Start Your Own Business: Recent Episodes
Start Up Donut
Start Up Donut is the UK’s leading online source of free news, know-how and offers for people who are starting their own business. Following the hugely popular launch series comes this second eight-part series of Start Your Own Business.
With each episode dedicated to a specific topic, some of the UK leading small-business experts give you their top tips on meeting a variety of essential start-up challenges, including attracting customers online and offline, selling face to face, what business expenses sole traders can claim, recruiting and managing staff for the first time and how to manage stress.
You can also learn how to sell via your own website to customers in the UK and overseas and make sure your new business is sustainable and carbon neutral from the best experts of all – those who actually own small businesses. If you’re starting your own business or seriously considering it, the second series of Start Your Own Business is just as unmissable as the first. It’s brought to you thanks to sponsorship from the Federation of Small Businesses – the UK’s leading membership organisation for start-ups and small businesses.
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax is one of the biggest changes to the UK tax system in recent years – and it’s coming soon. Wondering how this impacts your normal self-assessment obligations? In this final episode of a four-part mini-series on MTD for Income Tax, Helen Wood from TaxAssist Accountants dispels some of the common misconceptions surrounding the MTD requirements for those sole traders and landlords who are impacted.
Helen will clarify that quarterly updates aren’t four mini-tax returns, payments still land on 31st January, and private landlords are included. You’ll need compatible software (HMRC won’t provide a free option), but spreadsheets plus bridging software can still work. Helen also shares practical prep steps – get set up early, lean on training and use webinars. Finally, discover how TaxAssist can smooth your transition with tiered support and recommended software like Xero, QuickBooks, Dext and Hammock.
Thanks to TaxAssist Accountants for sponsoring this mini-series on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. TaxAssist is currently offering listeners the opportunity to register for their free webinar for further advice on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. You’ll get expert guidance on how to digitise your records and meet your obligations, as well as the opportunity to ask any burning questions. Click here to register.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Getting your self-assessment right is about staying on top of the basics – and for many sole traders and landlords, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is now the big one to understand.
Instead of a single annual rush, Making Tax Digital means keeping digital records, using compliant software and sending simple quarterly summaries – so you’ve got a clearer picture of tax due as you go.
In this third episode in a special four-part mini-series on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, Andy Gibbs from TaxAssist Accountants explains who’s in scope, how “qualifying income” is worked out, what quarterly updates include and the end-of-year steps you’ll still need to complete. He also discusses exemptions for digital exclusion, how agents can help, common myths (no, it’s not a full return every three months), and what the new points-based penalties mean if you miss deadlines.
Thanks to TaxAssist Accountants for sponsoring this mini-series on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. TaxAssist is currently offering listeners the opportunity to register for their free webinar for further advice on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. You’ll get expert guidance on how to digitise your records and meet your obligations, as well as the opportunity to ask any burning questions. Click here to register.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
From April 2026, any sole traders or landlords earning a combined income of over £50,000 will need to comply with Making Tax Digital, with phased deadlines for lower income thresholds following in 2027 and 2028.
In this second episode in a special four-part mini-series on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax, Samantha Skyring from TaxAssist Accountants breaks down how to prepare for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. She explains what the new system means for sole traders and landlords and why moving away from paper records sooner rather than later, will save stress.
Samantha highlights how the right HMRC-approved software can make quarterly updates a simple, automated process, while accountants can provide valuable support for those less digitally confident. She also shares how TaxAssist is helping clients transition through training, webinars and flexible service packages. With early preparation, Making Tax Digital doesn’t have to be daunting – it can even make record-keeping easier and more efficient.
Thanks to TaxAssist Accountants for sponsoring this mini-series on MTD for Income Tax. TaxAssist is currently offering listeners the opportunity to register for their free webinar for further advice on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. You’ll get expert guidance on how to digitise your records and meet your obligations, as well as the opportunity to ask any burning questions. Click here to register.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
From April 2026, if you are a sole trader or landlord and earn over £50,000 from self-employment or property, you’ll need to keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC, with the entry point dropping to £30,000 in 2027 and £20,000 in 2028. So, how will things change once Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax has been introduced? How will sole traders and landlords be required to keep financial records, and – crucially – report information so that HMRC can work out how much tax is owed? Will they still need to file self assessment tax returns?
In this first episode in a four-part mini-series on MTD for Income Tax, we speak to chartered certified accountant Jo Nockels FCCA, FMAAT of TaxAssist Accountants, a network of accountants across the UK that delivers accounting and tax services to small-business owners. Here Jo explains how sole traders and landlords will be affected by MTD for income tax changes.
Thanks to TaxAssist Accountants for sponsoring this mini-series on MTD for Income Tax. TaxAssist is currently offering listeners the opportunity to register for their free webinar for further advice on Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. You’ll get expert guidance on how to digitise your records and meet your obligations, as well as the opportunity to ask any burning questions. Click here to register.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Higher living costs, record price increases across the board and wages that haven’t kept pace has led many millions of people in the UK to have their own “side-hustle” in recent years, as a way to supplement their main income.
Side-hustles have become hugely popular. Research carried out by leading accounting software provider Sage in 2024 found that almost half (47%) of UK adults had a side-hustle and among the under-34s, 90% planned to turn their side-hustle into a full-time business. More than two-thirds of 16-34 years olds were running multiple side-hustles, earning an extra £546 per month on average.
Coping with the demands of a full-time (or even part-time job) and family commitments can be challenging enough, without running a side-hustle, when there can be many additional tasks to take care of. So, how is it done?
