Articles

Saving Britain's Future

Charles Orton-Jones and Matthew Rock, who write for leading entrepreneurs' magazine Real Business, have put together their own response to the government's Building Britain's Future programme. Top of their list of suggestions is a £1 billion investment scheme for small firms. In addition, the pair recommend appointing a full-time small business secretary at the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Read about it in the Evening Standard.

How to find an Independent Financial Advisor

If you thought that an 'Independent Financial Advisor' was a contradiction in terms then here's some sound advice from The Times in finding a decent one + what to ask and how they can help you manage your finances at home and in the workplace. It's one of those things you probably didn't realise you needed until you started talking to one and then you wonder how you ever managed without!

Wind Power

With UK manufacturing having been hit hard, it's encouraging to hear in this article that we are the world's No.1 exporter of micro power generation turbines. So stick one of these money-making machines on your roof and it's a good as flying a Union Jack. You'll not only be buying British but selling your business electricity back to the (mostly foreign-owned) energy suppliers. Oh and blow me down, you'd be doing your bit for the environment too.

Ten ways to survive a tax investigation

Written by the BDO Stoy Hayward partner - Fiona Fernie - this is a must read for anyone just putting the finishing touches to their annual tax return (deadline end of the month). Read it in The Times, and follow the link to Fiona's podcast too.

The Daily Telegraph reports on a situation that'll be familiar to every business owner… late payments.

This article names-and-shames the worst offenders and reveals figures from the Federation of Small Businesses on just how bad it has become with big names changing their payment terms.

Also mentioned in the article is a hall of shame compiled by the Forum of Private Businesses which can be found here.