Business advice for UK small businesses

5 habits that make or break your PR agency relationship

Even with the best will in the world, occasionally a relationship between a PR agency and its client doesn’t work out. Sometimes the stars just don’t align. I’ve had a couple of clients in my career in which the chemistry was good, the client had a good story, they were

by Paul Allen

23 September 2026

Business Advice Sales & Marketing

4 quick ways to use smarter marketing strategies to drive festive sales

For retailers, the period between Halloween to New Year’s Eve represents the biggest shopping days of the year. This is when businesses can make the most money, but smarter marketing strategies will help them not only target customers, but preserve the relationship long-term. The strong link between smarter marketing strategies

by Staff writer

22 September 2026

Tax & Admin

Dividend tax rates 2026/27: What company directors will actually pay

Receiving dividends from the company you invest in or direct boosts your overall income. But before you start planning for that long-anticipated holiday, remember that your dividends could be subject to personal income tax. The percentage you’ll be paying is based on the tax band that your total income falls

by Staff writer

21 September 2026

Business Advice Business Planning

6 operational lessons for building a business that lasts

Michelle Carson founded executive search firm Holmes Noble in 2005. More than two decades later, the business has survived the global financial crisis, the Covid pandemic and the everyday challenges of operating in a competitive industry; 92% of its placements remain in post after two years, while 96% of assignments

by Staff writer

21 September 2026

Business Advice Sales & Marketing

4 tips for getting your business B Corp certified

Paul Webb is the co-founder of Black Bee Honey, a business started to bring back enjoyment and pride in the UK honey industry. The business sells raw, unblended honey sourced exclusively from British producers and is now a certified B Corporation. Being B Corp certified means your company meets high

by Staff writer

14 September 2026

Business Law & Compliance

Compulsory strike off: what a first Gazette notice means and how to stop it

If Companies House has published a first Gazette notice for compulsory strike off against your company, you have two months – sometimes 28 days – before it is dissolved and its assets pass to the Crown. A compulsory strike off is the registrar removing your company from the register because

by Staff writer

3 September 2026

Finance

How to write a finance report: statutory accounts and management reporting

“Finance report” covers two very different types of documents. Statutory annual accounts are a legal filing governed by the Companies Act 2006 and UK accounting standards, with prescribed formats and hard deadlines. A management report or board pack has no statutory framework at all and exists purely to help people

by Allison S Robinson

1 September 2026

Business Advice Sales & Marketing

How to become a successful thought leader

PR takes many forms and approaches and will vary hugely according to your objectives. If your goal is to build credibility and trust with your audience, then thought leadership is the single most effective tactic. It’s also the tactic that more people get wrong than any other. This is how

by Paul Allen

24 August 2026

Business Advice

What is an SME? Definition, size thresholds and why it matters

An SME is a small or medium-sized enterprise, and the usual shorthand is a business with fewer than 250 employees. Beyond that the answer depends entirely on who is asking. There are at least five SME definitions in active use in the UK, they set different thresholds, and one of

by Allison S Robinson

17 August 2026

Finance

What does pro rata mean? Worked examples for salary, holiday and bonus

Pro rata means “in proportion”. In pay and HR it means giving someone the share of a salary, a holiday allowance or a bonus that matches the hours they work or the part of the year they are employed. A £32,000 full-time salary pro-rated to 22.5 hours of a 37.5-hour