All articles

Article Archive

Data protection: key responsibilities for small businesses
by Josh Hall | 23 Apr 2010
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) was recently given the power to fine small businesses up to £500,000 for breaches of the Data Protection Act. As a small business owner it is highly likely that you will have some data protection responsibilities – and yet, despite the severe penalties, many business owners are unaware of their obligations.
Read full story
4 social media marketing disasters
by Josh Hall | 23 Apr 2010
Social media is becoming an increasingly important marketing tool for firms of every size. As the world moves online and an increasing proportion of business takes place digitally, your firm needs to ensure that it is utilising tools like social media to their full potential.
Read full story
What to do if your customers don't pay on time
by Josh Hall | 21 Apr 2010
Late payment is a significant problem for many businesses. Research this year has revealed that there is a huge £63 billion in unpaid bills affecting UK small businesses. But as a business owner a major part of your job is to ensure sufficient and smooth cashflow. Late payment is one of the quickest ways to damage the health of your business – and this can have disastrous effects for even the most profitable businesses.
Read full story
How minority small business owners can improve their business.
by Jasper Martens | 20 Apr 2010
Joel Graham-Blake is an owner of Culltiv8 Solutions, a training an consultancy firm in Birminham.
Besides his firm, he has helped setting up other businesses and is an active member in several local communities in Birmingham. Jasper talked with Joel about his work and his efforts to give certain minority groups the power to achieve their goals.
Read full story
How to expand your property investment portfolio
by Josh Hall | 19 Apr 2010
As the UK emerges from recession and the property market begins to pick up, many buy-to-let investors are considering expansion. Many of those landlords that had safeguarded and properly managed their investments have survived the downturn, and a large number of them have actually flourished in the adverse conditions. Now, as activity in both the rental and sales markets is stabilising, expanding a portfolio looks realistic.
Read full story
General election update: the parties launch their manifestos
by Josh Hall | 19 Apr 2010
The election campaign is now in full swing. The historic first television debates have begun and, on 12 April, Parliament was officially dissolved – meaning that MPs are now in fact, former MPs.
Read full story
How friendly should a landlord be with his tenants?
by Josh Hall | 16 Apr 2010
As a landlord, you are likely to see quite a lot of your tenants. While some choose to employ a property manager to take care of the day-to-day maintenance of their portfolio, others adopt a more hands-on approach. If you fall into the latter group, you will certainly understand the importance of a good working relationship with your tenants.
Read full story
Top 5 business sites of the week
by Jasper Martens | 16 Apr 2010
Read full story
Employee benefits: the real cost to a growing business
by Josh Hall | 16 Apr 2010
Employee benefits have always been an important part of any remuneration package, but they have become even more vital in the past couple of years. As firms have scrambled to cut costs, many have reduced their headline salary offerings – but a good employee benefits package has helped them continue to secure top quality talent.
Read full story
The 10 Commandments of good letting
by Josh Hall | 15 Apr 2010
The life of a buy-to-let investor or professional landlord can be a tough one. Defaulting tenants, precarious mortgage arrangements, and the constant fluctuations of the housing market all combine to create a pretty challenging situation.
Read full story