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Small Businessman of the Week: Big companies overcharging SMEs by billions a year

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Saurav Chopra is chief executive of Huddlebuy, the deals site that sells discounted business products and services to more than 35,000 SMEs

Small Businessman of the Week: Factoring in a speedier cash flow for small companies

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Anil Stocker is director of MarketInvoice, which was set up a year ago to provide an alternative to traditional factoring services. It offers SMEs the opportunity to auction off outstanding invoices to investors, improving their cash flow

Global trading presents rich opportunities

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:52:08 GMT

With favourable exchange rates and the maintenance of the 0.5 per cent interest rate, more UK businesses are considering international trade as a means of expanding their business.

Selling to the toughest consumer

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:07:08 GMT

Just over five years ago I sold my first pouch of baby food. It was actually the first pouch of baby food in the world - an innovation that launched the Ella’s Kitchen brand and started a revolution by creating a new category of premium baby food.

Scenarios: A valuable tool in an uncertain world

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:53 GMT

Every month, the Treasury publishes a summary of the forecasts of around 40 economists. In June 2010, their projections of growth in 2011 ranged from 1.2 to 3.2 per cent. By June 2011, the spread had more than halved to 1.0 to 1.9 per cent.

Raising finance in a tough market

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:39 GMT

Ask entrepreneurs to name the greatest obstacle they face in their business and I would expect most to say raising finance. Even at the best of times, securing sufficient funds to get an idea off the ground is a challenge and in today’s climate entrepreneurs are finding this increasingly difficult.

A slow dawn

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:22 GMT

Almost a year since we launched our Get Britain Trading campaign there remains a real need to help small businesses create jobs and drive growth. The campaign has allowed the Forum of Private Business to raise awareness of the vital role SMEs play in the UK’s economic health, and the importance of removing the barriers that stand in their way.

Playing in the big leagues

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:07 GMT

Sports team and event sponsorship has become ubiquitous in the world of big corporate marketing, but until now has remained a closed shop to smaller companies. However, with the great power of sport to unite and excite people, it’s natural that businesses of all sizes would want a piece of the action for their brand marketing strategy.

Dissatisfaction, disruption and determination: the three "D"s of success

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:09:45 GMT

Dissatisfaction is the single greatest driver of innovation. I started Seatwave in 2006 because I was appalled by the existing options for selling or buying sold out tickets, which at the time meant relying on eBay or street touts.

Dissatisfaction, disruption and determination: the three Ds of success

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:45 GMT

Always follow your heart

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:20:41 GMT

Today, more and more young people in Britain are choosing to pursue a career as an entrepreneur rather than take the conventional route of finding a job in an established company.

Finance for small businesses

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:48:11 GMT

SMEs are constantly referred to as the driving force behind the UK’s economic recovery with figures from the FSB suggesting they are responsible for 48.5 per cent of the UK’s turnover.

Plain sailing to business success

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:55:23 GMT

In normal circumstances you wouldn't think that yacht racing and building a successful business have much in common. Yet it was Guy Rigby's passion for boats and racing that led him to write what James Caan has described as 'a must read book for any aspiring entrepreneur'.

Small business is big business

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:17:54 GMT

The FSB is the UK's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of more than 200,000 self-employed individuals and owners of small firms.

The rise of online publishing

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:27:36 GMT

Recently, the UK Publishers Association reported that there has been a significant increase in the sale of e-books, highlighting the growing popularity of digital readers such as the Amazon Kindle and the Apple iPad.

The role of the public information campaign

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:55 GMT

On 5 May, we experienced a very rare phenomenon in the political culture of the UK. The referendum on the Alternative Vote was only the second time ever a plebiscite has been held in this country. Used by politicians for only the most significant decisions that affect the UK and its unwritten constitution, the referendum is a political tool designed to reach the widest possible audience, and also has the capacity to create high drama and surprise results.

A guide to being social while staying professional on Facebook

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:59 GMT

Social media is proving to be very influential for small businesses but just because the conversation is happening in cyberspace, it doesn’t mean we don’t need to worry about old-fashioned etiquette and rules of engagement.

Social media for CEOs

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:00:17 GMT

Social media for CEOs

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:00:03 GMT

I seem to spend most of my life on a plane, or on the way to the airport or at the airport. Thank God for Blackberry, iPhone and the plethora of handheld devices that allow businesses and people like me to function in today’s world. I can read and respond to emails about my business, view memos and forecasts, helping me make the most of my time, whilst my plane is grounded by snow as was the case recently.

Restoring trust in business

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:46:33 GMT

This past twelve months, there have been an unprecedented number of CEO transitions taking place in some of the UK’s biggest companies.

Does it pay to advertise on Facebook?

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:11:01 GMT

Am I the only one who gets annoyed with Facebook ads? As a woman of a certain age in a long-term relationship, Facebook seems to have decided I can only be interested in two things: looking younger and losing weight. Actually, neither of those things really bothers me. I’d much rather know about new music or somewhere cool to go on holiday.

The importance of mobilising your fans

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:23:26 GMT

If you’re in any doubt that PR is commercially important, take a look at Lady Gaga. Earlier this year she was pronounced the highest paid celebrity under 30 by Forbes magazine.

The value of using sports in your marketing

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:01:29 GMT

Sport has a global reach. It’s accessible to all and understood by all, but above all else, it evokes emotional highs and lows in us like no other form of entertainment. And for the right brand, an association with something that powerful is highly desirable.

The art of winning awards

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:02:42 GMT

Awards are a fantastic way of reinforcing your company’s reputation. When you win an award it’s an automatic endorsement that your business is successful, good, better than competitors, and worth dealing with. So how do you increase your chances of being on the receiving end of an award?

How does one 'measure' PR?

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:42:59 GMT

One of the most common questions I'm asked as a PR expert is 'how do you measure PR?'