Mental Health at Work has partnered with Simply Business to support the UK’s self-employed with their mental health and wellbeing. Together we surveyed more than 700 small business owners to understand their challenges. Now we want to start a conversation and break the stigma surrounding mental health at work Let’s be honest, many of us left full time employment in the hope to escape the “rat race”, and discover the promise of greater freedom, mental wellbeing, and fulfilment, that we heard was promised to us if we “became our own boss”. But the truth is, being self-employed brings its own…
Author: sme-admin
If you have been in business for more than 5 minutes, you will recognise that there are always challenges (problems, if you prefer!) in business. They normally fall into challenges around people, cash and time, and most business books and advisers will home in on these. We can spend increasing amounts of time troubleshooting these challenges but we never seem to get them to go away – and in fact as we grow we can get to the point where we cannot imagine being able to cope with our business being any bigger. We can get increasingly stressed, being pulled…
A perceived lack of leadership from Government is deterring UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from implementing plans to reduce the environmental impact of their business, according to new research. The Barriers To Net Zero study by Rimm Sustainability, a global B2B sustainability solutions provider, found that UK SMEs – representing about 5.5 million businesses or 99 per cent of firms with a critical role in switching to a net zero economy – largely regarded becoming more sustainable as expensive and time consuming. About 50 per cent of the SMEs questioned in the research identified cost as an issue, with many of them…
Two brothers are set to revolutionise the sweet treats market, launching a new cookie brand that was inspired by the indulgent biscuits they enjoyed as schoolboys. Alex and Sean Brassill have launched JNckBakery, targeting the sweet snacking and fresh bakery markets with the launch of their range of delicious cookies, which have 90% less sugar, 50% less saturated fat, 3x protein and 5x fibre compared to existing products*. Almost two years of research and 1200 tests went into the development of the cookies, led by Alex, a biomedical scientist. Alex was head of the Nutritional Division at The Hut Group…
The role of your accountant is traditionally viewed as a reporting or advisory role, focused on what has gone before, as well as what should come next. For the average UK SME, knowledge of UK requirements seems enough. Yet using the support of an accountant with an international focus, SMEs can tap into a plethora of overseas opportunities, argues John Edwards, Chief Executive and Group Executive International of the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA). The export potential According to the latest figures from UK Export Finance and the National Survey of Registered Business’ Export Behaviours (NSRB), 1 in 7 businesses…
Ongoing supply chain issues have placed further stress on supplier-customer relationships, at a crucial time when businesses face mounting challenges in a shaky economic climate. Luke Smoothy, Founder and Director of London-based manufacturing partner Get It Made, urges companies to put customer service at the heart of their business strategy to get it right While many SMEs are working hard to stay afloat in an era of ‘sink or swim’, going back to the drawing board and adapting a more customer service-oriented approach might not be top priority as supply chains remain fractured, but this might be part of the problem. This is…
In the past, requesting a demo or contacting the company was seen as a mainstay of B2B commerce. Today, however, modern B2B customers have shifting expectations when it comes to their purchasing journeys, and B2B websites must keep up if they want to turn traffic into leads. Customers have increasing expectations around self-education when it comes to the research phase of the B2B buying cycle. In fact, research indicates that more than half of B2B buyers will finalise a shortlist of potential vendors or criteria based on digital content alone – without ever having spoken to a sales rep. So,…
As part of Foster Care Fortnight, one of the UK’s leading independent fostering agency, Banya, is holding drop in sessions in London and Birmingham. Independent foster agency Banya is inviting anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a foster carer to drop-in sessions in London and Birmingham as part of Foster Care Fortnight. The team want to raise awareness of a career in fostering and to help highlight the positive impact it has on both children’s lives and society at large. There is a shortage of foster carers across the UK, particularly around large urban areas and having a…
As we gradually near the end of the year’s first half, now is a crucial time for small businesses to assess what has been working, what has not, and what goals may or may not have been accomplished. Perhaps an initiative started in the first quarter of the year hasn’t quite shown the anticipated results or solved certain customer pain points. Whatever the case, now is the perfect time for SMEs to do some “spring cleaning.” Whether it’s a tweaking of your business plan or reviewing certain strategies, adopting a revamped, data informed approach can help SMEs take into account…
Gary Knight, CEO at WOLF, explains why marketers need to prepare for the second generation of social media apps Social media is a huge part of everyday life for people across the world; currently over 4.8 billion people use a variety of social network sites globally. But the landscape is changing. How we use and engage with platforms is evolving and brands must prepare for a wave of second generation apps to take the spotlight. Much like the evolution of television, social media is offering us more and more channels to choose from. Whether we decide to share photography, engage…