60 festivals are taking part in a pioneering project to establish a green events code of practice across England. Creative climate non-profit Julie’s Bicycle, host of festival industry project Vision: 2025, is collaborating with ten local authorities and more than 60 festivals to test how a Green Events Code of Practice (GECoP) can be adopted nationally. Vision: 2025 Chair and Shamabla Festival Director Chris Johnson states: “I’m very proud that our industry is making the environment a key priority to deliver more sustainable festivals in the future. I’m surprised that we’ve heard so little about environmental issues during this election…
Author: Greg Robinson
Ahead of the upcoming general election, over half (52%) of SME owners do not feel informed on the different political parties’ policies and their potential impact on small businesses, according to new data by online accounting provider FreeAgent. The survey delves into small business owners’ thoughts on the UK’s economic performance as well as perceptions around the upcoming election and its potential impact on small businesses in the UK. It reveals that many entrepreneurs are pessimistic about the changes to come and how they might affect the UK’s economic output, with 2 in 5 respondents (39%) believing there will be…
For any startup, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), brand storytelling is not just a marketing tactic but a foundational strategy. It is essential for creating a deep connection between the brand and its customers. Through compelling narratives, businesses can convey their values, mission, and the passion behind their products or services. This connection fosters loyalty and differentiates the brand in a crowded market. Moreover, storytelling allows startups to humanise their brand. In an era where consumers are bombarded with advertisements and impersonal automated messages, a well-crafted story can make a brand feel more approachable and trustworthy. Daniel Li is…
Whether you own a traditional brick-and-mortar business, or you have an idea for a new business venture, now is the time to consider launching an eCommerce presence. According to the 2024 WorldPay Global Payments Report, there is no better time to be selling online than now. In 2023, 14.4% of all purchases made around the world occurred through eCommerce. Even more importantly, that number is forecasted to grow by 8% throughout Europe in the years ahead. So, if you haven’t set up an eCommerce presence for your business, what’s stopping you? For many, it’s the fear of entering unknown territory…
Gloucestershire-based charity the Hollie Gazzard Trust is proud to announce the UK’s first Active Bystander Conference at Hartpury University in July. In 2014, Hollie Gazzard’s life was tragically taken by her ex-boyfriend at her workplace in Gloucester. In response, her family founded the Hollie Gazzard Trust to honour her memory and prevent future tragedies. This year, they commemorate the 10th anniversary of her passing. Since that time, the Hollie Gazzard Trust has achieved remarkable milestones to help ensure others do not endure similar experiences. They launched the groundbreaking Hollie Guard app in 2015, recognised for its innovative safety features like…
Toby Strangewood, co-founder of Wake The Bear, shares his practical insights on how to communicate effectively without the fluff of emotional storytelling. As an SME founder or owner, effectively communicating to customers, employees or investors is vital. Disclaimer… No, this is not yet another article about emotional storytelling. Nor is it another reference to how stories have been embedded in our human psyche since the beginning of time. And I don’t proclaim to be an expert storyteller – these are just empirical learnings. Finally, you’ll be pleased to hear this article is not written with some kind of clever hidden…
As Cheryl Sharp, CEO and Founder of Pink Pig Financials, observed, the year started with strong optimism. The impact of the Covid years was subsiding, it felt like the cost of living was easing, albeit only slightly, and inflation was moving in the right direction. And while those things may all still be true, businesses are still feeling the impact. Consumer spending is down and this has had a ripple effect across all sectors. With so many SME businesses feeling the pinch this year, survival becomes the overriding priority. Price increases have been inevitable in a bid to keep up…
Document management specialist Filestream is thrilled to announce the promotion of Paul Day to the role of Managing Director. Paul Day, a veteran employee with a remarkable 29-year career with the company, took on his new role on June 1. Filestream has undergone a significant transformation since Paul first joined. He began his journey in 1995 as a delivery driver for office equipment at Lectus, founded by Charles Hooker. Over the years, Paul steadily climbed the ranks, gaining invaluable experience in diverse roles such as fax machine repairs, senior engineer on major contracts, and service manager. In 2003, after the…
The short answer is yes, but it takes work. The more practical question is usually whether you may want, or need to, given the impact the answer can have on tactics. Simon Walsh, Partner in the Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team at SA Law looks at how SMEs embroiled in a legal dispute can preserve their commercial relationships with the opposing party? May 2024’s introduction of compulsory mediation in many lower value claims (more on that below) however means that whatever your view on whether there is a relationship to preserve, you now need to prepare yourself for a…
Two Drifters, a Devon-based distillery that featured on the last ever Hairy Bikers episode, is set for major growth having secured a £100,000 funding facility from Time Finance. The deal has been arranged to help fund the Devonian SME’s alcohol tax duty, enabling the business to bottle and distribute more of its sustainably produced rum. Husband and wife duo, Russ and Gemma Wakeham, set up their rum business in their home county of Devon in 2019. They had a vision of creating a distillery which was carbon negative and partnering with suppliers to ensure they deliver the best quality product…