GrowthBusiness.co.uk: Your gateway to entrepreneurial success
Simon Daniel
A question of leadership
As Gordon Brown takes yet another pounding, we would all do well to heed the...
News
EU business loan fund launched
The European Commission has made €100 million available to assist businesses with loans of up to €25,000. Business News / Thursday, 2nd July 2009
Credit crunch catches up with mid-market M&A
The number of mergers and acquisitions in the UK mid-market has dropped to the lowest level since 1995, according to business advisory firm Grant Thornton. Research News / Thursday, 2nd July 2009
Only 28 AIM CEOs are women
Women head just two per cent of AIM-listed companies, and only five per cent of financial directors on the market are female, research reveals. IPO & City News / Thursday, 2nd July 2009
Daisy joins AIM via reverse takeover
Business-to-business telecoms company Daisy Communications is to become an AIM-listed business following the reverse takeover of Freedom4 Group. IPO & City News / Wednesday, 1st July 2009
In rude health
Received wisdom has it that recruitment companies get decimated in recessions. But received wisdom is often wrong, as Kate Bleasdale, the founder of AIM-listed Healthcare Locums, is amply demonstrating.
Market &
Sector Focus
- Banking & finance
- Business services
- Cleantech
- Construction & property
- Distribution
- Emerging markets
- Healthcare
Blogs
Nick Britton
Why women don’t reach the top
Jul 01 2009Pick an AIM company at random and the chances of the CEO being female are roughly 50-1.
Simon Daniel
A question of leadership
Jun 04 2009As Gordon Brown takes yet another pounding, we would all do well to heed the lessons of his leadership.
Michael Jackson
Achieving steady sales growth
Jun 11 2009A few days ago I got involved with a manufacturing company that has been around for over 20 years and exports all over the world.
Chris Ingram
Negotiating nuances
Jun 24 2009If people think about negotiating at all, they assume you should play it hard and reveal nothing.
Videos
Social entrepreneur: Camilla Batmanghelidjh
Kid's Company founder Camilla Batmanghelidjh talks about the challenges she faced in setting up the venture.
Building brands online
Economist Ronan Lyons argues that the internet has broken down barriers to entry across the economy, giving individuals the chance to build their own brands.
Recession forecast from the CBI
Richard Lambert, director-general of the CBI, gives his view on how long the recession will last and how much worse it will get.
White Papers
12 Key Points to Consider When Selecting a Network Scanning Solution
Discover the 12 key points your company should consider before you evaluate and select a vulnerability assessment solution.
15-Minute Guide to Best Practices in Multichannel Correspondence Management
Explore an overview of multichannel correspondence in today's business world as well as what's needed for tomorrow's.
15-Minute Guide to Collaborative Case Management
This particular guide focuses on an innovative approach to case management in the public sector - Collaborative Case Management (CCM).
Deal Zone AIM, VC and PLUS deals as they happen
| Company | Industry | Market | Raised | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanson Westhouse | Finance | AIM | £0.85m | Jun 2009 |
| Worship Street Investments | Investment | AIM | £1.3m | Jun 2009 |
| Max Property | Real Estate | AIM | £220m | May 2009 |
| Essenden | Leisure | AIM | nil | May 2009 |
| Essenden | Leisure | AIM | nil | May 2009 |
| Abraxus Investments | Finance | AIM | nil | May 2009 |
| Nanoco | Pharma | AIM | nil | May 2009 |
| Real Office | Services | AIM | nil | Apr 2009 |
Raising finance
Green tax breaks and loans
A look at tax breaks and interest-free loans available to businesses investing in green technology or energy efficiency.
VCTs: cascades of cash
Venture capital trusts have more than £600 million on their balance sheets, ready to invest in growing companies. GB reports on the latest research.
Ten steps to securing investment for your business
Whether you’re looking for £50,000 or £500,000, there are certain criteria that an investor or lender will consider. Michael Weaver, chief executive at investor network Beer & Partners, has compiled the following guide to securing funding.