In this episode, we speak to Sam Feller of Popcorn Shed, a highly successful popcorn brand he founded with his cousin Laura Jackson in 2015. For 18 months, while developing their brand and business idea, Sam and Laura held down demanding full-time jobs in London, running Popcorn Shed as a home-based side-hustle. So, what was their recipe for success?
Thanks to Sage for sponsoring this episode. Sage is currently offering listeners 50% off Sage Accounting for three months. Visit this link to claim your offer.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
AI – artificial intelligence – is increasingly becoming part of everyday life. Its rise to prominence has become much more rapid in recent years, with resistance to its progress seemingly futile. Although some concerns have been raised over the implications of AI, it’s already being used widely, providing significant benefits to users, many small-business owners among them. Potentially, AI can provide significant effort, time and cost savings to new and established small businesses, enabling you to be more efficient, successful and profitable.
In this episode, we speak to AI expert Phil Hobden of Sage. Phil shares his considerable insight into the fascinating world of AI and offers tips on how AI can be used to save effort, time and money when you’re starting or running your own small business.
Thanks to Sage for sponsoring this episode. Sage is currently offering listeners 50% off Sage Accounting for three months. Visit this link to claim your offer.
In a hurry? Here's some highlights:
- 02:13 Understanding artificial intelligence (AI)
- 03:37 AI vs automation
- 11:13 The importance of quality data when using AI
- 13:14 Practical benefits of AI for small businesses
- 31:45 How to use AI to start your business
- 51:11 Top tips for using AI in your business
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
It’s the stuff of entrepreneurial dreams. To come up with a pioneering product idea, develop a prototype, create a hugely appealing brand and start a highly successful business that you grow and sell for a huge amount of money. That’s exactly what Rob Law MBE did. Coming from a product design background, he founded Trunki in 2006. Trunki is the much-loved ride-on suitcase for children, which come in various designs.
Rob built up his Bristol-based business over 17 years, selling millions of Trunki suitcases, exporting to more than 100 countries, while providing jobs for 80 people. Rob exited Trunki in 2023, selling the business for a reported £12m. In this fascinating episode, Rob talks about how he started, scaled and sold his phenomenally successful business, proving the Dragons very wrong in the process.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
If you really want to grow your business at a faster pace or achieve significant growth, more than likely, unless you’re rich or your business is super profitable, you’ll need to attract external funding or finance. There are many options, but one of the most common is attracting investment from a wealthy investor or group of them. Find the right investor, and not only do you gain from their wealth by getting the funding you need, but you may also be able to benefit from their experience, knowledge and contacts. But, how do you and your business get ready for investment, where do you find suitable investors, what would attract them to your business and how can you ensure that the relationship works well?
In this episode, Martin Sokk, CEO and founder of low-fee investing app Lightyear, offers tips on how to attract and work with suitable investors. He also provides tips on how you can avoid common mistakes when it comes to attracting an investor.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
You might be really skillful, knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to your trade or profession. Maybe you’re a brilliant salesperson. However, if you’re new to running your own business, you might not know much about how to manage your finances as a start-up. Unless you come from a financial background – why would you? But if your new business is to survive and grow, you should know a few basics about managing your finances as a start up. It could make a big difference. It could even prevent you from making simple mistakes that cause you big problems.
In this episode, we speak to chartered accountant Kate Gloudemans, experienced financial director and founder of accountancy firm Sprout. She offers essential tips on how to manage your finances as a start-up.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
There are many things you need to do to succeed in business, but one of the most important is to stand out. It’s essential if you operate in a crowded, competitive market, as most businesses do. If your business fails to stand out, because your brand, products and services haven’t been differentiated, you’ll just blend into the background and fewer people will know you exist, let alone buy from you. Instead, they’ll buy from one of your competitors, because they believe there’s a very good reason for doing so.
So, how exactly do you make your business stand out in a competitive market? In this episode, on hand to answer this vital question is Dr Chris Endersby, co-founder of London-based brand agency Firestarter. He shares his considerable insight and tips on how to set yourself apart when you operate in a crowded market.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
What if your business is earning a cash surplus every month? What would you do? Many small-business owners don’t do anything. They leave it in their current account to earn little or no interest. Some do nothing because they’re kept very busy with many other things. Others don’t do anything because they don’t realise they have other options.
As a small-business owner, you can invest cash and potentially receive far higher returns, which can make you and your business wealthier. UK CEO of low-fee investing platform Lightyear, Wander Rutgers, explains how you might be able to get far better returns by investing cash generated by your small business.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Globally, LinkedIn has a staggering 900 million-plus users. You might well be one of them. In the UK, LinkedIn is estimated to have more than 35 million users, a mix of individuals, organisations and businesses of all sizes. They use the site to raise their profile, network and find new customers. So, how do you connect to the right people on LinkedIn to raise your profile, attract new contacts and customers and – crucially – make more sales and grow your business? What are the pros and cons of using LinkedIn when compared to other options? And what are the classic mistakes you need to avoid when using LinkedIn to try to grow your business?
Answering these and other key questions is Gus Bhandal, founder of LinkedIn-first digital and social media marketing agency, The M Guru. Gus shares his insight and tips on how to use LinkedIn to grow your small business.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Staying on top of your cash flow is essential. Running out of cash can be fatal. This simple cash flow forecast will help you keep on top of your finances.
Download this free cash flow forecast template and watch the intro video featuring Darren Fell of Crunch Accounting and Fiona Prior, host of the Start Your Own Business podcast, for tips and advice on how to make the most of this cash flow forecast template.
When a business fails it’s normally because it has run out of cash and can’t pay its bills on demand. This can happen to successful businesses, with attractive products and services, healthy sales and profit margins. Ensuring that your cash flow remains healthy needs to be a key priority for your business. That means not only not spending more than you can afford, but also, if you allow your customers a certain amount of time to pay, ensuring that they pay you on time.
