Chris Maslin and feature writer Fiona Scott have worked together for over a year and there’s one thing she has learned about him; This quiet, unassuming man is acutely business savvy and very caring. Based in Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Chris exited his accountancy business, Maslins, through an employee-owned trust. He wanted to ensure the future of his first business and to honour his valued staff. The experience led him to set up his new business – Go EO through which he offers Employee Owned Trust transfer support. Here’ Fiona shares her recent interview with Chris with SME Today readers.…
Author: sme-admin
Global Entrepreneurship Week, the world’s largest festival for entrepreneurs and startup supporters, kicked-off on Monday with a clear message: entrepreneurs can be found building great companies all over the UK. Entrepreneurs thrive here. First launched in 2007 by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the (US-based) Kauffman Foundation, Global Entrepreneurship Week has become a global campaign to celebrate and promote entrepreneurship, with events taking place in 200 countries. In Britain, GEW UK organised by the Global Enterprise Network and The Centre for Entrepreneurs, will see hundreds of events will be held across the country, featuring workshops, mentoring sessions, networking and…
‘Right to Disconnect’ policies are gaining momentum across the world. Laws condemning work-related communications outside of contractual hours are already in play in countries such as France, Belgium and Portugal, though the UK is yet to introduce its own legislation. Here, Kristian Torode, director and co-founder of business communications provider Crystaline, explores how SMEs can cultivate a motivated, productive workforce by encouraging a healthy separation between work and personal life. A lot of us check our work emails more than we’d care to admit. The digital age has opened a world of new opportunities for communication and connection, but this…
As part of its mission to help businesses make the switch to electric, Europcar Mobility Group UK is adding a significant volume of small electric panel vans to its nationwide fleet. Available from Europcar locations across the UK on long term flex rental of three months or more, the Vauxhall Combo Electric and award-winning Renault Kangoo eTech provide businesses with an ideal entry route to electric motoring. As Head of Europcar Vans and Trucks, Keith Shorter explained, the new additions provide a virtually zero commitment entry to electric motoring and will be critical as more businesses try to work out…
“Success is not a random act. It arises out of a predictable and powerful set of circumstances and opportunities.” – Malcolm Gladwell Predicting the future isn’t easy. And small businesses know this better than anyone. Economies are built on shifting sands. The last five years have shown that change is the only constant – and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing – uncertainty doesn’t make for easy planning. With this in mind Peter Harris, COO, Pipedrive discusses the ways that data can bolster sales at the front line of business. As the UK economy shows green shoots of growth with…
By Professor Marcantonio Spada, Chief Clinical Officer at Onebright, the UK’s largest outpatient mental healthcare provider. Problem gambling is growing at pace in the UK. It is estimated that 0.5% of the adult population engages in some form of problematic gambling behaviour. This equates to circa 260,000 individuals. Furthermore, 3.8% of the adult population are at-risk levels and 7% are affected negatively by other people’s gambling. This means that most workplaces are highly likely to be impacted by problem gambling. Why the increase in problematic gambling behaviour? There are several factors, but let’s focus on a recent one: Lockdowns during…
Salaries differ quite significantly across the UK, and in 2023 the average salary for the UK was £34,963 – with London sitting at £44,370. The London Trust recommends a minimum London weighting pay boost of £9,600 for inner London and £6,549 for outer London, but how much does pay actually differ across London? Eager to find out, the experts at online job search platform , JobLeads, tapped into job listing data surrounding each tube station, to calculate an average salary and determine London’s best-paid locations and sectors. Study Highlights: Employees near West Finchley station in Barnet earn the most, averaging £53,084.37 per year. Finchley Central station’s location earns the second highest at £53,075.37. The Central…
With the October budget setting out plans to increase employer tax by £25bn from April 2025, including a 1.2% hike in employer national insurance to 15%,1 many companies will be cutting back on hiring. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to make your CV stand out in a challenging job market. Shockingly, more than half (56.5%) of cover letters are now likely generated by artificial intelligence, which often lacks the personal touch employers seek when reviewing thousands of applications. In light of this, Digital PR Agency Reboot Online, analysed applications submitted to them using app.originality.ai to identify trends between AI and non-AI cover letters. They also…
Currently, only larger businesses are legally required to report on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. Nevertheless, this can have a significant knock-on effect on SMEs, which often must conduct their own reporting to meet the demands of their larger clients who need to report ESG compliance in their supply chains. SMEs have fewer resources to meet these demands, however. Adding ESG reporting to an already significant burden of legal and regulatory requirements can create a significant headache and threaten to drain precious management time. The key is to see past the pain of this new reporting regime to the…
Pipedrive, the easy and effective sales CRM for small businesses, have released further data from its State of Sales and Marketing report into small business working habits and success factors. Previous analysis from the same report revealed how AI tools enable both happier employees and healthier business revenue, how staff were positive about AI’s impact on their future work, and how flexible working creates happier and more productive workers. The data also shows how working hours, technology, and personal success correlate. Working overtime More than two-thirds (69%) of respondents work overtime, with one in ten working more than 16 additional hours…