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Webchat: Tim Campbell - A generation of bedroom entrepreneurs May 09 2008
Apprentice winner Tim Campbell offers exclusive advice to prospective online money-makers. Read Success story: James Murray Wells, founder, Glassesdirect.co.uk Apr 29 2008
James Murray Wells started Glassesdirect.co.uk with the last £1,000 of his student loan. With the help of VCs, he is now aiming to turn it into a £1 billion company. Smallbusiness.co.uk got in touch with him to discuss how he did it. Read Business plan mistakes to avoid Mar 31 2008
Around 80 per cent of bids to raise cash for business fail, often due to lack of preparation for investor meetings. A business plan will help you to answer questions about where the business is going and how funds will be invested. This guide points to some of the common pitfalls of producing a business plan. Read Who wants to be a self-made millionaire? Mar 06 2008
As many as seven million people in the UK believe they will become a millionaire, according to new research from the Orange Business Service. SmallBusiness.co.uk asked self-made millionaire Charlie Mullins, who built his company, Pimlico Plumbers, into a multi-million pound business, to give us his top tips. Read Event ticket giveaway - Becoming your own boss Feb 26 2008
SmallBusiness.co.uk has teamed up with BT Business to offer 15 pairs of free tickets to our readers for the One Life Live 2008 event, taking place from 29 Feb to 2 March, at London’s Olympia. Read Webinar: Business continuity planning Feb 19 2008
According to research by the London Chamber of Commerce, some 43 per cent of companies that suffer a disaster, such as data loss, never recover. In this web seminar Bharat Thakrar of BT, Lyndon Bird of the Business Continuity Institute and Ian Redwood of Talk 4 Business discuss business continuity planning. Read Webinar: Better business for female entrepreneurs Feb 05 2008
This web video, sees Maxine Benson, co-founder of Everywoman, Beatriz Butsana-Sita, director of BT Business, and Julie White, owner of Truly Madly Baby, discuss women-owned businesses and the £130 billion turnover they generate each year in the UK. Read Podcast: Who’s afraid of the female entrepreneur? Jan 22 2008
At SmallBusiness.co.uk we are always eager to point you in the direction of useful resources that can help your business. SmallBizPod is the UK's first small business podcast and includes interviews and practical advice for start-ups and businesses of all sizes. Read Perfecting project management Oct 30 2007
If you’re taking on a new contract or have an ambitious plan for growth, it might be handy to learn from project managers. Read Starting up online – Tips from the Top Oct 02 2007
Amanda Christie set up online singles network Mysinglefriend.com with her childhood friend Sarah Beeny, presenter of Channel 4’s Property ladder. The site takes a different approach to online dating, attempting to remove the stigma. It is now one of the top online dating sites in the UK. SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with her to find out how she did it. Read Lessons Learned, Chris Mottershead, Travelzest Sep 20 2007
Chris Mottershead is a travel industry veteran. He was president and CEO of North American leisure group Airtours before changing course to steer online travel specialist Travelzest through a turbulent period for the sector to land record profits Read Starting-up and growing - Tips from the Top Aug 30 2007
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. Read Lessons Learned - Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder, The Black Farmer Aug 14 2007
Three years ago Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones launched his food brand ‘The Black Farmer’, daring to take on the big stores and their own labels dominating the market at the time. Based in Devon, his range of sausages, burgers and barbeque products is now stocked in major supermarkets across the UK. SmallBusiness.co.uk caught up with him. Read Returning to work as a parent – Tips from the Top Aug 02 2007
As a mother of two and founder of WorkingMums.co.uk, Gillian Nissim says she knows what it’s 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. Read Tell us your survival story Jul 27 2007
Smallbusiness.co.uk is asking you to get in touch with us. Have you been affected by the recent flooding or suffered a business disaster? Have you been able to think on your feet or is there a warning you’d like to issue to others who could face a similar position in the future? If so, why not email us here at SmallBusiness.co.uk and tell us what advice or tips you can share with fellow business owners. Read Lessons Learned: Tim Campbell, founder, The Bright Ideas Trust Jul 16 2007
Tim Campbell left his position as one of the highest paid middle managers at London Underground to appear on the BBC TV series The Apprentice in 2005, winning a place at Amstrad under Sir Alan Sugar, before going on to create two new ventures. SmallBusiness.co.uk asked him for his insights. Read Partnerships - Tips from the top Jun 08 2007
Karen Gill co-founded Everywoman in 1999, shortly after giving birth to her son. With her partner Maxine Benson, she identified a need for accessible business information for women entrepreneurs. The company started as an online information resource, but has since grown to incorporate training and conference events for women in business. SmallBusiness.co.uk asked her to share her story. Read Lessons Learned: Ian Merricks, MD, Itchy Media Jun 07 2007
Ian Merricks began his career as a record promoter in 1996, specialising in youth media. In 2007, he raised private equity for the MBO of media and marketing company Itchy Group, for whom he has overseen five acquisitions and several million pounds of private investment. SmallBusiness.co.uk sat down for a cup of tea with him to find out the secret to his success. Read Staff, money and time - Tips from the top May 24 2007
