There’s always been something rather bittersweet about the back-to-school season. On one hand, it marks when the mornings start to feel a little more crisp, the return to the grind after that last bank holiday until Christmas. On the other, there’s a sense of hopeful optimism – a chance for new beginnings and an opportunity to return to work feeling refreshed.

As the 2021 festive season fast approaches, many small businesses will be turning their heads towards planning, utilising and thriving during the Christmas period. 

After more than a year apart, many businesses are now making plans to welcome their employees back into the workplace again. Remote working has been a test for companies during lockdown; while some have thrived and experienced growth, others have suffered under the pressure to quickly adapt. 

No matter how hard you work or how much you grind you’re going to need a chunk of cash to get that startup flywheel turning. Generating that initial inertia takes energy and fuel… you’ve brought the energy, but what about the fuel?!

While some countries still refrain from even admitting problems are here, human environmental impact is becoming so obvious that the world’s greatest companies are taking action.

As many move back to the offices, whether full-time or hybrid, there’s a palpable sense that our lives are starting to return to normal. However, a change that must be seen in this ‘new normal’ is more open discussions at work around mental health.

Getting a new business off the ground is an intensive and time-consuming endeavour that will test even the most resilient of us, which is why so many new companies are established without working systems and processes in place.

When you’re growing your startup, your to-do list can be never ending. From developing products and services through to building your team and securing those all-important first customers.

In a nutshell, digital transformation is the process of leveraging digitisation to transform business outcomes. So, what is the difference?

Even with a stand-out business idea, securing the funds to set your plans into motion is one of the biggest hurdles an emerging enterprise will face. Luckily, there are a number of ways in which your startup or SME can gain capital.

According to Creative Wellness Co, the global wellness market is valued at over $4.75 trillion. And if we think about the change in attitudes towards personal wellness over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic,  it’s no surprise that venture funding for retail health and wellness tech startups set a record in the first quarter of 2021, with $4.2bn invested across 153 deals.

How can you shop ethically, but within your means? Sustainable brands and products are on the rise, but they can often cost double what you’d pay for single-use items which are mass-produced or animal-tested. Maddie Booth, Founder of Scrubbee, told us all about her eco-friendly and affordable cosmetic brand.

You may have thought that the return to ‘normality’ would be a good thing for business. With most people now off furlough, some back in the office and others working permanently from home, there are mixed feelings from employees who are now having to adapt to the ‘new normal’. In fact, it has been estimated that over 40% of people globally plan to leave their jobs this year! 

The past few decades have been all about the myriad physical benefits of a healthy diet and regular exercise. We all know about the improvements in our cardiovascular health, not to mention decreased blood pressure and much lesser risks of developing various diseases. 

With the furlough scheme set to come to an end on 30th September, there are widespread fears that business owners still unable to welcome back their pre-pandemic workforces will be forced to make mass redundancies leaving millions more out of work.

Compliance is becoming a complex issue for organisations. As businesses engage in more remote and digital work practices due to COVID-19, governments globally are implementing a growing number of data privacy regulations for organisations to abide by.

Chronic disease is rising rapidly in America and throughout the developed world. Today, according to the CDC a shocking 71.6% of adults are either overweight or obese. Moreover, over the last few decades, rates of hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, insomnia, and multiple other chronic diseases are rising over time. Likewise, medical costs are rising over time year after year and today costs the US a staggering $3.8 trillion (or about 18% of GDP) per year.

Working at home and struggling to maintain productivity? For the majority of Brits currently working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for those looking to do more home working in the future, Workthere, has shared 10 tips on how you can create an office space that leads to maximum productivity.

Have you ever thought of setting up your own business? Have you already done so? What made you want to do this? In truth, the answers are very different for each of us but, looking at government statistics and Companies House records, more and more people are choosing this route; especially since the turmoil in the last few years caused by the pandemic.

Some of the most exciting startups today are those that we might regard as future-gazers. But consumer habits have changed and we are increasingly sceptical today of businesses and services that offer solutions by creating a demand that was never actually there.

The pandemic has led to an increase in flexible working and, as restrictions continue to lift and employees return to the office, employers are anticipating an influx of requests around working remotely and flexibly.

Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Automotive, was instrumental in the creation of the 9-5 model in the early 1900’s. Following the passing of the eight-hour workday in Illinois in 1867, Ford was one of the first (or at least most well-known) business people to implement this change within his own company.

