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The pros and cons of taking venture capital funding for your startup

In 2022, venture capital (VC) firms raised a record-breaking $162.6 billion. Venture capital investment can be an especially attractive way of obtaining significant capital for your startup and taking it to the next level. But what is venture capital? VC is a type of funding that involves private equity financing that is provided by several...

How hotels can reduce their carbon footprint

Hotels play a significant role in the hospitality industry, but their operations often have a substantial environmental impact. Reducing the carbon footprint of hotels is not only beneficial for the environment, but also for the reputation and bottom line of the business. In the context of the UK, where sustainability is gaining increasing importance, hotels...

Introducing The BoxCo: Transforming self-storage with tech

In an era dominated by instant deliveries and digital convenience, The BoxCo. emerges as a game-changer in the self-storage industry. With a vision to revolutionise the way we store our personal items, The BoxCo. is a breath of fresh air in a sector that’s ripe for a tech makeover. Founders’ vision: Streamlining storage The journey...

Navigating economic uncertainty: The role of fractional CFOs in risk management

Economic uncertainty inevitably challenges small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which commonly cannot afford full-time, high-level finance executives. In such turbulent times, a fractional chief financial officer (CFO) plays a vital role, especially in risk management. This article explores how fractional CFO services equip SMEs with essential expertise to effectively steer through economic uncertainties, delivering strategic...

Five actions that will drive 2024 business growth

As we enter 2024, the spotlight is on key predictions shaping the landscape for SMEs and global growth. With economic instability rife and technology evolving swiftly, SMEs must take proactive steps to manage resources and stay updated on market trends. According to recent research from Three Business, UK SMEs are anticipating an average of 15%...

Patricia Cullen

Five tech scale-ups to watch out for in 2024

With the rise of AI, advancements in cordless technology, and pinching as the new clicking, 2023 has been a great year for technology. It’s hard to sum up how much has changed in the last 12 months, and it’s even harder to predict where the next year will take us, but who are some of...

Alice Cumming

‘Immortalists’: The companies behind anti-ageing

Billionaires have begun to invest in unknown companies with the promise of anti-ageing. The likes of Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, and Bryan Johnson are reportedly set on living forever. Historically, rich, affluent people have attempted to prevent ageing. From Countess Elizabeth de Ecsed of the Kingdom of Hungary killing and mutilating hundreds of young women...

Alice Cumming

Who are the top 32 serial entrepreneurs?

Many successful businesspeople create one company and spend their lives scaling it, but for others, one just simply isn’t enough. As these entrepreneurs progress through their careers, they spot new industries that are worth branching into, take time to pursue what they’re really passionate about, or sometimes, for whatever reason, they just don’t get it...

James Cook

What Does 2024 Politics have in store for business

What does politics have in store for business in 2024?

Simon Danczuk, businessman, author, and former MP, looks ahead at the 2024 international chessboard, covering global events and their impact on UK business. November saw the Conservative government deliver their King’s Speech and Autumn Statement for the year ahead. The former is where King Charles is tasked with reading to Parliament a list of what...

Josh Dornbrack

Half gen alpha, half millennial

From Millennials to Gen Alpha: Lessons in workplace evolution and leadership

Generation Alpha are the first generation to be categorised entirely in the new millennium. Born between 2010 and 2025, this generation is widely defined by the birth – and use – of the iPad. Often the offspring of Millennial parents, there’s current discourse on Gen Alpha surrounding their behaviour, inattentive nature, and technology obsession. But...

Alice Cumming

HMV logo

HMV’s third act: The return to Oxford Street

Opened by The Gramophone Company on London’s Oxford Street in 1921, HMV has had a long-standing history as a high street brand. With the famous trademarked image from a painting by Francis Barraud titled His Master’s Voice acquired from the artist in 1899, Nipper (the dog in the painting) and the Gramophone became symbolic of...

Alice Cumming

Thatcher illustration

The remarkable legacy of the Enterprise Allowance Scheme and the case to bring it back

During the 1980s, in the midst of surging unemployment, Margaret Thatcher’s government rolled out the Enterprise Allowance Scheme (EAS), an initiative which provided a weekly allowance for unemployed people of working age with entrepreneurial ambitions. Although it had its critics, the ESA left a remarkable legacy. Rolled out nationwide in 1983, the Enterprise Allowance Scheme...

