Updates

When working remotely, productivity can inadvertently suffer, especially if you are used to working in an office setting. Whether you’re just not used to your desk at home, feel distracted by all the comforts readily available, or miss having someone to bounce ideas off – staying on top of your game can be quite a challenge.

Gareth Southgate has been praised highly for the positive management of the England football team in the Euros 2021 as well as in the 2018 World Cup.

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When starting a small business, one of the first things to be decided is the legal structure used for the business. It can either be a sole trader or limited company or a partnership. Setting up as a sole trader is the most popular legal structure in the UK, with approximately 3.2 million sole proprietorships in 2021. Sole traders accounted for 56% of small businesses in the UK. There were also 2 million limited companies, making it the second most popular legal structure.

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This success story features Will Adoasi, the founder of Vitae London. He talking about getting funding from Virgin, running an ethical brand and using social media to create brand awareness and reach potential customers.

Setting up a business as a limited company is the second most popular way of setting up a business in the UK. In 2021, there were around 4.5 million private limited companies. There are both huge advantages and disadvantages of running a limited company, as well as, other structures such as sole traders (which is the most popular business structure, with their being 3.2 million in 2021).  It’s important for any aspiring entrepreneurs to understand the range of benefits and pitfalls of different business structures to determine if they are the right fit for their business idea.

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Franchising is a great way to become an owner of a small business. There are three different types of franchises which you can choose from, they vary in terms of your position, your input into the business and the amount of involvement of the franchisor. The three types of franchises are; the business format franchise, product distribution franchise and management franchise. Each franchise operates differently and in this guide you will find the differences between the three.

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Starting your own business is something that most people have thought about doing at least once or twice at some point in their lives. While in most cases, these ideas remain as dreams which will never manifest into the real world, there may actually be no greater time than now to start up your own business. This is because there are numerous benefits for entrepreneurs right now including the convenience and flexibility one would experience when beginning a new business.

The more links your website gets from reputable sources, the higher it ranks on search engines like Google. Backlinks, inner links, external links, and link building all pertain to the process of having third-party websites link back to your site. In this article, we’ll show you how to earn these backlinks without the need to spend money like you would on PPC marketing.

If you’re looking for lucrative ways to raise capital for your start-up business you have some options to consider. The good news is that it’s never been easier to raise start-up funds than right now. You have a range of resources available at your fingertips, you just need to know where to look and the risks involved before making a decision.

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The sole trader business structure is the most popular in the UK. In 2021 there were approximately 3.2 million sole traders, accounting for 56% of small businesses. The sole trader structure has been popular due to its many advantages and the ease of setting up.

Sole trader business owners are known as self-employed and most freelancers opt for this structure of the business. There are both advantages and disadvantages of the sole trader business structure that need to be taken into account before making any business decisions.

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The men’s grooming industry is becoming more and more popular as men are placing more emphasis on their appearance. From hairstyles to facial hair care, to skincare and other types of maintenance services, men in the modern era are beginning to invest more in themselves to help them with their confidence and personal well-being. In a survey conducted by YouGov, it was found that 81% of men felt more confident in themselves after having a haircut or beard trim, just highlighting how important grooming services are for men.

The best way to streamline a small business is to have reliable resources to ensure information is protected adequately and is easily accessible to the right people.

Suzy Pelta is the latest entrepreneur to feature in one of our success stories. Suzy from SuzyPeltaBakes is a business woman, a recipe book writer and demo chef. After winning Lorraine’s Cake Club, Suzy transformed her life and took advantage of opportunities that came her way. She discusses juggling being a parent and being a business owner as well as the importance of social media.
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Chantelle Flynn, one of the creators of Tiipii bed takes part in our recent success story. She discusses the method of making a niche product an international success. TiiPii Beds are luxury floating hammock beds that create a unique relaxing space to be enjoyed indoors or outdoors.
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The pandemic has thrown out a variety of new challenges for entrepreneurs looking to grow and scale their businesses. While raising funds has always been a complex process, the impact of COVID-19 has presented several new challenges. Accordingly, preparation for an investment exercise has never been more important in maximising the chances of a successful outcome.

Readers questions:  My year-end is 31st January, I have two companies, can I pay dividends out of one? We have made £160k profit so far this year.

Optimum pay group are an award-winning business that offer a range of financial services including Umbrella payroll.

‘Long COVID’ also known as ‘post-COVID-19 Syndrome’ is when the COVID-19 symptoms last weeks or months after the infection has gone. Being able to spot the signs and symptoms of Long Covid amongst employees will be vital over the coming months for UK companies. Psychotherapist Noel McDermott offers the following advice to employers on how to detect whether a member of staff could be suffering from Long Covid, signs to look out for and how to fully support them.

Socialising with colleagues feels good, but it also has benefits for the business. Working face-to-face with colleagues can both help maintain a good working culture and boost collaboration. But a year of working from and/or furlough has seen many workers coping with social isolation.