Subscribe to our Corporate Finance Business Guidance Feed

Tax Breaks You Should Definitely Not Ignore

Forgive us for banging the drum, but the tax breaks offered by the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) should not be ignored. Adrian Walton explains… read more

 

Looking To The Crowd

Access to funding isn’t getting any easier for the UK’s small andmedium sized enterprises, aka SMEs. With most businesses unwilling or unsuited to raising traditional venture or growth capital, and with a scarcity of bank loans and overdrafts, there’s an increasing focus on the alternatives. read more

 

Seven Key Questions For Retaining Your Best People

19/09/2012 By Rachel Stone, Head of People Management at Smith & Williamson You’ve heard all the clichés – ‘people are the lifeblood of the business’, ‘the business is all about the people’, ‘people buy from people’. They are all, as clichés tend to be, true. In this article Rachel Stone asks (and answers!)... read more

 

Raising The Performance Bar

19/09/2012 By Hugh Margesson, People Management Associate Director at Smith & Williamson If you’re looking to achieve more in your business with fewer staff you must focus on managing performance effectively. When profits or budgets are under pressure, you need people to be motivated and productive and to understand how their hard work... read more

 

The Rise And Rise Of Flexible Benefits

19/09/2012 By Ian Luck, Employee Benefits Partner at Smith & Williamson The case for flexible benefits To paraphrase the great C.J., the famous TV boss who some may still remember, “entrepreneurs didn’t get where they are today without being flexible.” Having the ability to adjust product, service or delivery to meet the needs... read more

 

Taking Your Business To The Next Level

19/09/2012 By Guy Rigby, Head of Entrepreneurs at Smith & Williamson The key to success for growth businesses is in having the right mix of people and skills. To build your dream team you need to look at this mix in the broadest possible sense — both in and outside your business.... read more

 

‘Value For Money’ Ranks As The #1 Priority For SMEs When Defining Brand Values

In an attempt to counteract the current economic and social climate, there has been a shift in how start-ups and existing small businesses define their brand values. New research by printed.com in partnership with Creativepool, reveals that ‘value for money’ has been ranked as the number one value amongst new businesses when defining their brand. read more

 

The Entrepreneur Interview: James Lohan

28/08/2012 The following interview with James Lohan, the entrepreneur and CEO of Mr & Mrs Smith, the ultimate collection of hand-picked boutique hotels around the world, is part of the wider Entrepreneur Interview series by Guy Rigby, Head of Entrepreneurs at Smith & Williamson. Guy: I’m going to kick off... read more

 

Making Your Business More Profitable

28/08/2012 By Jeff Selden, Assurance and Business Services Partner at Smith & Williamson Limited Businesses need constant reinvention. To thrive, they must earn more, spend proportionately less, and spend wisely. In this article, we look at how you can manage your costs to improve your profitability. Fixed costs occur irrespective of levels... read more

 

Five Essential Steps To Building A Successful Business

28/08/2012 By Sancho Simmonds, Assurance and Business Services Partner at Smith & Williamson A clearly articulated business strategy is fundamental to the success of your business. But, it’s important that it actually works! Validating or ‘testing’ your strategy to ensure that your business idea is commercially viable and that there’s proven market demand... read more