Cash flow forecasts can enable your business to avoid cash flow problems, but how do you create them and how do you set budgets that help you to manage your costs in the first place? In this episode, we speak to serial entrepreneur Darren Fell, founder and CEO of Crunch Accounting. Darren offers practical tips on how to create cash flow forecasts and set budgets.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
In an age where many businesses use digital marketing techniques, others use old-school tactics such as cold-calling. Cold calling is telemarketing, a direct marketing method involving phoning potential customers they’ve never met or spoken to previously.
Cold-calling isn’t for the thin-skinned, because even if your opening gambit is polite, friendly, professional and concise, you can soon be met with a firm “not interested, thanks”, before the phone gets put down. And cold-calling often requires having to charm your way through a 'gate-keeper' before you get put through to the person you actually need to speak to.
But the fact remains: cold-calling can be an extremely effective way of generating new leads and sales. So, what’s the key to success when you’re cold-calling? How do you make a good first impression and buy yourself a few more valuable seconds? What should you say and how should you say it? Realistically, what should your aims be when you’re cold-calling?
Here to answer these and other key questions is small-business marketing specialist, Tracy Heatley. Based on many years of practical experience, Tracy shares her insight on how to achieve better results when cold-calling potential new customers.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of investment platform, Lightyear.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
It’s often said that a business’s most valuable asset is its people – and that includes you. Your team’s talent, knowledge, hard work and commitment will be what enables your business to succeed. But to make the most of your team, getting the necessary training is essential. And that’s an ongoing challenge, of course. New talent must also be brought onboard, too, and trained to the necessary standard.
Natalie Cahill, CEO of work-based training provider, Fareport, explains how to use funded training and upskilling to ensure the success of your business now and into the future.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Fareport Training. Fareport is a trusted provider of apprenticeships, skills bootcamps and higher technical qualifications in areas like leadership and management, human resources, digital marketing, data analysis and project management. They make learning flexible, practical, and tailored to real-world needs. Find out how Fareport can help you unlock new opportunities and future proof your business.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
If you’ve shopped at John Lewis, Selfridges, Oliver Bonas or a large number of smaller independent retailers in the UK, you may well have seen The Bottled Baking Co products. They’re available in a wide range of mouth watering flavours and varieties. The company sells ready-measured baking mixes that contain all of the dry ingredients you need to bake delicious cookies, cakes, brownies, tray bakes and more, all conveniently within a lovely glass bottle. The Bottled Baking Co has even collaborated with M&S to create bottles containing Percy Pig and Colin the Caterpillar sweets as part of their brownie ingredients.
In this new Start-Up Story, Leeds-based The Bottled Baking Co founder Greg Fraser looks back to the key challenges he overcame before launching his business in 2016, while explaining where his fantastic business idea came from and how he turned it into a successful business. So, what are the key ingredients when you want to start and run a successful and innovative food business?
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
When you start your own business, you must minimise your start-up costs, because then your business starts to make a profit much sooner. If you have to shell out for stock, it increases your start-up costs considerably. And you tie up money you could have used to run your business, while there’s also a risk that you’ll be left with stock you can’t shift.
For many small businesses, print on demand provides the perfect solution. If you sell printed items such as greetings cards, wall art/posters, T-shirts, mugs, water bottles or a wide range of other items, print on demand enables you to get the exact amount of products you need after you’ve made a sale, which is far better for your cash flow. And you can trial new products without having to shell out big sums of money.
In this new Start-up Story, Ruth Sparkes of poster/wall art brand Nordhuset explains how she started her own business and she shares her key start-up tips. She also explains what role the global pandemic played in her Nordhuset start-up story and how your business can get the very best out of print on demand.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Gelato who enable you to create and sell high-quality, custom products and merchandise for your ecommerce business with their print-on-demand services. Sign up to Gelato for free today and get 50% off your first order (within 48 hours of signing up).
Show notes can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Confidence is said to be everything. That’s not strictly true, because other things in life and business are also important. But, confidence can help you to overcome challenges, build relationships, take risks, deal with setbacks but ultimately achieve great things. You need to have confidence in yourself and your business. So, why might that not be the case? What impact can a lack of confidence have on you and your bottom line? Crucially, what can you do to build up your confidence in yourself and your business and what’s the best way to communicate that confidence to your customers?
In this fascinating episode, which contains lots of practical advice, these and other key questions are answered by Debbie Green, founder of award-winning Wishfish Coaching & Development and co-host of the Secrets From a Coach podcast.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of PPL PRS. TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS provides a streamlined music licensing service, with a single point of contact, to make it easier to legally play and perform music in public. Visit themusiclicence.co.uk to find out more.
Show notes can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Building a website and driving traffic to it is all well and good but if your site visitors don't go on to make a purchase, an enquiry or subscribe it will be of little benefit to your business. In this episode, the second in our two-part special, we look at the common web design mistakes businesses make and tactics that will help you convert your traffic into more enquiries, more sign-ups and more sales. In the second of a two-part special on small business websites, answering these key questions and others is Craig Murphy, founder of Birmingham-based Alt Agency. Craig is an expert in web design, development and maintenance and he has helped many businesses to optimise their website conversion rates.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of ALT Agency.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Even if you don’t sell online, having a great website is a must. Before many customers will buy from you, they’ll want to find out more about what you sell and how much you charge. Many will also want to know more about your story, who you are, your values as a business and what makes you special. If you want as many visitors as possible to your website, you need to optimise it so that it ranks high up in search engines such as Google. But what does that involve, where do small businesses go wrong when it comes to “SEO” (search engine optimisation) and as a small-business owner can you do it yourself?
