Limited Company Help
Are you thinking of setting up a limited company, or are you a seasoned business owner?
Run by an experienced team, our site contains concise guides to everything from company formation to dealing with tax and taking on your first employees. We’ve been operating business advice sites for nearly 20 years.
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Remote working – how to ensure your team is effective
Remote working brings many benefits for both the employer and employee, and, thanks to technology, it is steadily on the increase. But it does come with some challenges. So how do you ensure you’re getting the most from remote team?
What is the Start Up Loan scheme?
There are many funding options available to help you launch a new venture or grow your existing enterprise in the UK. One such source, the government-funded Start Up loan scheme, has been around for a number of years and remains a popular choice for many budding entrepreneurs.
What is franchising? The pros and cons
If you don’t have the means to buy an existing business and starting an enterprise from scratch sounds too daunting, owning a franchise could be the answer.
The different ways a small company can hire staff
Adding someone else to the payroll on a permanent contract is a serious commitment, especially for a small business and can seem pretty daunting. So what are the other options available to you as an employer?
10 social media tips for small business owners
Whether you’re a start-up, independent contractor or a well-established enterprise, social media is likely to be your primary free marketing tool.
Share options – how to incentivise your employees
Share options have become a popular way of attracting, incentivising and retaining staff, especially for small businesses or start-ups who can’t afford to offer high salaries.
10 ways to fund your new business venture
When you launch a new business, there will be a period of time where you will have to finance your venture before it becomes profitable. Here, we look at 10 funding methods used by small business owners, and we consider the pros and cons of each one. Personal savings Most small businesses rely on personal
How to deliver an inspiring speech – in 4 steps
As a small business owner, there may be times when you have to deliver a speech – to your employees, suppliers, or customers. Here are some practical steps to help you gain confidence speaking in public.
Is there a market for your new business?
You may have the best idea in the world – a fantastic new product, or a life-changing new service, but for your business to be a success, you need to be sure that there is a real market in place.
Critical Illness Insurance – what does it cover?
Running your own small business can be very rewarding but it can also be pretty stressful. One aspect that contractors often worry about is being diagnosed with a serious illness and having to be off work for a lengthy spell. The financial consequences of this can be potentially disastrous, adding to fears for the future,
Some useful PR tips for your company
Creating a buzz about the goods and services your company offers, or being recognised as an innovator, is a great way of generating potential opportunities for your company. The question is, how do you spread the word about what you do without spending a fortune on advertising or hiring a PR specialist? Many small businesses
The four main UK venture capital schemes
There are four main venture capital schemes backed by the government in the UK: The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR), and Venture Capital Trust (VCT). Each of the schemes has different features but they all are designed to help raise funding for small to medium sized
What is the dividend allowance?
In April 2016, a new ‘dividend allowance’ was created – a nil-rate tax band on the first £5,000 of dividend income. This allowance threshold was short-lived, however, and was cut to £2,000 from April 2018.
GDPR and how it affects small companies
As a small business-owner you may have already marked 25th May 2018 in your diary as the day when the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) becomes official. But what exactly is this new piece of regulation meant to achieve and what in particular does it mean for small businesses in the UK, even those
How to secure a grant for your business
Grants come in all shapes and sizes and can be especially beneficial to small businesses or start-ups. Not only can a grant help you save money, lower costs and help grow your business, grants are often non-returnable or come in the form of a soft loan with low interest rates, or are interest-free. Other types
10 business plan mistakes to avoid
There is no single right way to produce a great business plan but there are a few definite things to avoid at all costs. Steer clear of the following ten common mistakes and you’ll increase your chances of convincing potential investors that you really do mean business. 1. It’s not all about you Your personal
How to write a good press release
If you think issuing press releases in the digital era is a bit old school, it’s time to think again. Yes, every day there are countless numbers of press releases written and many are binned even before they are read, but a well written press release remains a highly effective way to generate free publicity
Factoring vs invoice discounting – managing cashflow
Keeping a grip on cashflow can be the difference between thriving and surviving for a small business. While having a supportive bank can help bridge the cashflow gap, another type of small business finance definitely worth considering is invoice financing. This is the collective term for factoring and invoice discounting, two services which facilitate the
What is a Unique Selling Point, and why do you need one?
Whether you’re an established small business or a start-up about to launch your enterprise in a competitive market, one of the key ingredients you need to succeed is a unique selling point. Some would go further than that and say having a USP is the key to success, and is more important than anything else,
How to write a business plan for your limited company
A good business plan sets out what you want to achieve and how you intend to make it happen in clear and simple terms. It doesn’t have to be a hefty document and definitely shouldn’t be long-winded, especially if you’re trying to persuade your bank to fund your enterprise, attract new investors, or motivate staff.
How to choose a limited company bank account
When it comes to forming a limited company, one of the key decisions you face is choosing the best bank account to support your business.
Alternative funding options – what is crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is an alternative funding solution that bypasses the bank and appeals directly to would-be investors in your venture. Using the internet, entrepreneurs, start-ups and anyone else with a hot business idea or community project, can talk to thousands of potential investors with just a few clicks. It’s still a relatively new concept, so how
Running a small company – dealing with late payment problems
Late payments can cause small businesses a serious cash flow headache and in some cases, lead to the company going out of business altogether. Recent research showed that by the end of 2014, SMEs in the UK were owed some £39bn collectively and in a recent poll of 1,100 businesses carried out by YouGov, 85%
What is asset finance? A business owner’s guide
One of the difficulties you can face when trying to raise finance for your business is knowing which type of product to choose. Ideally, you want a funding package that fits your business and gives you the level of finance you’re comfortable with servicing. Of all the funding solutions on the market today, asset finance
