Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
Unless you live there already, Nottingham may not be on your list of possible cities for starting a business.
It’s the land of Robin Hood, Sherwood Forest and two football grounds which are unreasonably close together.
But Nottingham is also a rapidly growing city business-wise. It has two universities – Nottingham Trent and the University of Nottingham – that have a real focus on employability. The universities are now working together to provide a strong talent pool through the Universities for Nottingham initiative.
Laurie Hannant, partner at BDO LLP in the East Midlands, said:
“Nottinghamshire has a history of innovation that has yielded inventions as diverse as ibuprofen, the magnetic resonance imaging scanner, HP sauce and traffic lights.
“The region is incubating and nurturing its start-ups and scale-ups well with programmes and initiatives being run out of the universities.
“A recent report we conducted in Nottingham found that companies within the retail and wholesale sector are growing the fastest. Businesses within the manufacturing and industrial sectors are also faring well, growing at an average of 22pc over the past three years.”
If you’re relocating it’s a different matter, so let’s explore the essential lifestyle factors of residing in Nottingham.
Population
ONS mid-year

Read more...

Originally written by Ben Lobel on Small Business
Mixing business and pleasure might be a bit of a no-no, but what about mixing business with those you love? Plenty of people do it. And there are several clear advantages in forming a business partnership with your life partner.
For a start, you get to share the experience as well as the workload. Going into business for yourself is hard work and so, if you can share that with your closest companion, in theory you halve the pressure.
But, in reality, going into business with your spouse can increase pressure too, especially if you take work home with you all the time. And what if you actually work from home? Then you really do need to set some boundaries to safeguard your out-of-work relationship.
The right kind of separation
Talk to any couple who run a business together and this will be their first piece of advice: keep your work and your home life separate. They’ll tell you that there have to be boundaries that are adhered to. You need to find a routine that works for you and, to the best of your abilities, stick to it.
By all means put in long hours. But have

Read more...

Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
Oxford is becoming an increasingly desirable location for starting a business.
It’s within easy reach of other business hubs like London and Bristol, has a rich history coupled with grand architecture and is a real treat for literature fans.
Before we talk to the local small business owners, let’s look over some of the city’s key characteristics.
Population
ONS mid-2018 population estimates had the population of Oxford at 687,500. Said population is ageing, with the number of people aged 85+ expected to increase as much as 63pc by 2032, according to the Oxfordshire Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. However, planned housing growth is expected to create a significant increase in the working age and younger populations. What’s more, the university means there’s a high rate of people aged 20-24 living in Oxford city.
Crime rate
The crime rate in Oxford is about the same as it is in similar areas. In the year ending December 2018, it was 105.22 per 1,000 population – around the same level as Northampton (105.79) and Reading (102.71).
As you might imagine, bike theft is more common than in other UK cities. Thames Valley Police says that 1,816 bikes were stolen last year. That’s around five

Read more...