In the first of a two-part special on small business websites, answering these key questions and others is Craig Murphy, founder of Birmingham-based ALT Agency. Craig is an expert in website design, development, SEO and website maintenance. He’s helped many businesses to optimise their websites for search engines, which has enabled them to attract more visitors and make more sales.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of ALT Agency.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Success and indeed survival in business relies upon making enough sales. If you don’t, you’ll soon run out of cash and that’s likely to spell the end for your business. If you are to make enough sales, you must generate sufficient sales leads, which is a never-ending challenge, because all businesses lose customers over time. So, how does your business generate leads and how many leads is enough? Not all will convert to actual sales, of course. What’s the difference between 'qualified' and 'unqualified' sales leads? What are your options if you want to generate sales leads online and how about offline?
Answering these and other key questions is sales expert Charlie Day, founder of her own sales consultancy, Charlie Day Sales, author of the book Sales Is Easy If You Know How and creator of the Facebook group of the same name, which has more than 10,000 members. Charlie is on a mission to “help small business owners to sell with ease and confidence”.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of AI-powered quiz platform Interact. Activate ideal customers with quizzes and convert them from passive viewers into engaged buyers. From lead generation to audience segmentation, the Interact tools are designed to help small businesses achieve their goals and grow their business. Try Interact's AI tool for free now.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Who among us doesn’t enjoy a toastie or Mexican-style wrap? Both can be a delicious snack or meal. CRIMPiT is a successful new British business. Its clever, innovative products offer a quick, easy and mess-free way to create delicious toasties using your kitchen toaster or burritos, calzones, enchiladas, kebabs and pasties that can be heated in your air fryer, oven or pan.
CRIMPiT co-founders, Mike Harper and Ian Critchlow were inspired to create CRIMPit by the need to create a speedy, high-protein, low-carb snack for Ian's elite swimmer son.
In this new Start-Up Story, Mike explains what challenges he and Ian had to overcome to start their business, win more than half a million customers and get their products onto the shelves of high-street stockists in the UK. CRIMPiT is about to launch in the US, so what has been the recipe for its success?
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
There are more than 310,000 retail businesses in the UK, which is 5.7% of all businesses, with SMEs accounting for more than 99% of them. Many UK retail businesses, especially those in the high street, have had a very tough time in recent years, having battled Covid and a record inflation-fuelled cost-of-living crisis that’s left consumers much more careful when it comes to spending their cash. So, is it still worth starting a small retail business and if so where do the best opportunities lie? Should you take on premises or stay strictly online? How do you set yourself apart and create a winning brand?
Answering these and many other key questions is Catherine Erdly, a small-business independent retail expert with more than 21 years’ experience, 17 of them spent working for high street names. She now works exclusively with start-ups, independent brands and retailers, helping them to grow their profits.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Square. Whether you're a small business or a multi-location retailer, Square's retail POS system includes all the tools your retail business needs including payments, inventory management and ecommerce. Find out more about Square's retail POS systems at square.com.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Creating a great customer experience is crucial, especially for new and established businesses operating in retail and hospitality. If you don’t create a great experience, many customers will avoid your business or head for the exit not long after entering your premises. There are many ways to encourage a great customer experience, but the potential for using music to create the right mood cannot be overstated. Music really can boost your profitability, as expert Liam Wood of the New World Trading Company explains.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of PPL PRS.TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS provides a streamlined music licensing service, with a single point of contact, to make it easier to legally play and perform music in public. Visit themusiclicence.co.uk to find out more.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
Dawn White battled eczema while growing up and when her own struggles showed just how sensitive human skin can be to normal detergents, she decided to do something about it. Dawn set out to create a detergent that was kinder to skin and contained no nasty chemicals. Soon she invented her own pioneering, eco-friendly detergent pellets, but they also needed a container so that they could be placed directly into washing machine drums, which is why her game-changing reusable Laundry Egg was also developed.
In this new Start-Up Story, Dawn explains how she developed her products, started her business and found a way to truly set it apart.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
If you don’t have a well researched business plan, you may still be able to start and grow a successful business – but it may never achieve its full potential. To do that, you need goals and a successful strategy that enables you to achieve them. Essentially, that’s what a sound business plan offers you. So, what are the key components of a successful business plan, how do you use it to grow your business and what are the classic business plan mistakes you need to avoid?
Nicola McKenzie, co-founder of AI-enabled business plan platform Venture Planner, provides the answers to these and other key business plan questions.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Find more help and advice on starting a business at Start Up Donut.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Venture Planner. Designed to assist start-ups and small businesses, Venture Planner utilises the power of AI-driven technology for tasks such as market research, financial projections, and document generation, aiming to streamline the business planning process. Get a free trial and 10% off when you sign up with code DONUT.
What does the future hold for small businesses in the UK in the next five to ten years? Which businesses are most likely to survive and succeed? How will customer wants and needs change and how might small businesses market their products and services to them? Will online sales continue to grow and is that likely to bring about the demise of the high street? What about managing, and, could AI actually be a good thing for small-business owners? Applied futurist, speaker, writer and consultant Tom Cheesewright, explains how the small-business world is likely to change in the next five to ten years.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Find more help and advice on starting a business at Start Up Donut.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Mediahawk. Mediahawk is a leading call-tracking and marketing analytics solution. Their software helps businesses big and small to quickly and easily pinpoint their most profitable marketing activities, cut wasted spend and drive more leads and sales. Founded in 2002, Mediahawk pioneered call-tracking technology, and have remained at the forefront of the industry ever since.
