While those running home businesses have often looked to coffee shops to work and conduct meetings, as they were seen as relatively quiet and inexpensive places which offered an alternative to the difficulties of working in the home itself, evidence suggests this is no longer true. A combination of increasing levels of noise and concerns about information security are leading to (more…)

When it seems as though there is no end to economic woes, with slow sales and areas of your business that seem to be going nowhere, it is time to stop and make a study of your business. There are likely to be some areas that are causing more problems than others but there may be some positive points as well. Even in a downturn, there are still some potential customers with money to spend, so you need to identify how you can attract them to your product. (more…)

Increasingly, given the difficult economic climate, expanding small and medium-sized enterprises are opting to refurbish the office spaces they already have, rather than move to new ones. However, although in theory this should be the more cost-effective option, any potential savings will be wiped out if you fail to plan for the disruption caused by the refurbishment. (more…)

Businesses need expertise in a number of different subject areas and it can be tricky for a one person business to cover all the tasks that are needed. Apart from the core product or service that you provide, you have to make sure that accounts are done, bills and taxes are paid, advertising and publicity are sent out and day to day office admin is completed. (more…)

The threat of strikes seems to be returning with a vengeance these days and this is likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future. However, if strikes affect transport networks they can be damaging to small businesses, making it vital that they have a strategy in place for coping. (more…)

While we all possess negative habits, these can be particularly detrimental to your chances of success when they affect you at work. Whether it is reluctance to voice contrary opinions or an unwillingness to embrace change in the workplace – these habits can seriously damage both your own potential and that of your business. So how can you escape them? (more…)

There are a few key areas that businesses need to get right in order to attract and keep customers.

Clear branding of your company, that involves linking together all advertisements and marketing along with website and email design, will ensure that (more…)

For new business owners, the day that you start trading with your new business is the culmination of a great deal of planning and preparation that should have already happened. Many business starters have found that local chambers of commerce and business networking groups have provided indispensable assistance in getting started. Discussing your business idea with experts will provide both the answers to your questions and will help you to (more…)

People who run their own businesses often do so because they enjoy the satisfaction of being their own boss and taking responsibility for their working life. This type of satisfaction includes both the day to day enjoyment of the tasks in hand and appreciation of the financial rewards that are generated. (more…)

At any time, your business may go a little off course and you can find yourself trying to work out how to get things back on track. It may be because of external factors such as problems in the economy, meaning that customers are hard to find, or it may be a specific glitch such as a supplier ceasing trading. On other occasions, it happens because of an event within your company, such as a pivotal member of staff leaving. (more…)