Welcoming an apprenticeship is a great move – both for the apprentice and your business. Research shows that 78% of employers find apprentices help to improve workforce productivity.

One of the most documented impacts of the coronavirus pandemic has been the acceleration of e-commerce, with many online businesses enjoying insatiable demand over the last 18 months. However, as pandemic restrictions are lifted, the sector is headed for much more volatile trading conditions.

By Thomas Makey, Investment Director at Gresham House Ventures

While some startups and tech firms were early adopters of remote work, it wasn’t until early 2020 that most of society fully understood the concept. Working from home might have entered the scene out of necessity due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but there’s no doubt that the trend, in one iteration or another, is here to stay.

Welcome to a new series of articles for Startups Magazine. Over the next few months I would like to invite you to accompany me on a journey; a journey that many readers will already have started and many others will be contemplating. For those that have already started the journey then I hope that they will still find some of my words useful, and for those yet to start then I trust that this series will make navigation so much easier.

Perhaps the pandemic made you reassess your working life, or maybe you’ve always planned to start your own business and are ready and raring to go. Either way, if you’ve decided to go it alone, you’ll need to be prepared for the multiple challenges – and rewards – being a business owner will bring.

Freelancing has been a popular source of income for people who like to be their own 'boss' for a long time now. However, when the pandemic came along at the end of 2019, this popularity touched new heights, mainly because full-time workers weren’t able to get to their offices.

At a time when many people around the UK are making career changes and starting new enterprises, aspiring business owners will be looking for the right business loan to get their companies off the ground. Choosing the right loan partner is an important decision, and it’s crucial that people know what to look for before they commit. The important thing to remember is, it’s about much more than just the money.

As a generation of digital natives, Tim Berners-Lee’s creation has become an intrinsic part of our lives today and as such, we tend to take most changes to the internet in our stride. That said, the internet as we know it is evolving at a rapid pace from its earlier inception, Web 2.0, with the latest developments making way for a whole new browsing experience.

The backlash against the recent decision by OnlyFans to ban content depicting 'sexually explicit conduct' from its platform - and its subsequent U-turn in the face of that backlash - can serve as an important lesson for startups in how (and how not) to communicate news around big business decisions that might impact their customer base. 

The modern companies that are looking to get maximum returns on investment have to concentrate on developing human capital difference by using effective training and development programs for their staff to improve their productivity. The workforce of an organisation is a valuable asset for any company.

Starting a business is a huge commitment. As a brand-new startup founder, it can be difficult to prioritise your health and wellness when you’re trying to build your client base, create and submit invoices, manage team members, and ensure everything runs smoothly. It can feel like a lot of pressure on your shoulders.

Spearheading operations from home has been the norm for many business owners as of late. Initially, it might have seemed like an impossible challenge. Without your staff around you, communication is slowed down, productivity lessens and everything is altogether more difficult. Yes, we’ve all learned how to adapt our approach over the course of numerous lockdowns but that doesn’t mean it has been easy.

In this article, Startups Magazine, speaks to Adam Smith, Managing Director of Rawnet, a digital agency based in Ascot Berkshire, that defines, designs and delivers products and services that help its clients achieve their business goals to become an industry leader.

The impact of COVID-19 has seen many organisations asking their employees to work part of their time at the workplace and part remotely, as hybrid working becomes the norm for many of us.

For the self-employed, ‘back to the office’ isn’t quite the same as for those in ‘staff jobs’ – here’s how to manage the feelings and keep connected and connecting.

It all started when I travelled for the first time to be a waitress in Italy. I was 18 years old, travelling for the first time without even knowing what to do or expect.

After rounds of interviews and many applicants, you’ve now found your star candidate and you’re ready to hit the ground running. Onboarding a new graduate should be handled a little bit differently to those who have years of experience. You want to make them feel comfortable and not overwhelm them on the very first day.

As control over the pandemic increases, businesses and their customers balance optimism with curiosity about just what 'normal' will look like going forward. If you’re a startup, taking critical next steps may involve reassessing your marketing strategy. After all, it is indeed a changed world. It only makes sense that your marketing plan could use some adjusting.

Digital transformation has been pushed into hyperspeed, moving from a buzzword, to being business critical virtually overnight. From financial services right through to retail and education, the sheer pace of change has created challenges for almost every sector in the hybrid world we find ourselves in.

There are strong indications that many proprietors are seeking to diversify in the post-pandemic world, whilst others are looking to take advantage of the increased interest from overseas investors following the UK’s departure from the EU.