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. Read Lessons Learned: Derek Browne, CEO, Entrepreneurs in Action May 10 2007
Derek Browne left a lucrative career in the City to start his own business, Entrepreneurs in Action, aimed at teaching students the value of entrepreneurship. He went on to win Queen's Award for Enterprise Promotion in 2006 and to act as coach and business mentor for Jaime Oliver’s four graduates on the Channel 4 ‘Jamie's Chef’ show. Read Lessons Learned: Andrew Valentine, Co-founder, Streetcar Apr 16 2007
Andrew Valentine and Brett Akker came across the idea for Streetcar after reading a magazine article about a similar scheme. The business launched in London in 2004. SmallBusiness.co.uk spoke to Valentine and asked him to share his experiences and offer some advice for small business owners and managers. Read Retain your customers - tips from the top Apr 12 2007
Founded in 2002 to offer an alternative telecoms service for small businesses, XLN Telecom’s growth has been phenomenal, advancing 800 per cent in the first year and continuing in the same vein. Smallbusiness.co.uk asked serial entrepreneur Christian Nelleman, founder and chief executive of XLN Telecom, to share his experience and top tips. Read Lessons Learned: Mark Chadwick, Founder and Director, Carbon Clear Mar 06 2007
SmallBusiness.co.uk asks an inspirational entrepreneur to share their experiences and offer advice for SMEs. With the benefit of hindsight, what do they wish they'd known when they started? This week it's Mark Chadwick, founder and director of carbon emissions management company Carbon Clear. Read Lessons Learned: Glenda Stone, Founder and CEO, Aurora Feb 02 2007
SmallBusiness.co.uk asks a seasoned entrepreneur to share their experiences and offer advice for SMEs. With the benefit of hindsight, what do they wish they'd known when they started? Glenda Stone, Founder and CEO of Aurora, offers her pearls of wisdom.
Click to read on... Read Lessons Learned: Mike Tobin, CEO, TelecityRedbus Nov 29 2006
SmallBusiness.co.uk asks a seasoned entrepreneur or inspirational manager to share their experiences and offer advice for SMEs. With the benefit of hindsight, what do they wish they'd known when they started? Charismatic Mike Tobin, CEO, TelecityRedbus offers his pearls of wisdom.
Click to read on...
Read Pre-Budget Report 2006: What to expect Nov 21 2006
The Treasury has announced the 2006 Pre-Budget Report (PBR) will be on 6th December. It is likely to grab the following day’s newspaper headlines, but closer analysis will reveal few new initiatives or major changes. So why should owners and managers of small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) take any notice?
Click to read on... Read The five key growth drivers Oct 10 2006
An understanding of the key factors that drive business growth helps entrepreneurs to keep their business securely on the fast track. Ronnie Bowker, audit partner, Ernst & Young. Read Top ten tips to business survival Aug 18 2006
Statistics show that in the first quarter of 2006 the number of company liquidations rose by 17 per cent on the same period of the previous year. To improve your chances of survival, Bibby Financial Services is offering these basic business tips. Read Handling interruptions Aug 16 2006
Busy owners of small businesses can be beset by constant interruptions: colleagues asking questions or presenting emergencies; pestering from overzealous salesmen; calls from customers and suppliers, and many more. Here are some tips and hints on dealing with interruptions. Read Managing your time effectively Jun 27 2006
Ask any business owner and they'll tell you time management is absolutely key. It’s a fact of business life that there are never enough hours in the day to get everything done, so it's vital to make every second count. Here are some tricks to help organise your workflow and find clever ways to save time and be more productive. Read Assess and minimise your IT risks Mar 06 2006
New research from Business Link has found that over 20 per cent of small businesses have been subjected to a breach in online security and 47 per cent said they anticipate an IT security breach in the next year. Read 10 tips to help launch your business Jan 11 2006
Many people think of making a new start by setting up in business for themselves, but are not sure where to begin and so never do. Check out these top tips to get a better idea of what you need to do to get started. Read The secrets of success Nov 02 2005
There were 288,200 mainstream business start-ups in the first half of 2004, an increase of 23 per cent compared to the same period last year. There were 164,400 mainstream business closures in the same time period. Therefore there was a 57 per cent success rate for the first half of 2004. There are no clear-cut statistics showing why businesses succeed or fail, although there are a number of reasons that could cause a business to fail Read Finding the best advice for your business Aug 23 2005
This factsheet looks at the reasons for using an adviser, what they can provide, what you should expect, what they will expect of you and how to choose the right business advice service. It also contains useful hints and tips along with links to further information. Read Are you ready to write your business plan? Aug 23 2005
The need for a well-presented business plan is more important for budding entrepreneurs than having a great idea, according to a recent study. Read Top 10 Starting Up tips Aug 16 2005
Launching your own business is tough and the line between success and failure can be fine; smallbusiness.co.uk's Top Ten Starting Up Tips help you make the right decisions from the outset. Read