Many new small independent retailers buy their stock wholesale, often from small suppliers, makers and craft businesses. It can really set you apart by providing you with high quality, exclusive stock that’s superior to the mass-produced options sold by others. But where do you find such suppliers and how do you negotiate good deals? Consultant and wholesale and retail expert Therese Oertenblad answers these key questions, while also providing tips for micro makers that want to sell their wares to small retail businesses.
Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Find more help and advice on starting a business at Start Up Donut.
This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Faire. Faire is a global marketplace for local retailers to discover the best emerging and established brands to stock their stores risk-free. Faire enables independent retailers to grow their business with the advantages of big players and empowers makers to seamlessly build and run their wholesale business. Faire was founded in 2017 and is powered by the idea that the future is local.
Starting your own business is challenging. If you haven’t done it before, you’ll inevitably lack know-how, while there are common pitfalls to avoid. So, what key tasks do you need to complete when setting up your own business, if you’re to get off to the best possible start? Start-up and small-business content expert, journalist Mark Williams, answers this and other key questions.
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While some businesses grow steadily over many years, others achieve significant growth in a far shorter time and are started with that key aim. This episode looks at what types of start-ups are most scalable and in which sectors they’re usually to be found. The guest expert is Guy Rigby – AKA The Entrepreneurs’ Adviser – SME mentor and author. He explains how to start a scale-up and how to overcome key scale-up challenges.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Email marketing can be a highly cost-effective way to attract and retain customers, but your email marketing strategy and content have to be right if you are to get the open rates and click-throughs that lead to sales.
Email marketing expert Laura Hanlon of Birmingham-based agency Pink Leopard reveals the secrets of building good email marketing lists, sending marketing emails in the right volume at the right time, getting your content and subject lines spot-on and the all-important business of measuring your success so you can improve your results.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
In 2019, tired of their daily commutes and living for weekends, Charlie Low, then head of analytics for an adventure travel company, and design consultancy engineer Dale Comely decided to leave the nine-to-five behind by converting an old DHL delivery van into an off-grid mobile home, so they could live a simpler life and travel around Europe. They wrote a best-selling guide to converting vans into campervans, and launched their award-winning business, Climbingvan, which helps others with their campervan builds and provides an off-grid electrical system design service.
So, what key start-up lessons did they learn and how do they run a business from their van while traveling around Europe?
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Running a small business can leave you feeling isolated and lonely at times. Often you have no one to share your thoughts and feelings with. That’s when reaching out to other small-business owners can really help. Great value can be gained from seeking their independent opinions (and giving them yours). Many formal peer networking options are available, but even just occasionally meeting up for a coffee or something stronger with other business owners can be mutually beneficial.
In this episode, award-winning business coach, mentor, adviser and peer board facilitator Jonathan O’Shea explains the business and personal benefits of seeking peer group support.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
There are more than 5m family businesses in the UK. They employ 14.2m people and generate a quarter of UK GDP. Many people who start a business do so with a family member, whether their spouse, partner, sibling, son or daughter or other relation. And although there can be many pros to going into business with family – there can be cons.
So, what’s the key to getting it right so that the business is successful and family relationships are safeguarded? We ask Fiona Graham of the Institute of Family Business, who provides tips that could also help you if you’re thinking of going into business with a colleague or friend.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Matt Mahatme and Jordan Palmer were bartenders who spotted a gap in the market for mixers that combined big flavours with less sugar, fewer calories and nothing artificial. “We wanted to create a brand with a bit of an edge, with a contemporary feel, that looked as good as it tasted,” recalls Matt. Since launch in 2018, helped by a successful crowdfunding campaign, Lixir Drinks has grown into an award-winning mixer brand that’s proved highly popular in the UK and internationally. So, what key start-up lessons did they learn and what’s the recipe for their success?
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Some people ooze self-confidence. And while others aren’t very self-confident, most are probably somewhere in between. Often things happen to us in life and business that damages our self-confidence. Why do some people lack self-confidence while others are supremely confident? How can you boost your self-confidence? Self-confidence and human behaviour expert Jo Emerson answers these and other key questions.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Following a year of eye-watering inflation in 2022, especially energy prices, economic forecasts for the UK for 2023 make for pretty sobering reading. According to the Bank of England, the UK is facing its longest recession since records began, while the UK Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects the UK economy to shrink by 1.4% in 2023, leading to the biggest drop in living standards on record, with consumer spending set to plummet.
So, with really challenging times ahead for many UK businesses, what can owners do to mitigate risk and make their business as recession proof as possible? Find out from Rory MccGwire, founder and chief executive of Atom Content Marketing, publisher of the Donut websites – and battle-scarred veteran of previous recessions.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Are you thinking of starting your own business in 2023? Maybe you've already taken the leap but are looking for reliable, free advice on the challenges you are facing.
The popular Start your Own Business podcast is back. Packed with top tips and free advice, downloading the podcast could be one of the best business decisions you make this year.
Find out what's coming up in series four by listening to the trailer now!
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
Time is the one thing that small-business owners don’t have enough of, with many having to work long hours. Those starting a new business often must work even longer hours to get their business off the ground and into profit. So, what’s the key to making best use of every minute of every day? What role can technology play? Where can time be lost? How can people work less and get more done? How can listeners stay better organised and productive each day? These are some of the key questions covered in the penultimate episode of our third series.
Sharing her insight is guest Clare Evans, leading time management expert and productivity coach. She is also the author of the bestseller, Time Management For Dummies.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com
More than 640,000 new businesses are started each year in the UK and most don’t grow much, they pretty much stay as one person enterprises, which suits their owners. Others are more ambitious, they want to take on staff, win many more customers, expand their operation, grow their business and take it to new heights. But growth isn’t a given. You have to work hard to achieve it. You must make good decisions. You have to take risks. You need some luck. There are many new obstacles to overcome.