Over the past year, the coronavirus outbreak left many workers confined to their homes. While this presented several challenges, it also allowed people to enjoy their creature comforts. From regular (perhaps too regular) trips to the fridge, to watching TV or playing video games on lunch breaks. The UK workforce has certainly become accustomed to a more convivial working environment. The question for many businesses, is how does this translate into work-place expectations when so many are now flocking back to offices? Love Energy Savings wanted to find out.

With banks paying just 0.05% on business savings, SMEs have the opportunity to earn much higher returns by investing their surplus cash in the stock market, says Andrey Dobrynin, Managing Director at InvestEngine.

Managing your finances is the most important task to understand as a new business owner, but if you’ve never needed to keep accounts before it can seem like a daunting task. However, by following a few simple steps, you can ensure your accounts are precise and your finances are aligned with your operational goals.

The office is still a vital component of the world of work in 2021, especially for small and medium sized businesses which are leading the way in the return to the workplace. Latest figures from property agent Cushman & Wakefield shows that office lettings are at the highest level since lockdown started, and our own occupancy rates at WorkPad concur with this.

Your startup has entered the market, and you are wondering what to focus on first. When starting any business you must go through certain stages, so startups focus first on product development, then on building a customer base and establishing a positive cash flow.

The way in which consumers are searching for products online has changed. In recent times, there has been a significant increase in question-based searches from consumers looking for quick solutions to their needs, overtaking direct searches for brand names. It’s clear the consumer environment is evolving, so what can be done to ensure existing and emerging businesses can keep up?

It’s a myth that investors expect founders to not pay themselves a salary. Anthony Rose, CEO and Co-founder of SeedLegals, explains why.

Today’s smart cities are transforming the way we live, work and play. But far from being just a 21st-century gimmick, there are significant, even life-changing, advantages to the implementation of smart technology in cities around the world. 

What a year for venture investing. Crunchbase recently released figures that show venture funding soared to a total of $288bn for the first half of 2021. This represents an all-time record high and four times the level of VC spending four years ago! With all this money raised, it seems natural that venture funding would be the first port of call for startup founders. However, that view is based on several myths. Sometimes venture capital is simply not the right fit for many businesses. And I say that as a venture investor myself.

According to the NHS, a carer is anyone who looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support. The care they provide is unpaid. Staggeringly, 13.6 million people in the UK have unpaid caring responsibilities, most of whom also work.

The economic landscape of the past eighteen months has been interesting to observe, to say the least. While many organisations have been able to carve out a new niche under pandemic conditions; indeed, some have even flourished, a vast swathe of enterprises have been unable to translate their operations to a radically altered business landscape, and have fallen by the wayside.

COVID-19 introduced new changes and accelerated already existing ones in the ways we work and interact with one another within our organisations. As we adjust to the new ways of working and work at breakneck speed to return back to normality, Roxana Mohammadian-Molina, Chief Strategy Officer at FinTech company Blend Network, argues that it is more important than ever for businesses and their leaders to champion inclusive growth.   

Businesses today are expected to take sustainability seriously. This is certainly an ethical responsibility at a time in which society is running headlong into the irreversible effects of climate change. It is also demanded by consumers across generations.

When it comes to holistic living, doctors, psychologists, and life coaches have a lot to say. It’s not really the place of business founders to be handing out lessons, after all, they’re known for being work-obsessed and putting in long hours. But, they do know a thing or two about what it's like starting and growing a business, 

Since Google rolled out its core web vitals update in June 2021, there have been visible ranking changes for many websites. Numerous reputable websites that had previously had top rankings for their targeted keywords saw a decrease in ranking, on the other hand, smaller websites experienced an increase in how Google ranked them in June and July 2021.

As a provider of data cleaning services to businesses large and small, REaD Group is always keen to find out what the needs of our clients are. As such we conducted a survey into SMEs to look at what they knew about GDPR, how they hold and manage their customer data and what they do to keep it clean and up to date.

We’re currently in the midst of what many are calling a 'startup boom'. More than 4.4 million new businesses have been created in the US since last March, according to the Census Bureau - the highest amount ever seen since records began in 2004. 

When running a new brand, your time is extremely limited. You need to make inroads in a market that’s already dominated by big brands, and your resources are far more stretched compared to the existing competition.

A study shows that 90% of ecommerce stores shut down within 120 days of their launch. While running an estore is a lucrative business, you cannot underestimate the risks associated with it.

