We've been reviewing the pitches on Dragon's Den since Series 11, and our commentary is almost as old as our acquirement of this website itself. However, recapping successful (or disastrously terrible) pitches as an aspiring business owner is useful and timeless information – which could potentially help you find things you want to write in your business plan or how you want to pitch to venture capitalists or angel investors. So without further ado, and for your convenience, we have included the series highlights from all seasons of Dragons Den here! Jump to: Season 14 Season 13 Season 12 S ..read more

Day one of most business schools will start with ‘customers are at the heart of everything’. Even if you don’t have an MBA, however, this should be common sense. Without people buying your products, you have no financial lifeline, no reach, and –you guessed it – no business. Meeting customer needs can be the make or break of your entrepreneurial success. If there’s a disconnect between what customers want and what you’re offering, it’s likely they will take their business elsewhere. Therefore, to avoid an ugly situation where you’re left empty handed , we give you a crash course on t custome ..read more

Talent shortages in the UK, exacerbated by the Great Resignation, are causing more hiring managers to hire ex-cons to fill hiring slots, according to new research. In a survey of over 1,000 business owners by facilities management company Sodexo, almost two thirds of UK employers say they will hire ex-offenders in the year ahead. Sodexo’s results show that 43% of UK businesses are currently struggling to fill in excess of ten vacancies. Worryingly, 16% of hospitality businesses said they were struggling to fill as many as 31-40 positions. The skills gap seems to be a major driving factor behi ..read more

Welcome to Startups’ Weekly Round Up, where we bring you the latest headlines affecting UK SMEs. The highlights this week: SMEs react to the Spring Statement Packfleet and Legislate announce big wins and collaborations Is the tech sector facing a brain drain? Job seeker confidence is (surprisingly) high In this page Some Stats to Start Up your week 11 Downing Street and the UK economy: what should startups know? Startups 100 Triumphs Spring Statement – What did SMEs think? Some Stats to Start Up your week 1 in 6 SMEs in the UK have £1,000 or less saved up to help them stay afloat du ..read more

When it comes to creating your marketing strategy, it’s difficult to understand where your audience should stop and end. There’s so many fish to catch in what is an endless sea of customers. That’s where target marketing comes into play. By aiming at the right areas of the market – whether millennials or mothers – you can promote your business in a more efficient way, maximising the chances that your customers will convert. In this article, we’ll give you a rundown of how to find your target market, how to do target marketing successfully, and some examples of target marketing triumphs. At t ..read more

The majority of Generation Z are choosing to shun traditional 9-5 employment in favour of flexible working hours, new research shows. 71% of 16-25 year olds said they are planning to, or already do, work as a freelancer, in a survey conducted by Fiverr, with 36% stating that their ultimate career goal is to be their own boss. Out of 2,000 Gen Z respondents from the UK, 35% said that they believed that freelancing will increase their income. 67% also said that they considered freelancing a successful and fulfilling career. More people switching from employee to self-employed provides a decent ..read more

Business names are important. Bad ones can kill a company before it's even got off the ground, by making it impossible to define who your brand is, and how you stick out from the competition. Like expectant parents, most entrepreneurs will already have a name picked out for their bundle of joy. But companies need to be careful not to fall in love with a title that might give off the wrong first impression to customers or investors. More than just a wacky, memorable moniker, a business name needs to be an accurate reflection of how your firm is meeting consumer needs, today and in future. Bec ..read more

Employee theft has increased by 19% in just one year, as the rising cost of living triggers a wave of workplace crime. Freedom of information data obtained by Zurich, an insurance provider, has revealed that almost 6,000 workers were caught stealing from their employer in 2022, up from 5,000 the year before. This amounts to nearly 500 incidents every month. While most employers might not lose any sleep over petty pilfering of office supplies, Zurich reports it has also seen an increase in the number of data thefts and embezzlement of company funds. According to Zurich, firms affected by comme ..read more

Today's budget announcement by chancellor Jeremy Hunt has drawn mixed reactions from among the UK's startup and small business community. Some policies have received a welcome reception, including the announcement of 12 entrepreneurial ‘investment zones'; the extension of emergency support for high energy bills; the ‘full expensing' announcement, and a pro-parent childcare support policy that initially, at least, sounded like a godsend for parents and their employers. However, plenty in the startup sector have responded with reservation to the list of policies, wary of the tangible impact the ..read more

Nobody wants to live in a country where the government in power cheers the forecast that we’re not entering a technical recession. But that’s where we are. To be fair, compared to the previous Government’s “disastrous” mini-Budget, startups will be encouraged by Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget. As is always the case, business owners of different sizes will be impacted differently, with this Government retaining its focus on high-tech, research-intensive startups and scaleups. Just consider R&D tax credits. As previously announced, R&D Tax Credits are being scaled back significantly, causi ..read more