Entrepreneurs
Paul Smith cricket ball
Normally getting a reaction from the ladies with a Paul Smith involves sporting one of his sharp suits, but with this little number you may succeed in bowling a maiden over of a different sort.
Pre-packs aren't all bad
Pre-pack deals, in which a buyer is lined up before a struggling business goes into administration, have been given a bad press of late. David Moore, a partner at business recovery firm Begbies Traynor, argues that this is unjustified.
Pizza success
Twenty-five years ago in Indiana, Papa John’s founder and CEO John Schnatter sold his car to buy his first pizza oven. The franchise now has sales of more than $1 billion and just opened its 50th store in London.
Growth Strategies
Directors can keep residential address private
At present the names and home addresses of directors of companies registered in England and Wales are publicly available. This is to change, writes Marc Jones, a solicitor at Russell Jones & Walker.
Doing business with Argentina
Argentina has experienced unparalleled growth of late, but a lack of understanding has scared off UK businesses.
Holiday pay: in sickness and in health
Do employees accrue holiday during long-term sick leave? A recent court judgment throws light on the issue, writes Christina Morton, an employment specialist from law firm Withers.
Research
- A comprehensive overview of cash shells on AIM and PLUS, companies that have become a significant feature on the market landscape.
Liquidity Drivers on AIM
In the first ever deep analysis of trading values and volumes on AIM, Growth Company Investor, in association with BDO Stoy Hayward, will be shining their research light on the pre-eminent companies on AIM.
Spotlight on AIM 2009 research
The fifth annual examination of the entire AIM market, detailing the fastest growing companies on the junior market, aswell as the most profitable and the least profitable businesses.
Email and web security - a free guide
Worried about spam, viruses, data doss and use policy? Not sure where to begin?
Recruitment strategies during a recession - Free guide
When a recession hits, or when your busy periods become less frequent, recruitment plans will undoubtedly be affected. To overcome this, all you need to do is alter your recruitment strategies. Download your free guide today.
Cut your speed to market and your costs!
FedEx Express has now created an account tailored perfectly for new small businesses. Instant account setup, online shipping, proof of delivery and an immediate discount of up to 15% off standard rates. Speed up your supply chain and gain the edge on your competitors! Visit: www.fedex.com/gb/smallbusiness
Events Calendar
Rosenblatt New Energy Awards 2010
25th February, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD
Store
AIM Guide 2007/2008
The 2007/2008 AIM Guide contains essential information for anyone interested in the Alternative Investment Market.
Business XL
Business XL is written by leaders for leaders. The magazine is a fountain of inside information and knowledge, which can only be delivered by people who have started, bought and grown their own business.
M&A Magazine
M&A Magazine is the leading mid-market monthly corporate finance publication in the UK.
Take part in our competition and win a laptop
Growthbusiness.co.uk has teamed up with Insurantz.com to find out from you the secret of your business's longevity.
– Is it having a knack for hiring the right people or knowing that if you want something done properly, you need to do it yourself?
– Are you adept at reacting to changing market conditions and going the extra mile for your customers?
– Have you always had a keen eye for the numbers or made sure you have someone on board who does?
If your business has proven itself over a number of years, or if you know of a great local business and think it should be entered, then we want to hear about it!
A judging panel will draw up a shortlist of entrants for you to vote on to decide who will become the Growth Business Local Legend.
The winning company will receive computer equipment worth up to £500, plus £1,000 of business insurance (or free business cover up to an annual premium of £1,000 for larger businesses) all courtesy of our partners at Insurantz.com.
All shortlisted businesses will receive marketing collateral to promote your entry and encourage support from your customers and business associates. Everyone who enters the competition will automatically receive a 10% discount voucher code off insurance products bought from Insurantz.com.
To access the discount voucher code, please complete the survey.
At Insurantz..com, we encourage entrepreneurship, so start-up businesses are not charged extra when other insurers may decline or charge more. Insurantz.com offers a double-the-difference price guarantee on premiums where a better deal is found within 14 days of the cover start date.