As many companies across the UK finally start returning to office life with cautious optimism, workplace inclusivity should remain one of the most important goals for any organisation.

The last 18 months have been tough for everyone. We have witnessed limitations on all aspects of our everyday lives and experienced things that we never imagined could be possible. But for entrepreneurs, the unprecedented challenges that unfolded following the start of the pandemic have resulted in the unfortunate failure of many businesses and irreversible damage to industries worldwide.

You’ve got the idea, the business plan, the tech and - some of - the funding. You’re working on your product, iterating features, fine tuning the customer service, revolutionising a sector’s status quo. And you’re moving fast, because of your ecosystem’s need for speed. For most tech startups, those are the pillars they build a business on. But what’s the value of these if no one is paying attention? And if what your offer is so complex and new that people don’t understand it?

At last, Freedom Day is here. We’ve long waited for government restrictions to ease, yet what this will look like within an office environment is still all very new. Companies everywhere are having to make new decisions that will impact the daily lives of their employees.

Chances are, you have probably had some sort of engagement with a chatbot in the past. These technologies are used by an array of organisations, usually in an attempt to create a much more efficient customer experience, and in many circumstances, cut costs along the way. However, these solutions are not always up to the task.

Environmental policies and working towards sustainable practices has been a hot topic among businesses across sectors and, crucially, across scales. While larger established enterprises are naturally responsible for a larger share of the productive overhauls required to attain Britain’s environmental targets, startups and SMEs are also increasingly outlining their commitment to sustainability.

As a business owner, burnout can seem a distant reality or something out of a fairy tale. I have once thought: "How can my life, which I have chosen and is filled with me living and breathing my passion, ever cause me anything but harm?"

The pandemic has provided a clear illustration that the link between money and our mental health is just as strong as we think. 

Have you got a game-changing idea that could change the way people work and live? Would you like to launch a website or app that would help a greater number of people access your services? You are aware of the possibilities of developing a digital product, but how do you get started?

The impact of COVID-19 has brought many changes to the world of business and innovation. In this continually evolving process, the current paradigm is being challenged in almost all areas across the board, from hybrid work practices to a focus on up-skilling and bringing wellbeing centre stage.

Remote work has transformed all aspects of our professional lives, and this includes interviewing and recruitment. Video conferencing has enabled businesses and applicants to carry out an interview process in a fairly similar way to in-person interviews, but there is much that businesses need to consider and look out for when recruiting and interviewing for remote positions - the typical interview questions no longer cut it.

2020 saw an uptick of newly registered businesses, with almost half a million (468,371) being registered in the UK, with the most popular startup being in the retail sector. In 2020, there were six million private sector businesses in the UK, up by 112,700 compared to 2019.

As society reopens and businesses adapt to post-pandemic life, now is the ideal time for growing businesses to consider not only how their audiences may have changed but also the best ways to engage with them. Some of the most exciting changes have occurred in the way events are delivered, and we believe there are four key steps that businesses should take to establish and host impactful post-pandemic event programmes. By following these steps, your events will deliver and exceed their objectives, and help achieve wider business objectives too.

With less than three months to go till COP26, the UK, in particular, has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a global hub for sustainability, a world leader in green technology and investment, and a place where all tech businesses join forces to tackle one of the greatest issues of our time.

When restrictions on travel and working together took hold on the world, it forced events and campaigns (which are essential to marketing) to frantically be reshuffled and moved online where possible. Sales strategies and marketing plans had to be reorganised to adapt to the new normal of the marketing world.

The pandemic triggered a serious economic shock, giving rise to great uncertainty. CEOs, CFOs, investors and shareholders have had to restructure their financial plan to get to the next stage of growth and recover sales. Moreover, in every company there comes a time when a change is required. This is where we welcome the interim CFO, or in other terms, the prototype of a modern day CFO.

On 11th March, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) to provide much-needed economic relief to the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of the bill focuses on the revitalisation of businesses as a whole, as the health crisis had many negative impacts on the economy and typical operations.

Much of my work is focused around helping women to achieve their highest vision for themselves both personally and professionally. So many women, including those conceiving, founding and running their own businesses, have a strong sense of ambition and a vision but when it comes to actioning change or ‘up levelling’ they become overwhelmed and frozen in knowing where to start.

In fast-growing companies, Internal Communication (IC) can often be left on the sideline. Reasons for this could include: limited resources, no one taking charge of it, or simply that it’s not perceived as being as urgent as more strategic tasks. 

