Business growth is what every entrepreneur wants to see. But as your fledgeling organisation begins to spread its wings, you will likely find yourself spread ever thinner, spending more of every day distracted by things that have nothing to do with your core business.
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DBS (Disclosure and Barring Services) checks are sometimes a legal requirement when going through the hiring process. If you are a small business owner looking at recruiting for your business, you will need to familiarise yourself with DBS checks, if they are relevant. DBS checks, previously known as CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks, may be essential to working in certain places and positions.
In the latest research conducted by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), it was found that the self-employed are not very optimistic about the future. The self-employed in the UK are the largest business group, with there being an estimated of 4.8 million sole traders. The FSB are launching a ‘Think Self-Employed’ scheme to rescue the collapsing confidence of the self-employed in the UK.
Like many business owners, you may dread holiday periods coming around. Finding someone to fill in for an employee’s essential duties can be a dismal task. However, there are positive days ahead, as your business will benefit in the following ways when your employee returns from their vacation. Here Austrack Campers highlight why it’s important to encourage your employees to travel while on paid time off.
When you are self-employed you will pay your tax based on the income and expenses you show on your Self Assessment tax return. Here Simple Tax will give you an insight of the Self Assessment process and your legal obligations as a self-employed individual.
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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Jose Melico is the latest entrepreneur to join others in our success story series. Jose came up with the idea of Zypho when he was just fourteen. Zypho is a water heat recovery device that reduces shower water heating energy bills. Being energy conscious and thinking about a solution to a problem enabled Jose to come up with this winning business idea at such a young age. In his success story, the entrepreneur discusses having a solid team and the skills required to keep a business going.
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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When it comes to your eCommerce business, there is always work to be done. New technologies and trends are constantly changing how consumers shop, which means that we need to change with them or risk getting left in the dust by our competitors.
In the latest Small Business Index (SBI) carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses, it was found that small business confidence has risen again. The confidence of small businesses has hit a one year high, which is great news for the sector across the UK. The steady rise in the confidence portrays a bright future for small firms that remain strong and positive despite adversities.
You may think that the success of established global companies is the most vital factor in the health of the economy. However, you should not underestimate the importance of entrepreneurs in the business world. They start up fast-growing businesses that are responsible for creating around twice as many jobs as established companies. Entrepreneurs also innovate; they need to question practices and think creatively in order to survive and thrive. Established major companies do not have the same impetus to innovate. As the Financial Times reported, we need the innovation and job creation of the entrepreneur community, to help keep the economy stable and to keep the status quo from taking over and hampering technological and creative progress.
Recruiting for a business is one of the most important milestones. It marks either the beginning (if you start with a team) or the growth of a business. There is no other predictor of success as prevalent as the team of people you employ to work for you. Having a good team, that moulds together and works hard, is essential to business success. Therefore, when it comes to recruiting for a small business, there are multiple factors that need to be considered.
Running a small business is by no means an easy feat. It requires so much from one person whether it’s emotional intelligence, being able to effectively manage and lead a team, or passion that will help you get back up after setbacks and failure. Naturally, you will have a heavy workload as a small business owner. Therefore, you will need to make sure that you manage it effectively in order to make yourself and your business a success.
It’s incredibly important to stand out as an employer when you are hiring. Offering potential and existing staff perks and benefits will create happy, loyal employees. The extra perks and benefits could be a deciding factor when a candidate is choosing between you and another employer. Attracting and retaining talent is essential, especially for small businesses as the recruitment costs could be steep.
According to the latest research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), it was found that small businesses are unprepared for some of the biggest disruptions a business could face. The issues that could arise from cyber crime to staff losses or severe weather, can have a huge impact on small businesses. Therefore, small businesses need to get prepared and have a contingency plan in place.
Does your business have more than one physical location? We understand that as an SME, it can be difficult to decide the best way to approach local SEO. You want your local branches to have a competitive online presence, but you don’t know where to start.
As a limited company director, you will usually pay yourself a small salary, and draw down most of your income as dividends. Are there any rules which govern the level of salary you take, and what are the tax implications?
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If you need some marketing inspiration, there’s no better role model than Apple. The marketing geniuses at Apple know that the secret to super-effective ads lies first and foremost in their simplicity.
Keeping staff happy is essential for a thriving, productive workplace. Making sure that your staff are happy will ensure that they are working hard to make your business a success. Scheduling and managing shifts can sometimes be difficult, especially when running a small business. However, by creating a ‘give and take’ relationship with your employees, it can be beneficial to you both. A good business leader will always keep employee satisfaction and happiness in mind.
If you are thinking about taking your business online or starting an online business from scratch then you will need to choose the right online payment system. There are a variety of online payment options to consider if you are setting up your business online. You will need to keep in mind the ease of using each method, the transaction fee rates, the help and advice available, as well as other factors.