In this episode we speak to Mark Hart, Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School, who is also Associate Director of the Aston Centre for Growth and Deputy Director of the national Enterprise Research Centre. Mark explains why some owners are able to grow their businesses into much bigger enterprises – while others fail. He outlines the critical factors that affect growth and offers his advice to small-business owners who want to make it big.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com
The best start-up advice usually comes from the best-placed experts of all – those who’ve actually been there and done it. In this Start-up Story episode, we speak to Surlender Pendress, co-founder of the Love Writing Company, which is based in the West Midlands. It sells innovative writing pencils, erasable colour pencils and washable crayons developed specifically for children’s hands, created to make it easier, quicker and more enjoyable for children to learn to write.
Surlender started the business in 2019 with Mark Sherwood. She explains where the idea for her business came from and retraces her start-up steps, looking at key challenges she faced and how she overcame them.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com
Instagram is the world’s seventh most-visited website. Some 1.22bn people use Instagram each month, with 18 to 34 year olds making up the biggest share of Instagram’s audience. About 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business, and reportedly, half of its users have discovered new brands via Instagram. When you get it right, Instagram can be a superb, low-cost way to market your business to new and existing customers.
In this episode, we speak to Lou Chudley of Bristol-based agency, Spark Social. She reveals her top tips on how to build a brand on Instagram and generate leads and sales. If you want to find out how to use Instagram to grow your business, this episode is packed with top tips, so don’t miss it.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com
Making sure that you have the right IT can enable your new business to quickly get established and grow. If you don’t have the required IT hardware and software – it will hold you back.
In this episode, we speak to leading small-business technology expert, Richard Hillsdon, of Caerphilly-based IT consultancy Tekeez, which provides IT systems, remote support and advice to small-business customers throughout the UK. Richard explains how you can work out your start-up's IT hardware and software needs and make sure that you have what you need to help power your success and growth.
Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.
This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com.
The best start-up advice usually comes from the best-placed experts of all – those who’ve actually been there and done it. In this start-up story episode, we speak to Troy Johnson, co-founder of Juici Jerk, award-winning Caribbean food brand, kitchen and meal-kit maker, which is based in Tooting, South London. Juici Jerk also sells its delicious sauces online, as well as mouthwatering Caribbean delights from locations in London, including Selfridges, while also providing private and corporate catering services. In 2017, Troy started the business with his brother, Jarrell, inspired and influenced by their mother’s West Indian home-cooked delights. But the Johnson brothers are winning many fans with their own unique, modern take on traditional Caribbean cooking. Here Troy looks back at his start-up journey and offers some great start-up advice. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) and sign up to the https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/newsletter (Donut newsletter )for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com.
Offering superior customer service is a proven way that small businesses can be more attractive to customers and lure them away from larger and more established competitors. But any commitment to offering superior customer service has to be firm and consistent throughout your business. In this episode, we speak to leading customer service expert Stephanie Edwards of Wiltshire-based Customer 1st, specialist provider of innovative self-paced online customer service programmes. She explains how you can raise your customer service game to enviable heights and attract and retain customers as a result. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) and sign up to the https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/newsletter (Donut newsletter )for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com.
More than 640,000 new businesses are launched each year in the UK and the popularity of starting up continues to grow. But significantly rising costs means many people will have to try to start their own business with little or no money. In this first episode of our third series, we get top money-saving start-up tips from Lucy Cohen of Mazuma, leading provider of low-cost, subscription-based accounting services. With a relatively modest budget, aged just 23, Lucy founded Mazuma with Sophie Hughes in 2006. It’s since grown into a multi-award-winning business with almost 40 employees. If you’re strapped for cash but determined to start your own business, don’t miss this tips-packed season-opener. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) and sign up to the https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/newsletter (Donut newsletter )for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com.
In this trailer for our third series, host Chloe Thomas runs through the start-up topics covered in each episode and explains what start-up challenges you can learn to overcome as a result. She also reveals the key theme of this new series – business growth. Series three is packed with top tips and free advice so, if you're just starting out on your business journey, this is the podcast for you. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) and sign up to the Donut weekly newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell Small Business Associations UK representative at SBAUK@Dell.com.