Wide-scale disruption has been the one constant of the last 18 months, no more so than in UK businesses and industry. But if we are to 'build back better', then there needs to be a flexible funding infrastructure in place to support pandemic recovery.

This Saturday (21st August) is World Entrepreneurs’ Day – a time for us to celebrate entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership across the globe. It’s also an opportunity to put youth entrepreneurship centre stage.

Author: Sam Smith, CEO of finnCap

Entrepreneurial business leaders looking for new technologies to help their SMEs to grow and thrive now have a powerful new tool at their fingertips, with the launch of the fully-funded Technology Adoption Service.  

Data privacy is a major issue and that’s only going to increase in importance globally. Companies that take a well thought out approach to market expansion will most certainly want to consider the privacy regulation of each new country they enter. This is because the risk of noncompliance can have substantial consequences. The fine for a violation of GDPR can be up to 4% of annual revenue.

As a digital marketeer, data is king and the cost of ineffective data can be detrimental not only to the success of your campaigns. Still, it could also alienate or deter your audiences. Having incomplete, ineffective, or redundant data can lead you to making bad marketing decisions, causing business-altering mistakes.

The coronavirus pandemic has led companies to explore new options and working methods. In fact, many companies have adopted remote working on an absolutely massive scale. While senior management initially varied on this bold new way of doing things, but so far, the results have been pretty positive, to say the least. This is because a hybrid work model basically streamlines many, if not most working processes. It does this by the simple expedient of blending remote and semi-remote employees with their office-based counterparts.

As our calendars become populated with the resurgence of corporate events post-lockdown, many event managers will want to strike the right balance between in person and online. 

Educational institutions worldwide are leveraging technology provide to learners with better educational resources. Students are no longer dependent on a single teacher or instructor's knowledge to learn their subject. They have access to a world of information at their fingertips.

You’re finally ready to take the plunge and start your own business. You have great ideas for your startup, but you’re slightly nervous about the risks you’re about to take, and you’re wondering if the dedication and hard work that goes into self-employment are worth it.

Did you know it takes less than 0.1 seconds for people to form a judgment of a face they are shown in a picture? It’s no surprise when we consider how much information people need to process in today’s society. However, this creates a problem for organisations.

A lot of people these days start to think about targeting a particular market segment, with a very narrow audience. This isn’t the worst idea in 2021, especially for those willing to launch a startup, it could potentially help your business and bring you more revenue than you expected.

The global eCommerce markets experienced a remarkable boom period over the past 18 months, presenting agile firms with an unprecedented opportunity to secure growth from a retail sector which, even in normal trading conditions, had been on an unstoppable rise for several years.

The mental health of employees should be a concern for all companies, regardless of size. Creating a culture that supports mental health is not only a moral - and often legal - imperative, but also business savvy. The consequences of a workforce with poor mental health are expensive. Proactive, innovative strategies in relation to employee mental health should therefore be part of all company toolkits.

The last year has caused a huge shift in the business landscape, with technology and digital skills being more fundamental than ever for all businesses. Research shows that businesses integrating digital skillsets across the workforce could increase the UK economy by around £92bn.   

Hannah Holland, Managing Director and founder of HLD Management, HLD Models, HLD Studios, Levelled Up: The Podcast, a leading female lead management company, is a strong powerful female entrepreneur. Since its inception in 2019, HLD has quickly grown to become a leader in the female Talent Management industry. We caught up with Hannah to find out more about her, her journey and HLD Management.

Coined by environmental campaigner Jay Westerveld 35 years ago, ‘greenwashing’ refers to activities by businesses that are designed to make them look like they are more environmentally sound than they really are.

Business owners are feeling the pressure to adapt in an ever-changing world. The accelerated pace of change required during the global pandemic has highlighted the need for organisations to place digital transformation at the forefront of their strategies. However, putting those plans into action is another story and the difficult truth is that 70% of digital transformation projects fail.

There’s no denying that high-profile influencer marketing, when executed well, can drive a mass of traffic and word of mouth hype. But now thanks to ASA laws, influencers now have to be transparent when working with brands on these campaigns, which can leave customers feeling unsure as to whether an influencer is being authentic. As a result, a brand's reputation can take a massive hit. 

It’s safe to say we've all had more time on our hands during the last 16 months or so. A trio of lockdowns have given us the chance to pause and reflect on what really matters. And, while it’s been a difficult year, important conversations have been sparked leading to the beginnings of some positive change.