IP disputes are on the rise, with a whopping 446 new cases recorded in 2025 by the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales – a 14.9% increase from 388 cases in 2024. In the age of AI and intensifying competition between businesses, protecting your business ideas has never been more crucial. A good idea is the lifeblood of any successful business – so what happens if you suspect that another person or company has copied your concept? Having your intellectual property misappropriated can be both frustrating and damaging, but taking the right steps quickly can help you protect your rights and come out on top. In…

In this interview with SME Today magazine, Jack Mellor, the CEO of Personnel Checks, shares insight into his journey as a second-generation entrepreneur and the path that led him to take the helm of the UK’s top-rated DBS check provider.  Can you walk us through your journey into the business and how you came to lead Personnel Checks?  I’m a second-generation family business owner. My parents built and sold several businesses over the years, so I grew up in and around entrepreneurship. I spent the summer holidays stuffing sales packs in envelopes. Business was a topic for discussion over family…

By Thom Groot, CEO, The Electric Car Scheme A recent Scottish Widows survey found that 22% of British employees had never heard of salary sacrifice.  That is a striking finding for a mechanism that has been part of the UK’s tax and employment framework for decades, and it points to a big problem. The good news is that most of the barriers cited in the survey are more perception than reality. Understanding where these myths come from makes them considerably easier to address. Myth one: Salary sacrifice costs the employer money  The most common objection to implementing salary sacrifice in the…

Workplace bullying is a real concern, with the CIPD reporting that 25% of employees experienced conflict or abuse in 2024. Bullying can take many forms ranging from insidious harmful comments that are hard to call out to more overt instances of physical or verbal abuse. Irrespective of the form that it takes, proactive steps should be taken to ensure that workplace bullying is not allowed to thrive in your environment. Here, the experts at leading workplace safety training providers High Speed Training share what constitutes workplace bullying, and tips on how to best handle any incidents. What is Workplace Bullying? Dr Richard…

Author: Sam Lew, Director, Debt Advisory, Heligan Group Do you ever pause to consider how much value is tied up in your business? And, just as importantly, whether you really want to wait until a full sale many years from now to enjoy the rewards of everything you’ve built? For many business owners, there are personal goals that don’t need to wait for an eventual exit, whether that’s travelling more, investing in property, improving quality of life, or simply gaining greater financial security. The question is whether some of the value in the business can be released today, without undermining…

New research has revealed the best countries for British business owners to expand to as the Government plans to make it easier for foreign firms to move to the UK. This recent announcement comes at a time when the UK hopes to build closer ties with the European Union to cut the cost of doing business and reduce border friction, potentially making a better understanding of cultural differences more essential. For organisations aiming to scale internationally, experts at the cultural intelligence platform Country Navigator have analysed factors such as cultural similarities to the UK, corporate tax rates, GDP growth and more, to reveal…

How did you start your business? The truth is, it actually started as a side hustle. I initially had a business partner, I knew I wanted to do this full time, but he wasn’t as enthusiastic so I took it from there. We’re now entering our 10th year, which is cool. How do you evaluate the past ups and downs of your business? It’s definitely a roller coaster. If you think it’s going to be plain sailing, that’s not the case. But when you’ve got a long-term vision and a long-term goal, you know it’s a journey. Some people see…

Expert Market’s latest survey data reveals that 80% of U.S. small and medium-sized businesses say software and technology costs have had a negative impact on profitability in the past month. SMB leaders are re-evaluating tech spend As businesses look to reduce costs and improve efficiency, 73% are reevaluating their technology investments. According to the data, of the 56% of SMBs who switched to a core platform in the past 12 months,13% report ‘significant’ regret. Choosing the right enterprise software is a strategic decision and not always as straightforward as it may seem. 6 tips to avoid tech switch regret: To help businesses make more confident choices, Expert Market has…

New research from Teamwork.com reveals the rise of the “DIY client,” with one in three businesses now believing AI can replace external experts and bring work in-house. Based on insights from more than 1,000 senior business leaders and its global customer community, The Client Work Report highlights a growing perception gap between what clients believe AI can deliver and what it can realistically achieve, creating new risks for businesses delivering client work. The findings show that 33% of respondents say clients now believe AI gives them the tools to take a DIY approach to work. As these tools become mainstream, expectations around speed and…

As the new tax year begins, Penfold is encouraging savers to take a step back and give their long-term finances a quick check-up – not just their monthly budgets With so much focus on budgeting apps, cash ISAs and quick wins, pensions often get pushed down the list. But according to Chris Eastwood, CEO of leading UK workplace pension provider, Penfold, the new tax year is the perfect moment to change that. “There’s always a burst of motivation at the start of the tax year, but most of it gets directed towards short-term fixes, cutting a subscription here, tweaking a budget…