Tag Archive for Business Management

Hot Business News Today

Wales election manifestos 2021 – what’s in them for small businesses?

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Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
With elections coming up on May 6, we’re taking a closer look at the manifestos to help you decide who to vote for.
For those of you in Wales, here is a round-up of the election pledges of each party that are geared towards small business owners.
Labour

Masterplans will be drawn up for towns and high streets, including a register of empty buildings and small businesses given help to move into empty shops
Protect more than 165,000 jobs by providing the most generous business support scheme in the UK
Use the £500m Wales Flexible Investment Fund to support economic recovery and expand the Development Bank of Wales’ patient capital funds to provide long-term lending to small and medium sized enterprises, entrepreneurs and start-ups. Increase the use of equity stakes in business support. Secure the creation of a Community Bank for Wales, supporting its growth so it has 30 branches across Wales over the next decade
Develop a Backing Local Firms Fund to support local businesses. Provide greater support for worker buyouts and, with the cooperative sector, seek to double the number of employee-owned businesses
Change the way people work, rather than commuting to the office every day, will seek

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Hot Business News Today

Scotland election manifestos 2021 – what’s in them for small businesses?

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Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
We’ve got the 2021 election in Scotland coming up on May 6.
To help you decide who to vote for, we’ve summed up all of Scotland’s political party pledges geared towards small businesses.
SNP

Continue the Small Business Bonus, benefiting more than 100,000 businesses. Invest £100m to help SMEs get the right digital skills and equipment
Maintain Business Growth Accelerator which removes rates liabilities for the first 12 months after occupation of previously empty property.
Establish a new £10m fund to allow companies to pilot and explore the four-day working week. Use these learnings to consider implementing a four-day working week as and when Scotland has full control over employment rights. Identify additional employment rights and assess the economic impact of moving to a four-day working week
Create a dedicated Women’s Business Centre to provide financial support, advice and training to women looking to start or grow their business. This will be backed by £50m over the course of the parliament
Create a new, £20m Rural Entrepreneur Fund – this will provide grants of up to £10,000 to support the creation of 2,000 new businesses
Implement the recommendations of the Logan Review to raise our tech sector to world-class status including

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Hot Business News Today

Wales election manifestos 2021 – what’s in them for small businesses?

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
With elections coming up on May 6, we’re taking a closer look at the manifestos to help you decide who to vote for.
For those of you in Wales, here is a round-up of the election pledges of each party that are geared towards small business owners.
Labour

Masterplans will be drawn up for towns and high streets, including a register of empty buildings and small businesses given help to move into empty shops
Protect more than 165,000 jobs by providing the most generous business support scheme in the UK
Use the £500m Wales Flexible Investment Fund to support economic recovery and expand the Development Bank of Wales’ patient capital funds to provide long-term lending to small and medium sized enterprises, entrepreneurs and start-ups. Increase the use of equity stakes in business support. Secure the creation of a Community Bank for Wales, supporting its growth so it has 30 branches across Wales over the next decade
Develop a Backing Local Firms Fund to support local businesses. Provide greater support for worker buyouts and, with the cooperative sector, seek to double the number of employee-owned businesses
Change the way people work, rather than commuting to the office every day, will seek

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

8 ways to make your small business more disability aware

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Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
With lockdown measures easing, many small businesses are busy preparing to welcome back customers over the coming months. With social contact restrictions still in place, however, it won’t quite be “business as normal.” Businesses will need to think creatively about how they entice customers.
Enticing old customers
Premises will still need to meet strict Covid-safe conditions when they reopen but it’s a start, and customers are just as excited to be back – and spending their money again – as businesses are to serve them.
The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, which ran in August 2020, may have had its critics, but the huge rise in table reservations – a 53 per cent increase on the same period in 2019 – shows the eagerness of the public to get back to purchasing goods and services again.
There is a lot of lost time to make up for and businesses will need to think creatively about how to entice back old customers to their premises and services, whilst attracting in new customer groups, as well.
>See also: What are the benefits of agile working? – a small business guide
Attracting disabled customers
Disabled customers are a group most often overlooked

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

8 ways to make your small business more disability aware

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
With lockdown measures easing, many small businesses are busy preparing to welcome back customers over the coming months. With social contact restrictions still in place, however, it won’t quite be “business as normal.” Businesses will need to think creatively about how they entice customers.
Enticing old customers
Premises will still need to meet strict Covid-safe conditions when they reopen but it’s a start, and customers are just as excited to be back – and spending their money again – as businesses are to serve them.
The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, which ran in August 2020, may have had its critics, but the huge rise in table reservations – a 53 per cent increase on the same period in 2019 – shows the eagerness of the public to get back to purchasing goods and services again.
There is a lot of lost time to make up for and businesses will need to think creatively about how to entice back old customers to their premises and services, whilst attracting in new customer groups, as well.
>See also: What are the benefits of agile working? – a small business guide
Attracting disabled customers
Disabled customers are a group most often overlooked

