks

Stephen Brooks started his events management company, PM Squared, after having worked for ten years for a conference and events firm.

Blog

Frank Hannigan, founder of Yougetitback.com

Frank Hannigan was rejected by Dragons’ Den with his idea for online lost and found service Yougetitback.com. He sought alternative sources of funding, eventually winning twice the amount asked for on the show. SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with Hannigan and asked for some pearls of wisdom on the major hurdles for start-ups.

Business management

Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, on the role of the CEO

Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer, has lifted the company and the Cobra brand to achieve annual turnover of £96 million, selling across more than 45 countries worldwide. He has recently published a guide to entrepreneurship, drawing on his experiences and offering advice for prospective business owners in his own infectiously enthusiastic style.

Blog

Mike Southon author of The Beermat Entrepreneur

Mike Southon co-founded, built and sold his own company in the 80s, and worked on 17 start-ups in the 90s, specialising in sales and marketing.

Business management

Jennifer Irvine, founder of The Pure Package

Jennifer Irvine launched The Pure Package in 2004 as a home-delivery meals service tailored to meet clients' individual dietary requirements and preferences. In its first year, Pure Package delivered 70,000 meals and achieved a turnover of £200,000. The company has since grown into a multi-million pound operation. We asked her for her top tips.

News

NFEA: ‘Business world open to all types of people’

Television programmes such as Dragon's Den and the Apprentice have shown that a wide variety of people of all abilities and backgrounds can form successful businesses, according to business experts.

News

Outside help ‘key’ to business success

Entrepreneurs who seek outside advice are 20 per cent more likely to survive in business, according to the chief executive of the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies.