Figures released today show the Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached 4.0% in December, up from November’s 3.9%, prompting reactions from various sectors. Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), expressed disappointment at the uptick in inflation, characterising it as an unwelcome start to 2024. Having faced challenges at the end of the previous year, businesses are now bracing for more difficulties. McTague highlighted the temporary relief for householders following the reduction of the consumer energy price cap in October. However, he noted that business tariffs remained unaffected, leaving many grappling with heightened utility bills. Proposing solutions,…
Author: sme-admin
Jeanette Linfoot, is a distinguished corporate CEO turned Entrepreneur with a multi-million pound business portfolio. Jeanette is a prominent figure in the business world, having successfully advised executive Boards and individuals from various sectors including senior roles with TUI, Thomas Cook, First Choice, and Saga on achieving unprecedented growth and scale. Drawing upon her 30+ years of global professional experience, Jeanette has identified key habits that have propelled CEOs to success, and in this article she shares those invaluable insights with SME Today readers. They plan ahead High-performing CEOs strategically plan ahead, dedicating time each year for profound contemplation and…
Sole traders, independent business owners, and tradespeople can find winter months particularly challenging, not only due to the drop in temperatures. As hours of daylight and temperatures plummet, staying motivated to accomplish the day’s work can seem daunting. This, combined with potential seasonally slow business, may lead to a greater risk of winter burnout. In order to protect business owners and sole traders from suffering burnout throughout the winter months, the trades insurance experts at Toolbox by Admiral have provided their top tips for preventing exhaustion and warding off fatigue. A spokesperson from Toolbox says: “Surviving winter burnout as a business owner or tradesperson is…
Leading last-mile logistics company, Stuart, has partnered with major integrations provider UrbanPiper to empower restaurateurs across the UK, Ireland, and Europe through a combined tech offering, speeding up order and delivery times for consumers and businesses. Founded in 2016, UrbanPiper aggregates restaurant delivery operations into a single dashboard. Through this partnership, restaurants will be able to directly integrate with Stuart’s platform through UrbanPiper, instantly connecting them with a fleet of independent couriers. Restaurateurs will benefit from a streamlined delivery process from Stuart while gaining full control of all food delivery apps from UrbanPiper’s central dashboard. Together, the partnership leverages the best of Stuart’s on-the-ground expertise…
Global leader in decentralized renewable energy systems Ryse Energy has stepped up to sponsor Paralympian Chris Hunt Skelley MBE as he attempts to become a double medal winner at next year’s Paralympic Games as part of Paralympics GB. The 30-year-old who lives in Wiltshire with his wife Louise and trains in the Midlands is on track to qualify to compete in the Paris2024 Paralympics in the summer of next year. His aim is to achieve something that’s not been done in over 25 years in his sport – to get a medal in two Paralympic Games in different weight categories. Chris…
A couple of weeks ago, HMRC announced plans to tax people who make extra money on the side by buying and selling items online for a profit. Here, an expert from debt solutions specialists PennyPlan reveals what the new rules mean and how you can stay on the right side of the law when selling items online. Online marketplaces have become an excellent way to make extra cash, especially during the cost of living crisis, with any of us using them to sell unwanted gifts and household items we no longer need. But now, HMRC has announced a crackdown on sellers making…
Tradespeople are essential, not only do they maintain and build the infrastructures around us that we rely on daily, but they keep the UK’s homes warm and working all year round. But which trades are the highest earning? To find out, Capital on Tap has analysed the salaries of sixteen trades across the UK to reveal which are the highest and lowest-earning in the country and which cities are home to the highest and lowest-earning trade workers. When setting up and running your own company, understanding how to price your services can make or break your success. But with so many factors…
2024 could be the year of recovery after UK venture capital turned a corner in H2 2023 according to new analysis from HSBC Innovation Banking and Dealroom. After a sharp global pullback in venture capital from the second half of 2022, venture capital is now back above pre-pandemic levels in the UK and is distinctly growing again as of the second half of 2023 (nearly $22B in 2023). Growth was driven by early-stage investing which has remained active, filling the startup pipeline and breakout stage (series B and C) investment which is at 110% of pre-pandemic level. Late-stage investment has…
Peter Meyer grew up among wild animals on a game reserve created by his father, where he lived adventures like no other – from learning to swim in rivers and riding elephants, to walking among the wild and facing dangerous encounters. Now an accomplished model, actor, founder of The Meyer Studios and author of international best-selling book ‘The Boy From the Wild’, here Peter shares the top lessons all business leaders can learn from his unconventional upbringing, which paved his way to becoming a celebrated writer and respected entrepreneur. Expect the unexpected When exploring the wild with friends, we always had…
The highly anticipated Thames Valley Business & Community Awards is set to return to Reading for its 7th anniversary on Thursday, 25th January 2024, hosted at Hilton, Reading. Organised by Great British Expos, this distinguished event has been a cornerstone in recognising and celebrating the achievements of businesses and communities across the region. Launched by Great British Expos in 2017, the awards have grown significantly over the years, with 96 regional businesses earning the prestigious title of ‘winner’. Recently, the event organisers, Great British Expos, have received enquiries regarding confusion between the Thames Valley Business & Community Awards and The…