In the UK, small businesses are reportedly owed more than £23.4bn in unpaid invoices. That’s an eye-watering amount that creates significant cash flow problems for many business owners. Late payment remains a big problem for SMEs, with many large businesses particularly bad at paying their small-business suppliers on time. This can have disastrous consequences. Research by the Federation of Small Businesses suggests that 50,000 UK businesses a year close down as a consequence of late payment. In this episode, former small-business and consumer-affairs broadcaster and writer, Liz Barclay, who became the Small Business Commissioner in 2021, talks about political, economic and business factors that could make late payment worse in 2022 and 2023, and what small businesses can do to limit the chances that it will affect them. Liz also shares her insight on chasing overdue invoices, charging interest and what legal steps you can take should late payment become a bad debt. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Whether it’s via a market stall, shop, garage, restaurant, café or a range of other settings, being able to sell successfully face-to-face is key to success. It comes more naturally to some rather than others, but by adding knowledge and experience, most can get much better at it. In this episode, you can pick up some tried and tested face-to-face selling tips from sales expert Glen Williamson, who provides key dos and don’ts. Glen is the CEO of sales consultancy, Kiss the Fish Training. As a consultant sales director, sales trainer, speaker and accredited master coach, Glen works with sales professionals and SME business owners to help them to reach new heights of sales performance. With more than 30 years’ experience, Surrey-based Glen is also a Fellow of the Institute of Sales Management and is Chair of Judges at the UK Business Awards. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Potentially it can be a legal minefield with costly consequences if you get it badly wrong when recruiting and managing staff. There is a wide range of legislation with which employers must comply if they want to stay out of trouble. In this episode we speak to employment law specialist, solicitor Hannah Thomas of Markel Law. She explains how small businesses often get into legal difficulties when hiring and managing staff and provides practical advice on how to get it right. Hannah has specialised in employment law since 2009, having acted for employers and employees in contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. She has also helped employers to draft employment contracts and handbooks and continues to provide advice to businesses and HR professionals on all aspects of employment law. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
As well as being better for the planet, being a net-zero business can bring a range of bottom line benefits. However, according to FSB research, although most small firms are concerned about climate change, only one-in-three has a plan to help tackle it. In this episode, consultant Graham Oakley explains how his business ensures that it is net zero and sustainable, while providing practical advice to other start-ups and small businesses that want to do the same. Graham is the commercial director of multi award-winning West Midlands-based Clear Three, which works with business owners to reduce waste, pollution and misuse of natural resources to become cleaner, greener, more efficient and more profitable. Clear Three works with many customers operating in the laundry sector and among other things, the company is known for its award-winning carbon-reduction software. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Digital advertising can enable businesses of all sizes and ages to attract customers. Its popularity continues to grow. About £10.5bn was spent on digital advertising in the UK in the first half of 2021 – 42% higher than in H1 2019. Paid search makes up 36% of UK digital advertising spend, followed by digital display on 27%. In this episode, digital marketing expert Charlotte Sheridan explains the advantages of online advertising and runs through some key dos and don’ts. You can pick up many top tips to increase the chances that you’ll achieve a good return on investment when advertising online. Charlotte is the founder and director of The Small Biz Expert, which is a London-based full-service digital marketing agency that helps small-businesses to grow by marketing their brands, products and services online. Charlotte has helped a long list of small business clients and just one of her areas of expertise is digital advertising, whether on Google, Facebook or other platforms. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Some small-business owners don’t claim their full allowable expenses, which means they end up paying too much tax. Other small business claim for costs to which they’re not entitled, which can lead to problems if HMRC finds out. In this episode tax expert Mike Parkes provides a valuable introduction to claiming allowable expenses aimed at sole traders and freelancers, including those related to operating a business from your home, utility costs, travel and vehicle costs, buying tools and equipment, etc. Mike Parkes is Technical Director of Oldham-based GoSimpleTax, award-winning software that makes filing Self Assessment tax returns easier for sole traders, freelancers and others who pay Income Tax via Self Assessment. Mike has worked in the small-business and sole-trader accounting and accounting software space for almost 25 years, so he knows a thing or two about Self Assessment and allowable expenses. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Running your own small business can bring many highs and lows. It can be very stressful at times, too. In this episode, esteemed expert Sir Cary Cooper provides practical advice on dealing with stress when running a small business, while explaining the dangers to yourself and your employees if you fail to manage stress and disappointment effectively. Sir Cary Cooper is the 50th Anniversary Professor of Organizational Psychology & Health at the Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester. Sir Cary is also President of the Institute of Welfare and Chair of the National Forum for Health and Wellbeing at Work. He is co-founder of the Robertson Cooper mental health, resilience and wellbeing consultancy, and has been described as the UK media’s first-choice expert for comment on workplace issues. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
The history of family business Grasmere Gingerbread dates back to 1854, when Victorian cook, Sarah Nelson, invented Grasmere gingerbread and started selling it locally. Third-generation owners Joanne and Andrew Hunter now run the and Yasmine is their daughter. As well as gingerbread – which is said to be the world’s best – Grasmere Gingerbread sells award-winning rum butter, toffee, fudges, chocolates, conserves, Cartmel Sticky Toffee Sauce, Kendal Mint Cake, ginger beer and other mouthwatering delights. Some years ago, Grasmere Gingerbread started to sell its delicious wares online and it’s proved to be a very wise decision. In this episode, Yasmine retraces the steps Grasmere Gingerbread took to start selling online and shares her advice to other new and established small businesses that want to replicate Grasmere Gingerbread’s success. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on selling online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Such has been digital marketing’s rise to prominence that you could be forgiven for believing that there’s no point in bothering with offline marketing when it comes to trying to attract new customers to your start-up or small business. But for many start-ups and small businesses, tried and tested offline marketing techniques continue to offer excellent returns, enabling them to attract and retain customers for a relatively modest budget. In this episode, expert Tony Dowling, director of Swansea-based Real Inbound Marketing, runs through the main offline marketing options that are available to small businesses, including word-of-mouth, face-to-face networking, as well as newspaper, magazine and even local radio advertising. Tony shares his considerable insight, so you can learn how your start-up or small business can ensure the best results from offline marketing. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on offline marketing and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Record numbers are starting their own business. People of all ages, from all manner of backgrounds. Starting your own business is exciting and rewarding. And although it’s cheaper, quicker and easier than ever – there are risks and many pitfalls to avoid. Sound advice from an experienced, reliable source can make a huge difference when you’re starting up. If you’re starting your own business or soon plan to, you really shouldn’t miss this superb second series. This short trailer will tell you why. Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more information about starting a business and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses).