James Cook

Collection of images showing the history of an ice cream

How the history of ice cream highlights the importance of IP protection

The year is 1920, in a small sweetshop in Iowa, a young boy stares at a shelf with a frustrated look. He asks the store’s owner for an ice cream, then changes his mind and asks for a chocolate bar instead. The owner asked the boy why he didn’t buy both. The boy exclaims, “I...

Josh Dornbrack

Terry Venables

Terry Venables: A masterclass in communication, preparation, and flexibility

Terry Venables, the former football manager who led England to the semi-finals of Euro 96, sadly passed away over the weekend. Tributes have poured in for the former Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, and Barcelona manager, revealing some remarkable lessons from a man who left an indelible mark on the world of football. Recognising individual differences...

James Cook

Kathryn Jacob, CEO at Pearl and Dean

The leader behind Pearl & Dean’s workplace culture revolution

“Empathy, listening skills, calmness, energy.” These are the four characteristics Kathryn Jacob, CEO of cinema advertising company Pearl & Dean, attributes to a great business leader. Displayed as the “conductor of the very fine musicians and experts,” Kathryn Jacob is the “oil between the wheels” of the company. Founded by Charles and Ernest Pearl and...

Alice Cumming

Disrupting the disruptors

Disrupting the disruptors: Lessons from 5 businesses that failed to adapt to change

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” – William Pollard It’s not easy being a business leader. No matter the size of your business, disruption is the goal but it’s around every corner. What separates Blockbuster from Netflix,...

Josh Dornbrack

The Sam Altman/OpenAI rollercoaster: Lessons from leadership turmoil

The CEO of one of the world’s most talked about tech companies has been sacked, employed elsewhere, and returned to OpenAI in less than a week. While the precise details remain unclear surrounding the dismissal of Sam Altman, who steered the $90bn (£71.7bn) company behind ChatGPT, what can businesses learn from the rollercoaster that is...

Patricia Cullen

Figurines of a man, woman, child and shopping trolley on a tablet

Meet Ovuvu: The latest e-commerce store tackling high prices

In the minefield of being bombarded with ads and things to buy on Instagram and TikTok, one start-up has set out to change the perception of e-commerce and transparency in online shopping. Ovuvu, a start-up that launched last year and runs out of its warehouse in North London, offers a range of exciting products for...

Autumn Statement 2023: What to expect

With the Autumn Statement taking place tomorrow, Jeremy Hunt will set out the government’s latest plans for tax and public spending. Ahead of tomorrow’s address, the chancellor has said, “I will focus on how we boost business investment and get people back into work to deliver the growth our country needs.” We’ve collated everything that’s...

James Cook

Marvel studios logo smashed

The decline of Marvel Studios? What your business can learn

Marvel Studios is a household name around the globe. With 32 blockbuster movies released since 2008 and nine TV programmes coming out on Disney+ since 2021, Marvel Studios has become a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse. However, Marvel’s latest movie The Marvels is set to bomb at the box office on its opening weekend, the latest in a...

Alice Cumming

Booths self service

Has Booths signalled the beginning of the end for self-service checkouts?

Booths, the supermarket chain described as the “northern Waitrose”, has axed nearly all its self-service, becoming the first in the UK to return to fully staffed checkouts. The firm said that of its 28 stores, just two (Keswick and Windermere in Cumbria) will see staff return to checkouts. Booths said they took the decision because...

James Cook

Girl math

Girl math: Economic genius or generational fad?

Do you ever find yourself justifying a coffee purchase at lunch or spending a bit extra on your online order to get free delivery? If you have, you may be guilty of partaking in the social media trend of “girl math.” Spearheaded by female creators and originally from New Zealand, girl math is a set...

Alice Cumming

Jake Humphrey sitting with his hands together

Redefining high performance in life and business

High performance. The buzz term du jour on LinkedIn and in the business community. The man who literally has a podcast on the topic has his doubts about whether people actually know its true meaning. Jake Humphrey is a former BBC and BT Sport presenter and the Founder of the Whisper Group, a multi-award-winning company...

Josh Dornbrack

Who are the UK’s top manufacturing stars to watch out for?

The manufacturing industry is vast and whilst we often praise the industry’s makers, the suppliers do not tend to be as well celebrated. But who are the companies behind the brands, what are they up to, and are they really as successful as they claim to be? For our latest Top 32 list, we looked...

Alice Cumming