Despite a challenging backdrop, UK SMEs are still optimistic about the future of their businesses, with nearly three-quarters forecasting growth in the coming year. That’s according to American Express’ latest research  which highlights a resilience among these businesses, and sheds light on how small and medium-sized enterprises are navigating rising costs and evolving customer expectations to map a path to success.

With 2025 just around the corner, AI continues to redefine industries, unlocking new opportunities for efficiency, growth, and value creation. Tools such as ChatGPT have received unprecedented attention yet represent only a small part of the transformational value that AI can offer to businesses. Companies seeking to heighten their value – be it in attracting investors, underpinning growth, or laying a foundation in advance would do well to investigate the use of AI outside generative text tools.

When generative AI exploded into the public consciousness two years ago, business leaders were understandably keen to be at the vanguard of the revolution and unlock its potential.

I’m not sure when the idea of Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) first started circulating around the B2B world but it’s relatively recently (cue someone mailing me with evidence of them first in use in 1973…). Personally, I’ve been using the idea consciously for the last four years or so.

The rational achiever brain has an interesting history. And while these terms, “rational” and “achiever” may seem to address what we need in business, in fact, this kind of brain is only an early steppingstone on the path to capable leadership.

No one ever said launching a startup was easy. As such, founders want to employ the best professionals to spearhead various functions as companies get their footing. However, some roles are more essential than others. These are 10 positions they should hire for first.

Sustainability in the electronics industry has become of paramount concern in recent years due to the sector's significant overall environmental footprint and the growing awareness of the need for responsible business practices.

Cubo is a provider of bespoke flex offices and co-working spaces, boasting 12 sites across the UK, including Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

What do you think of when it comes to entrepreneurship? For many, thoughts of an individual building something entirely new – a disruptive product or new innovative business – comes to mind.

As Apple unveils its new Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy, “Apple Intelligence”, businesses across various sectors will be anticipating its potential impact. At Slalom we have seen that 84% of UK businesses are already using AI but the majority are in the exploratory stage of implementation, with only 6% having a robust AI strategy. Is Apple’s new offering set to change that?

The power that comes with being in charge can be a wonderful thing. It enables us to make decisions, direct activity and have an impact across a broader scale. But it isn’t just an enabler, because it also changes the people who wield it. Sometimes for the better, but all too often in subtle, hidden ways that make the job of being a leader much more difficult.

The global shift towards cleaner energy is not just an environmental imperative – it's one of the most lucrative opportunities of our time. As we transition from fossil fuels to sustainable solutions, founders who position themselves in the energy transition space stand to benefit from an unprecedented influx of capital.

The project management sector in the UK needs an urgent rethink. SMEs and other companies and organisations across a wide range of industries are experiencing high failure rates in critical initiatives. Over three decades of experience in digital and business transformation, I've witnessed up close how inadequate project-management practices lead to substantial waste of resources and organisational risk.

AI is changing many fields with its fast progress, and governments around the world are facing the difficult challenge of creating good policy governance frameworks that can leverage the advantages of AI while reducing any negative impacts.

Today, when the entrepreneurs of early-stage ventures find themselves very busy with operational tasks, they have little time to focus on expanding their networks and focusing on personal development. Sometimes, they can even simply neglect the value of being in a community and consider it as a waste of time.

The work we do makes a difference. It creates transformations. It brings about change. This is why people come to us: they have a problem they need to solve, a barrier they need to overcome, or a question they need answering.

Brain expert Natalie Mackenzie helps business owners understand their brains better. Here she shares why understanding your cognitive health, and improving it, is key to being the founder of a successful startup.

In a world where disruption and innovation are worn as badges of honour, the term 'thinking outside the box' is meant to be something we all strive for as a personal attribute, and feel less adequate if we’re not one of those out of the box thinkers.

The Digital Operational Resilience Act, commonly known as DORA, is scheduled to come into force on 17 January 2025. It aims to both harmonise EU Information and Communication Technology (ICT) regulation across EU member states and, more importantly, address a critical gap in how financial institutions manage ICT operational resiliency risks.

In this article, Benjamin Berényi, CEO and co-founder of PastPay, discusses the rapid rise of B2B Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) across Europe and explains why this expanding sector has the potential to rival – or even surpass – the impact of its more established B2C counterpart.