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Many of us have been compelled to change the way we work and move our meetings, presentations, sales pitches etc. to an online setting. This takes some getting used to as I have found.  In the process of moving online, I have learned some valuable lessons as I have conducted meetings and coaching online. Here, Simon Day from Toastmaster International will share how small businesses can communicate with impact online.

We made the decision to get our whole team working remotely well ahead of the Government’s advice to take this step. We called a morning meeting on 10^th March and had transitioned to remote working by the time everyone left that day.

Planning and implementing an SEO campaign can seem like a challenging undertaking. Fortunately, with the right tools and advice from SEO experts, your website can reach the top of Google’s search results pages.

When starting his first business, a friend told me how he decided to use his personal bank account for all of his business transactions. This included the income he generated from his clients, along with all business expenses.

To succeed in today’s market, a business needs a strong online presence in order to develop and grow. Gone are the days where yellow pages were everything and paying to get yourself listed on the front page meant you’re already ahead of your competition. Nowadays, you can get overtaken by a business that invested half of what you did in marketing, simply because they’ve got better SEO practices.

Moving people to remote working can be stressful at the best of times. COVID-19 adds an extra dimension. For this reason, it is very important that business owners consider the impact on the mental wellbeing of their team as they adjust to the necessary changes.

You may be just getting started with your business and need the right skills to help it grow. Or, maybe you have seed funding and need to scale your team quickly? 

It is, unfortunately, the case that IR35, Public and Private Sector off-payroll rules are something of a minefield.  It’s a complex area of tax law so it is not surprising that contractors and freelancers get confused and struggle to understand all the implications.

There are several crucial aspects and documents for a business to operate smoothly and remain solvent. One of the essential files for your enterprise is an invoice.

With the sudden increase of people being laid off in the UK, as well as many workers not expecting a full wage, more people than ever will be looking to supplement their income through their own efforts.

Starting your own business and taking the plunge can be daunting, but help is here. With this setup plan, you will feel equipped and ready to take your idea to the next level. From market research to financing your business, this guide contains six key points to help you start your own business.
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Due to these circumstances our planet has found itself in, a lot of changes are being made in all spheres of life. Many countries are currently on lockdown in order to flatten the curve and stop COVID-19 from spreading. The measures that are being taken are various and each government is dealing with it in its own way.

Readers questions: I have a limited company and I am the only person who works for the company and I am the only director. Will I get the government grant for COVID-19 as self-employed?

Readers questions: I am the owner of my Limited company and at the same time I am the only employee of the company. At this moment I am pregnant and I may stop working soon. I do not know what will happen if I stop working and where to go from here. Any advice?

Over the years, social proof has become one of the most powerful and all-important marketing tactics for all modern companies. Why? Simply put, you can’t hope to maximise conversions through customer acquisition and retention if you don’t earn the trust of the online audience, and if you don’t build an image of a reputable brand. This is achieved by building social proof, which aims to incentivise people to mimic the actions of others – meaning that if one person buys from you and are satisfied with your purchase, others will follow suit because you can be trusted.

As the country enters into a national state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, households and non-essential businesses have been ordered into lockdown following the enforcement of a stay-at-home order relayed by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. As businesses are ordered to temporarily close shop and workers are instructed to work from home where reasonably possible, the economy is experiencing a downward spiral in trade, raising the red light for many smaller enterprises with less in cash reserves.

There are 7.6 million people, according to the UK Office of National Statistics, that have some form of disability — and nearly half of them are unemployed. But disabled people are just as skilled and as talented as everyone else. Finally, new research is emerging and shining a light on how making a conscious effort to hire disabled workers can boost company morale, productivity, and job satisfaction. 

The coronavirus has started to take its toll on the UK economy, the general public and small businesses. There is a lot of panic and anxiety with constant news of new cases and deaths due to the virus. This is an especially difficult time for small businesses, who will struggle to keep afloat with the lack of consumer demand. Whether you run a restaurant or a clothing shop on the high street, the effects of this pandemic are being felt.

The UK has an old Health & Safety Act (1974) which states that employer must “provide whatever information, instruction, training and supervision is necessary to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of your workplace employees.”