TWO Belfast based leaders have launched a new programme for UK companies aimed at tackling an often-overlooked issue in the business world. Laura Kearney – who is the founder and Inclusion IQ – and Shelly Higgins – who is Operations Manager at Springvale Learning have created the NICE Framework, a programme aimed at not only supporting professional women back into employment but also championing the benefits of part-time working to employers. Laura says that the programme will help to boost productivity in the UK economy, unlock the ambition of women who want to return to work and help companies offset…
Author: sme-admin
In a world where businesses have been increasingly global since day one, financial systems that support cross-border payments are essential. However, traditional financial channels are often riddled with structural barriers that limit opportunities for emerging businesses, especially those in less economically privileged regions. Codified discrimination—through high fees, opaque exchange rates, and exclusion from major payment networks—often hinders the potential for efficient cross-border payments for startups and SMEs. Meryem Habibi, CRO of Bitpace, a crypto payment gateway and wallet solution, discusses how cryptocurrencies, are now reshaping the landscape, offering startups a way to sidestep these barriers and access a fairer, more inclusive…
According to Ofcom research, 20% of the UK population listen to at least one podcast a week. With a potential audience of 11.7 million dedicated podcast listeners from varying demographics, podcasting can have huge benefits for the host, brand and advertisers from awareness to tangible traffic and sales generation. But with millions of podcasts, and counting, worldwide, what is the formula for success? To help answer this question, transcription and content creation experts, Trint, have conducted research into the most listened to and profitable podcasts in the UK and beyond. Looking into various data elements including number of listeners and demographic, Trint have analysed…
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched a free online tool to help organisations ensure their direct marketing activities comply with UK law – namely the Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR), and the UK GDPR. By using the direct marketing advice generator, small organisations will get reliable compliance advice, tailored to their own direct marketing activities, in minutes. This allows organisations to reach out and promote their products and services to both new and existing customers, as well as share their aims and ideals – and can assist in making sure they’re contacting people who are happy to hear from them.…
With the threat of climate change growing larger each day, individuals and businesses alike are needed to take action and lessen their impact on the environment. One area which may not be so obvious when it comes to its impact on the environment is our digital activity. Every online interaction leaves a carbon footprint. In fact, the average person contributes around 968 grams of CO2 every single day just by scrolling. Multiply that by 1.13 billion websites that make up the world wide web, and the environmental impact becomes huge. But for businesses today, when social media pages, branding, and an engaging…
Is there a legal service that combines the strategic insight of in-house counsel, the specialised expertise of external advisors and the flexibility of a modern virtual solution? Here, Kate Bennett, co-founder of award-winning law firm Arbor Law, explains how a virtual general counsel can do exactly that. A virtual general counsel functions as an external general counsel, providing high-quality legal advice and support tailored to a business’s needs. Unlike traditional in-house counsel, virtual general counsels operate on a flexible basis, offering services that can scale up or down depending on demand. This makes the model particularly appealing to small and…
Rachel Bedgood, a South Wales native, may feel uncomfortable when the spotlight shines on her business achievements, but her journey is nothing short of inspirational. Starting her business at just 23, Rachel’s story is a testament to how commitment, caring, and curiosity can lead to remarkable personal and professional success. Now, with 20 years of experience, she has transformed a simple idea into a thriving, multi-million-pound business. Here she talks to SME Today: What is your business? Complete Background Screening Limited, however we go by the name CBS. Interestingly, when I first registered the company, I wanted to register as National…
Mental health charity Norfolk Clubhouse is thrilled to announce that digital agency Candour has chosen the Clubhouse to be their new ‘charity of the year’. Candour has pledged to offer support through fundraising, cash donations and free digital marketing services, with an initial commitment of a £10,000 cash donation. Founded in 2019 by psychotherapist June Webb, Norfolk Clubhouse is a grassroots charity which facilitates community-based mental health empowerment for adults across Norfolk. It provides holistic wellbeing support and a place for people to come together, build friendships, learn new skills and get help entering or returning to work. Norfolk Clubhouse operates in Norwich and…
When designing your office, there are lots to consider in terms of wellbeing, engagement and productivity. As such, office design experts at Studio Alliance have provided four crucial questions you might want to ask yourself before you start the design process. Designing Your Office? Ask These 4 Key Questions First 1. What is the purpose of your office? Office use has changed dramatically in recent years. Technology has taken on a huge role in our professional lives, as has creativity and flexibility. Ask yourself, is your office still a central hub for daily collaboration, or has it become a flexible, hybrid space? Defining its…
Liz Colfer, director at Five Wealth, discusses how the true role of financial planners is not focusing on investment returns, but helping clients set clear, meaningful objectives to drive financial success. Many people think that financial planners spend all day harping on about investment returns, but this isn’t quite true. We do spend our days talking away, but not about investment performance and instead about objectives. We are always setting objectives, prioritising them, and then assessing progress towards achieving them. But what actually is an objective, and why are they so important? What is an objective? An objective is defined as a goal…