Setting up your own business is easy in some ways (announce you’re in business and, well, you are!) and really quite challenging in others (registration docs and record keeping, anyone?).

Before you know it, you can easily become swamped with all the little bits of admin that need doing, you might even be put off before you start trading!

Here’s our ten-step checklist for start-ups to help you see the wood from the trees and get on with doing what you do best:

1) Have you got the funds (plus a little bit extra saved in case of emergency)?

Starting a business … Continue Reading

The National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) has released the results of its latest annual survey of its members.

NACFB member brokers act as intermediaries to the SME community, arranging finance for small businesses for premises, equipment, vehicles and to help cash flow.

The report reveals that total funding to SMEs via brokers has fallen by nearly 60% year on year, while buy-to-let business reports a staggering 88% drop.

Meanwhile, equipment finance to SMEs has fallen by 10% and vehicle finance has dropped by 30%. Some members have reported drops in business by as much as 85% year on year

Chief … Continue Reading

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics have revealed that business investment for the second quarter of 2009 was an estimated 10.4% lower than the previous quarter and 18.4% lower than the same period last year.

Declines in business investment occurred in most industries, with the quarterly fall in business investment mainly due to reduced capital spending by industries classified as private sector manufacturing (down 16.8 %), private sector non-manufacturing (down 9.7%) and public corporations non-manufacturing (down 7.2%).

Within the private sector manufacturing the fall in capital spending was due to industries within food, drink and tobacco (down 20.8%), engineering … Continue Reading