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Growing your business from scratch may seem daunting to most new entrepreneurs starting their own business, but the fact of the matter is, if you’re focused and determined to put in the work then it all boils down to knowing what to do and how to do it, which is what we’ll be discussing in…

The legal side of things is very important when starting a business. It’s helpful to know that everything you need is in order and it also stops anyone from stealing your idea before you even get your business off the ground. Here are some of the legal aspects to consider when starting a business.  …

Market research helps you to understand if and why consumers would take an interest in a particular product or service. Market research pertains largely to consumer behaviour, which is influenced by a number of cultural, societal and personal factors. Market research is vital to a successful business plan, especially if you’re just starting out, and…

How do I come up with a great business idea when starting my own business?   If you’re looking to start a business, coming up with that all-important business idea can be the first stumbling block. Starting a business can be an uphill struggle, but nothing will propel you to the top quite like that…

What Do I Need to Know About Being Self-Employed? There were over 4.8 million self-employed people in the UK in 2016. With the growth from 3.2 million at the turn of the century, self-employment is fast becoming a popular business option. However, taking the plunge to start your own business and turn it into your…

Social media has become an increasingly integral part of any company’s marketing strategy and yet many companies are still yet to take full advantage of the benefits that it can bring to brand exposure and customer relations. In the last quarter of 2017, 1.37 billion active Facebook users visited the platform on a daily basis.…

“Omnishopping” has become an increasing trend in retail and consumer behaviour. So, what is it, and how are retail businesses advised to accommodate for the rise of the omnishopper? What is omnishopping? Quite simply, an “omnishopper” is someone who uses a mix of both digital resources and brick and mortar stores when making retail purchases. This can be a shopper…

Why consider outsourcing? Running a small business is both challenging and time consuming, and it doesn’t come without its fair share of distractions. It is all too easy to become bogged down by administrative jobs such as bookkeeping, running the payroll and ensuring compliance with regulations, which usually means one thing – less time spent…

Nowadays, SEO is a term that pops up a lot when talking about marketing advice. Maybe you’re a pro at it. Maybe you’ve heard of it, but aren’t quite sure how to reap the benefits. Maybe you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about. SEO stands for “search engine optimisation” and it refers to…

What is cloud accounting software? The easiest way to grasp the principles of cloud accounting software is by considering like online banking. Put simply, cloud accounting software is a platform that presents you with data and software online. This data and software is accessible anywhere, anytime and from any device – all you need is…

You wouldn’t start a journey without planning where you want to go first, so why would start a business without planning it first either? When setting up your business, like with a journey, you need to know what you’re going to do, where you’re going to go and how you’re going to get there. Put…

Surely the ever-growing rise in social media, mobile marketing and search engines means that email marketing is facing elimination, right? Wrong. Email marketing is actually one of the most profitable means of marketing. Many of us receive a barrage of automated marketing campaigns which swarm our inboxes on a daily basis, and never get opened.…

How to prepare for GDPR? With only 3 months to go until you need to be GDPR compliant, how prepared are you and your business? The ‘GDPR’ wheels must be in motion before Friday 25th May otherwise your business could be faced with hefty fines. For many, GDPR is one of those things on peoples…

Millennials are becoming increasingly tech-savvy, and increasingly important. Those now entering and leaving university need to communicate verbally far less frequently than older generations. The use of social media has taken the world by storm, with Millennials at the forefront of the whirlwind, and businesses have been left with no choice but to keep up…

The thought of handing over a business that has cost you blood, sweat and tears to build may be tricky to grasp, but it is a fundamental part of the long-term strategy that should underpin your business plan. In this blog we discuss the pros and cons of three exit strategies for SME business owners.…

What would go through your head if your employer gave you a company car? Perhaps something along the lines of ‘Great! A free car!’? Maybe you’d hunt out the most expensive, swanky vehicle available to you? Hold your horses. First things first, slow down and take some time to swat up on company car tax,…

How Do I Start a Business? Have you thought for a long time about setting up your own business? Perhaps you have a killer business idea? Or maybe you’re even just looking to get away from the 9 to 5. Either way, it’s one thing thinking about starting a business and another thing actually doing…

When it comes to running a start-up or small business, keeping your overheads in check allows you to allocate more revenue to operational growth, whilst also freeing up your time. Outsourcing can lead to consistency and continuity, tighter control of organisational expenses, risk management and an improved work/life balance. If these benefits appeal to you,…

What is GDPR? The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is an EU regulation that will be coming into effect as of 25th May 2018. As it is an EU regulation, and not a directive, it will be immediately enforceable by law as of this date, with hefty fines to be put in place for those…