There are several different kinds of limited companies available to set up in the UK. Limited companies are the second most popular business structure in the UK, only coming second to sole traders. The type of limited company structure chosen for a business will depend on various factors such as the number of shareholders, the responsibility that the shareholders have and the level of involvement by the public. Each has their own benefits, so each business will need to decide what is the most suitable structure for them.
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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is vitally important in today’s world however big or small your company. Because the idea has been around for a while some might think it is old hat. In fact, I would say the ethos behind it is still as important as ever, if not more so. We’re currently living in a low trust world where it seems everyone is just out for themselves and what they can take from life – even if that means telling a bare-faced lie. But the tide is turning.
[continue reading…]In a recent study carried out by the Close Brother Asset Finance, it was found that small and medium-size businesses find diversity is good for business. However, they still struggled to achieve a diverse workforce. There are a number of benefits of having diversity in the workplace and SMEs may be missing out on these benefits.
[continue reading…]Strategic planning is a crucial process that often gets overlooked in small businesses, due to a lack of understanding about the process, and a lack of resources available to dedicate to planning. However, a strategic plan can be the difference between staying afloat and being a true success.
Nowadays, pretty much everything has become digitalised. Businesses are operating in the online world and their business operations rely heavily on modern technology. The fact of the matter is that digital transformation is slowly but surely disrupting almost every business factor today.
As the bells and fireworks signal the dawn of another new year, we feel just enough optimism to make ambitious resolutions that, while well-intentioned, are often ditched come February. Rather than recommending you neglect Netflix in favour of a gym membership or swap your weekend (and evening) drinks for kale smoothies, I’d instead like to give you five reasons why 2019 is the year you should crowdfund your business.
If you’re an aspiring business owner who needs to raise finance for a business purchase, you have several options. Three of these are bank lending, an angel investment or seller financing.
Although HMRC sends reminders to those who need to file their self-assessment tax return, not everyone meets this deadline. More than 30,000 taxpayers completed their tax return within the last hour on January 2018.
Generally, after Christmas, consumers cut back on spending meaning businesses do too. With little business activity, the economy becomes sluggish and businesses find it difficult to get things going again.
As a small business owner, you know the only thing that’s certain in business is that the unexpected will happen. Preparing for these unexpected events is therefore one of the most crucial parts of your role as business owner. After all, no one else is going to help you anticipate the challenges you will face in the course of doing business, and some of your competitors might even be hoping that you don’t anticipate them so your business will fail.
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Telecom related issues can cost a business time and money, and create stress for anyone in the department that has to operate the telecom software alongside their usual tasks. Although telecom software can be an asset to certain businesses, it’s not always the perfect answer to your Telecom Expense Management (TEM) needs. There are so many components of TEM – from reviewing invoices, dealing with vendors, auditing invoices and negotiating contracts – so why not hire an expert team to do it for you?
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Within the arsenal of today’s most effective marketing tactics is SMS (aka text messaging) campaigns. While mass texting can yield an incredibly high return on investment, as it lands directly in the hands of your target audience, you need to incorporate the best practices into your strategy to ensure your recipients are actually paying attention to the message you’re seeking to deliver.
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Fraud is a real problem for businesses of all capacities and SMEs can suffer greatly if they’re struck with fraudulent activity, which is why spotting the signs early can save a catastrophic effect on the organisation.
Composing a formal document that will be scrutinised by peers and professionals can be a daunting task or a task one can learn and grow from after progressing with the tips necessary to advance their writing skills. Business writing is often a type of writing people avoid due to the difficulties one may encounter when faced with such a task. However, there are a number of easy to follow tips when taking on a business writing task that will allow people to confidently express themselves while maintaining a professional tone.
The government are wanting to renovate the way we process and submit our taxes through Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT. Overall the scheme will allocate every taxpayer with a digital ID, this means that businesses and individuals will be able to manage all their tax activities online, reducing errors and late submissions for a more efficient system.
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If you’ve already followed the standard procedures for recovering an unpaid invoice, you may be considering more drastic actions. Unpaid invoices are a common problem for SMEs and can cause significant financial burdens. Once 38 days have passed since the invoice due date, you have four options for debt recovery given by Sage.
Essentially equity crowdfunding is the process through which a large number of people provide money to a business in return for shares in the company. It might not be the easiest way to raise funds, but if done right, it can bring you a lot more than just cash.
Employees don’t leave the company they leave their horrible bosses. A great number of employees like their job but their relationship with their boss makes it difficult for them to enjoy their job. A lot of employees start the year by looking for new jobs and this is because they want to leave their ‘horrible boss’ behind.
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When you think of New Year’s resolutions, you probably think of failed attempts at getting fit or travelling more. However, New Year’s resolutions can actually be useful and you can even set some that you can achieve. The whole idea of a New Year’s resolution is to make a change that will have a positive impact on you and your business, so why not take the opportunity to do so.
