Dragon’s Den’s James Caan has handed the contract for revamping his personal and business website to digital marketing firm Digimax.
Year: 2009
Making your mark this Christmas
With Christmas just around the corner, children and adults will soon be getting into the festive spirit decorating their homes and wrapping up presents. This year there is one great way to ensure your present stands out from the rest whilst under the tree; by using a Sharpie marker!
Whether personalising your wrapping paper with a festive silver snowflake or putting colourful finishing touches to that perfect tag, Sharpie markers are available in 13 stand-out colours making them the ideal Christmas creative companion.
We have teamed up with Sharpie to give 10 lucky readers the chance to get their hands on a goodie bag of Sharpie markers – the ultimate Christmas design kit worth £35, which will ensure your gifts really stand out this year. To enter just email us at: sharpie@bmmagazine.co.uk
To grow or play it safe? That’s the million-dollar question…
One reoccurring topic which always seems to crop up when speaking to business owners is ‘when is the right time to bite the bullet and take the business to the next level’? When do we stop the bootstrapping and say hello to investment? I am a firm believer that all businesses can (and in most cases, should be) boot-strapped from day one. This not only saves costs, it keeps your business lean and avoids the unnecessary ‘fat’ that one could be tempted to add if investment is gained early on.
Use Christmas to re-energise for 2010
The season to be merry is upon us as we rush to prepare for a few days off work. Then comes the strain of too much food, drink or financial worries and Christmas is anything but relaxing. Hoping to promote Christmas cheer in tough economic times, Apprentice star, Claire Young has launched the ‘Balancing Britain Campaign’, working with Chinese health and wellbeing organisation Lishi in a bid to encourage the nation to switch off over Christmas.
Businesses rank Business Link a success in latest customer surveys
Figures revealed today by Business Link, at an event attended leading entrepreneurs and Business Link ambassadors: Karen Darby (Call Britannia), John Bird (Big Issue), Imran Hakim (iTeddy), John Cowell (Cowell Co), and Claire Young (former Apprentice finalist) show that businesses believe they save time, increase their sales and raise profits as a direct result of using the Business Link service.
Season’s warnings
Every year, thousands of people close up their businesses and homes for the Christmas break without fully considering the disasters that could happen in their absence. According to the Fire Statistics Monitor Q3 2008-09, 10% of the 33,000 house fires that occurred in 2008 happened over Christmas – largely due to poor quality Christmas lights and flammable decorations.
Christmas queues keep till from ringing
With Christmas around the corner, retailers are already enjoying ringing tills and an uplift in sales, however recent research has revealed many are concerned that long queues may hinder sales over the next few weeks.
Business owners sacrifice health for work
Small business owners are putting work before their health, according to new research published today. The figures reveal that one in four (26%) small business chiefs have missed, cancelled or put off a health appointment in the last year due to work commitments.
Small businesses get help in pre-budget report
The chancellor is providing more help to small businesses by extending the availability of the enterprise finance guarantee scheme by six months to September 2010. Under the terms of the scheme, introduced in March, the government offers to guarantee 75% of loans to small firms with turnover of £25m or less.
Are you ready for the VAT rate rise?
It is just a year since the Government rushed through, in a matter of days, a reduction in the VAT rate to 15%. We were told that this would stimulate the economy – whether it did or not is one for the political commentators – but the thirteen month temporary reduction is now almost at an end and we must prepare ourselves for a return to 17.5% VAT on 1 January 2010.
Smarta launches new and much improved website
After digesting months of feedback and suggestions, Smarta, the free online business resource has launched a new, easier to use, and a more functional website. From the feedback Smarta learnt that there are three things users wanted from the site: Advice, Networking and Tools.
Is your business one of Britain’s top 100?
Smarta.com, a free online business resource for small business owners, has joined forces with TV Dragon Deborah Meaden and Bebo Founder Michael Birch in a nationwide search for the UK’s smartest businesses.
Top five tips for creating a security aware business
With 65 percent of small businesses surveyed believe that Internet security is critical to their business, only 28 percent have formal Internet security policies. As organizations combat an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape and feel potential impacts to IT staffing reductions due to the economic environment, employees remain the strongest defense in protecting an organization’s information.
Staff say they “deserve” Christmas parties after the last 12 months
Employees around the country really want to let loose this holiday season following the economic difficulties of the last 18 months – but nearly one in three won’t have the opportunity, as many smaller businesses plan to forgo the annual Christmas party this year.
Pre-Budget Report: Darling could drive out UK business
Business groups including the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) have sounded a warning amid mounting expectations that Alistair Darling is contemplating a new 60pc to 70pc tax rate for those earning more than £500,000, as well as a windfall tax on banking bonuses.