Advice on achieving the right work-life balance, managing your time, feeling supported and safeguarding your health and mental wellbeing. Running a small business can be highly demanding and working alone can make you feel isolated. In this episode, Christine Husbands joins us to offer tips on how to take better care of yourself, so you and your new business benefits. Christine is the managing director of RedArc, which works with the Federation of Small Businesses and other organisations, and provides advice and emotional support to help people to better cope with illness, disability, trauma or bereavement. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
An introduction to selling online, whether via marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon and Etsy, or your own e-commerce or general website. In this episode we speak to online selling expert, Chris Dawson, who talks about the advantages of selling online and guides us through selling via popular marketplace platforms. Chris is co-founder and editor of Tamebay, leading source of intelligence and news for those who sell on online marketplaces, whether experienced “power sellers” looking to boost their sales or beginners looking for best practice advice. Chris co-founded Tamebay in 2006, but for eight years before that he’d been a full time eBay seller. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more information about online selling and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
An unmissable introduction to the all-important business of online marketing and digital marketing methods you can use to attract and retain customers. In this episode we speak to Aggie Meroni to find out all about social media marketing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, search engine marketing, so you stand a better chance of people finding your business via search engines such as Google, and organic and paid online advertising. You’ll also get an introduction to email marketing. Aggie is the founder and CEO of White Bee Digital, a consultancy that helps start-ups and small businesses to build their online presence, so they can attract and retain more customers. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut )for more information about marketing your business online and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
Pick up top tips and learn key start-up lessons from the biggest experts of all – those who’ve actually been there and started their own business. In this episode we speak to Lee DeSanges, founder of Birmingham-based Baked In Brick, a business he launched in 2015 from his garden shed. Soon Lee was cooking and selling BBQ chicken tikka wraps out of a modified Mini Cooper, as well as wood-fired style pizza at events and street markets. More recently, Lee opened his own Baked In Brick restaurant in Birmingham. Find out what Lee would do differently if he had to start his business again and what his key start-up tips are. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more information about starting a business and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
Why it’s important to spend as little as possible when starting a business, where to get funding and tips on cash flow management and setting prices. In this episode we speak to Guy Bridge to find out about the pros and cons of various sources of start-up funding. Is it possible to start a business with little or no money? What can you claim for when running your business from home all or some of the time? You can also find out about how to keep your cash flow healthy, which is arguably the most important challenge you face in business. Guy is the CEO of Finpoint, a business finance platform that makes it easier for SMEs and their advisers to find the right business finance. Finpoint works with the Federation of Small Businesses and many other organisations. Previously, for 25 years, Guy worked in banking for HSBC, RBS and others, so he’s highly experienced when it comes small business funding and finance. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut )for more information about raising money and managing your cashflow and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
Why a brand is much more than just colours, fonts or slogans and how to come up with a great business name. In this episode we speak to Liz Mosley to learn the importance of creating a strong, distinctive brand when starting a business. We hear about the importance of brand values and how to create a distinctive brand identity. Liz is the host of the popular Building Your Brand podcast, which advises small businesses on a wide variety of subjects linked to their brand and marketing. She also offers training courses for small businesses and she’s a graphic designer with more than 10 years’ experience who creates stunning brand identities for start-ups and small businesses. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more help and information on branding and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
Pick up top tips and learn key start-up lessons from the biggest experts of all – those who’ve actually been there and started their own business. In this episode we speak to Eve Kekeh, London-based founder of Bundlee, the UK’s first and most popular baby clothing rental subscription service. Eve explains why she started her business and retraces her start-up journey, sharing key lessons that she learned along the way. Find out what Eve would do differently if she had to start her business again and what her key start-up tips are. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more information about starting a business and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective/ (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
The pros and cons of the main business formation options and how to legally register your new business. In this episode, we speak to expert Carl Reader, who talks through the main options for forming a business, how to register and the steps you need to take before reaching that point. He also touches on whether you need to register for VAT, business bank accounts and working with an accountant. Carl Reader is a serial entrepreneur, a trained accountant and author of business book, Boss It, which is currently in the WHSmith best-seller charts. He regularly appears as a small business tax and finance expert in the national and business media. Carl has helped thousands of owners by enabling them to better understand business and make better choices when faced with challenges related to starting, running and growing a small business. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut )for more information about forming a business and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
If you want to find out how to start your own business and get off to a great start, you’ve come to the right place. In six episodes of this first eight-part series, a leading expert provides tips on a specific aspect of starting your own business. Many of the basic essentials are covered, including whether to set up as a sole trader, limited company or partnership and how to register. You can find out about sources of start-up funding and how to keep your cash flow healthy. One episode will tell you how to create a winning brand and come up with a good business. Another provides a basic introduction to marketing. We also explain how to sell online and look after your mental and physical health when running your own business. Two further episodes enable you learn invaluable start-up lessons from actual business owners – those who’ve been there and done it. If you’re starting your own business or thinking about it, the Start Your Own Business podcast is unmissable. It could save you lots of time, money and effort. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses.) Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more information about starting a business and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.
The UK is experiencing a start-up boom. More than 770,000 people started their own business in 2020 – a huge increase on the more usual annual tally of 660,000. Starting a business is cheaper, quicker and easier than ever. People of all ages, from all over the UK, from all manner of backgrounds are now starting their own business. They need reliable advice, so they can make good decisions and avoid expensive mistakes. For more than 12 years, the Start Up Donut website has provided sound advice to people starting their own business. The site attracts some three-quarters of a million visitors a year and for the very first time the Start Up Donut has launched its own podcast. With need-to-know advice from small-business experts and tips from those who’ve started their own business, the Start Your Own Business podcast is essential listening if you’re starting your own business (or thinking about it). Set up your new business in the right way and get off to the best possible start. The first series of this podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of the https://www.fsb.org.uk/start (Federation of Small Businesses). Visit https://www.startupdonut.co.uk/podcast (Start Up Donut) for more information about starting a business and join our https://www.facebook.com/groups/DonutSmallBusinessCollective (Donut Small Business Collective Facebook group) for tips and support from other start-ups and small-business owners.