Your accountant will probably advise you to structure your business solely to reduce tax. However, there are other equally important things to take into account. Here are ten of them. Risk – if your business operates in fields where financial risks are high, it will be better to protect yourself by setting up a limited [...]
You will find many people only too willing to offer you their opinion, But what you really need is advice from people with relevant knowledge and experience. Opinion is important and can help you shape your view. Good advice is more valuable, steering you away from potential pitfalls. Here are ten different people who can [...]
Your business plan will inevitably contain forecasts and predictions. Certainly in the early days, cash flow forecasting is the most important factor as it will chart the journey to profit. Checking your financial progress is vital if you are to stay on track. Don’t underestimate the following ten aspects of your enterprise’s financial health. Cash [...]
Every enterprise should have a business plan. It should not be lengthy or filled with jargon. Focus instead on making it short, simple, specific and, above all else, realistic. Remember that an overambitious business plan may fool others, but fool yourself and you will pay a heavy price. Be realistic and make sure your business [...]
Research is all about the questions you ask. Get them wrong and you will miss vital information. Get them right and you discover all you need to know. Here are ten questions many people forget to ask. Would I buy it? – this is actually a question about your personal values. If you wouldn’t buy [...]
Your enterprise must fit you perfectly as a made-to-measure suit. Many people would say a business is like a second skin, inseparable in virtually every way. Here are ten questions to ask to make sure you develop a business to fit your lifestyle. Rich or poor? – if your household income doubled, what would you [...]
Researching a new business idea is great fun. You have that feeling you’re breaking new ground; the potential can look limitless. However, few ideas are completely new and the potential for most will be limited in some way or other. Researching your business idea thoroughly is really important. It helps you establish exactly what you [...]
There are countless books on creative thinking. Most promote a particular technique, yet in reality creative thinking is very simple. We find it difficult because we think it’s difficult. It is true to say that if you are left handed and therefore right brained, creativity will come to you more naturally. But much more important [...]
With the notable exception of the BBC’s Evan Davies, media commentators seem unanimously negative about our future prospects. Had my late father been alive, he would have said: “The country’s going to the dogs.” As the weather turns colder and the afternoons darken, so too it seems does the mood of our nation. To me, [...]