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

UK recovery is possible with planned investment in businesses

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Originally written by Ian Currie on Small Business
As the UK covid-19 situation gets ever more parlous, it somehow feels counter intuitive to turn our minds to how the country will bounce into a recovery. However, as the fantastic work of our scientists and the government’s scaled-up vaccination roll-out both bring new hope, that is exactly how we must plan. The sheer will and fighting spirit of the UK population will at some point turn the tide for our beleaguered businesses. Hope and optimism are commendable traits, but where and when do the seeds of recovery begin to reveal themselves?
For months there has been a litany of bad news, with not only unemployment figures rising but reports of many businesses hanging on by their fingertips only surviving due to the vital infusions of vast financial support provided by UK government. We all know it cannot go on at these stratospheric levels, and whilst in the short term there are few alternatives, the medium and longer-term prognosis requires different thinking if our recovery is to be sustained.
If we accept that government handouts must soon come to an end, then they must be replaced with a very serious investment programme – a platform

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

UK recovery is possible with planned investment in businesses

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Ian Currie on Small Business
As the UK covid-19 situation gets ever more parlous, it somehow feels counter intuitive to turn our minds to how the country will bounce into a recovery. However, as the fantastic work of our scientists and the government’s scaled-up vaccination roll-out both bring new hope, that is exactly how we must plan. The sheer will and fighting spirit of the UK population will at some point turn the tide for our beleaguered businesses. Hope and optimism are commendable traits, but where and when do the seeds of recovery begin to reveal themselves?
For months there has been a litany of bad news, with not only unemployment figures rising but reports of many businesses hanging on by their fingertips only surviving due to the vital infusions of vast financial support provided by UK government. We all know it cannot go on at these stratospheric levels, and whilst in the short term there are few alternatives, the medium and longer-term prognosis requires different thinking if our recovery is to be sustained.
If we accept that government handouts must soon come to an end, then they must be replaced with a very serious investment programme – a platform

Read more...

Hot Business News Today

What coronavirus business support is available from the government?

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Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
After almost a year of lockdowns and restrictions, coronavirus business support is still very much needed by firms across the UK.
We’ve gathered a list of government help, past and present, to let you know what is available to you.
Active
These funding and support opportunities are currently open. You can find further information within the links in the headings.
Deadlines are also outlined below.
Additional Restrictions Grant

Available for businesses that are not covered by other grant schemes or where additional funding is needed.

Deadline: Ongoing
Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Loans of between £2,000 and £50,000, up to 25 per cent of turnover
The government guarantees 100 per cent of the loan with no fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5 per cent a year
Companies can now apply for a top-up in cases where they initially did not borrow the full amount available

Deadline: March 31 2021
> See also: Microbusiness £50,000 Bounce Back Loans – how they work
Business Rates Holiday

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England will not have to pay business rates for the 2020-2021 tax year.

Deadline: April 6 2021
Commercial eviction ban

Landlords have been banned from turfing

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Last chance to sign up and harness the power of peer networking

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Originally written by Partner Content on Small Business
It is widely accepted that support from peer groups and peer networking is often the first port of call for business owners facing similar challenges.
As businesses navigate the ongoing pandemic including a third national lockdown and deal with issues arising from exiting the EU, they can find help and no-nonsense support and advice through peer networking.
In 2021 peer networking can create a feeling of community no matter what industry or sector you are in, but it also helps business owners realise that they are not alone in the obstacles they face on a day-to-day basis.
With the help of like-minded peers, they can gain valuable insights leading to day to day solutions to help grow their business.
Which is why Peer Networks is working with SME business owners across England to help place them in a stronger position for future growth.
>See also: How peer support is helping me and my business
What are the experts saying about Peer Networks?
Isla Wilson is a director at Ruby Star Associates and a Peer Networks facilitator for Greater Manchester.
She says: “There is real value in sharing experiences with others and drawing out learning which each member can apply to themselves

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Hot Business News Today

What coronavirus business support is available from the government?

by  •  • 0 Comments

Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
After almost a year of lockdowns and restrictions, coronavirus business support is still very much needed by firms across the UK.
We’ve gathered a list of government help, past and present, to let you know what is available to you.
Active
These funding and support opportunities are currently open. You can find further information within the links in the headings.
Deadlines are also outlined below.
Additional Restrictions Grant

Available for businesses that are not covered by other grant schemes or where additional funding is needed.

Deadline: Ongoing
Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Loans of between £2,000 and £50,000, up to 25 per cent of turnover
The government guarantees 100 per cent of the loan with no fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5 per cent a year
Companies can now apply for a top-up in cases where they initially did not borrow the full amount available

Deadline: March 31 2021
> See also: Microbusiness £50,000 Bounce Back Loans – how they work
Business Rates Holiday

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England will not have to pay business rates for the 2020-2021 tax year.

Deadline: April 6 2021
Commercial eviction ban

Landlords have been banned from turfing

Read more...