It’s no secret that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have had more than their share of tribulations recently – Brexit, Covid, and now soaring interest rates and energy costs.
But whilst you may be feeling shell-shocked, now is not the time for desperation - it’s the time for preparation.
If you ready your business for the tricky times ahead, you might even turn adversity into opportunity.
The Government’s emergency budget – described by them as “The Growth Plan” – is the most radical in decades, and its low-tax agenda and high borrowing has raised alarm in some quarters.
But for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular, there are plenty of changes that stand to deliver new benefits, both to the business directly, and through more attractive conditions for employees.
Here’s what’s changed – and what it means to many of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s member businesses across the county.
For many UK small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the road is rough at the moment. We’ve spoken to our own expert members, and found some of the best resources on the web, to bring you these five tips for staying successful in a new and unpredictable world.
With the UK employment skills shortage extending across over 30 domains, according to the Government’s own figures, colleges and other institutions have a critical role to play in identifying where skills fall short and what needs to be done about it.
On 6th February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne when the UK was exhausted from war and rationing. But on her watch, the economy soon began to boom. New shopping centres and housing were built, followed by the first motorway.
Companies that import and export are having a tough time recently with the disruption of Brexit, spiralling prices, and the war in Ukraine, so some positive news would be welcome. And on the surface, the recent reversal of planned import controls delivers this.
If you’ve been struggling to recruit the right people into your business recently, then you’re not alone. There is a ‘skills shortage’ in the UK, and between January and March 2022, vacancies rose to a record 1,288,000. This also comes against a backdrop of Brexit and a pandemic, both of which have been blamed for labour shortages. Some sectors have received particular attention, for example, the shortage of HGV drivers following the UK’s exit from the EU, and the difficulties in finding hospitality staff since the pandemic.
Did you know that:
Every business owner will need to deliver a short pitch at some point, which sums up the basics of your business in under a minute. It is a powerful tool and here are our top 5 tips to make sure your pitch hits the right note.
It’s that time of year again when we look back to the triumphs and tribulations of the past and raise a toast to the opportunities of the future. And from where we’re sitting, there’s much to report!
Businesses have adapted to remote working to protect staff and to help curb infection rates during the pandemic. The world changed almost overnight and Zoom and Teams meetings soon became the norm, so it comes as no surprise that returning to “normality” would present some challenges.
Boosting your sales performance is a main objective for any business, regardless of size. But how do you increase sales effectively? The customer should always be your main focus, as opposed to just focusing on profit, but there are some other key ways to enable you to take your sales to the next level. Here are eight ways to enable you to do just that.
With the UK’s exit from the EU now officially achieved, (ongoing wrinkles and wrangles notwithstanding!), many businesses are revisiting the prospects for international trade both within and outside the EU.
For us at the Chamber, international trade is now scheduled to become a year-long focus, and we have added extensive content to our website to give your business access to the international trade resources and services it needs now more than ever, as we explore briefly below.
There has been much controversy around the planned government changes to IR35, the legislation meant to prevent employees from passing themselves off as freelancers in order to avoid tax.
Winning new business is essential for growth, and in the early days as a small business, gaining just a handful more new customers can make a big difference.
As an entrepreneur or small business, you’re always on the hunt for new business opportunities. Being able to spot these opportunities is essential for growth, especially in today’s business environment.
Referrals can be incredibly powerful for your small business - they are the simplest and most consistent way to grow your customer base.
It used to be that a CEO would reach the top spot after years of having worked their way steadily up the corporate ladder. People would stay in one organisation for their entire career, and their experience and dedication to the business would earn them that coveted top spot.
Do you, as a leader, fear change?
Perhaps you've noticed employees are becoming stuck in their ways. Or things have become stagnant.
Does a "this is the way we’ve always done things" attitude permeate the business?
Luton, Bedfordshire: EFM announces the launch of their new business advisory division, EFM Growth. Separate from their more financially focused counterpart, EFM Growth is a new venture with a specialist team, working alongside business owners to support their growth strategy and overcome a wide range of commercial problems.
Attempted recruitment in services firms at lowest for 25 years
The British Chambers of Commerce’s quarterly economic survey – the UK’s largest private sector survey of business sentiment, and a lead indicator of UK GDP growth - shows little to be cheerful about as growth flatlines and business confidence weakens.
The Chamber of Commerce has been in existence for over 100 years. And in that time it has used its power and resources to support, enable and elevate businesses around the globe. But today, the Chamber of Commerce conjures up very different meanings for different people.
Starting now until November, Velocity Growth Hub has brought together local business owners and trainers in a programme of new, fully-funded business skills workshops that combine local business knowledge and expert training to give you the best client experience.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today slightly downgraded its growth expectations for the UK economy, forecasting GDP growth for 2018 at 1.3% (from 1.4%)
The business landscape is notoriously disruptive, volatile and unpredictable. And for businesses to withstand this level of uncertainty, it’s not enough to simply have the best product, the best price, or even the best service.
Two major new regional distribution centres are to be built in Bedford Borough for popular nationwide retailers which will create an estimated 1,400 new jobs for the area.
Today marks the one year countdown until the UK officially leaves the EU. And with the Brexit divorce progressing day-by-day, it’s only natural for business owners to feel uncertain about the future.
It’s no secret that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have had more than their share of tribulations recently – Brexit, Covid, and now soaring interest rates and energy costs.
But whilst you may be feeling shell-shocked, now is not the time for desperation - it’s the time for preparation.
If you ready your business for the tricky times ahead, you might even turn adversity into opportunity.
The Government’s emergency budget – described by them as “The Growth Plan” – is the most radical in decades, and its low-tax agenda and high borrowing has raised alarm in some quarters.
But for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular, there are plenty of changes that stand to deliver new benefits, both to the business directly, and through more attractive conditions for employees.
Here’s what’s changed – and what it means to many of Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce’s member businesses across the county.
For many UK small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the road is rough at the moment. We’ve spoken to our own expert members, and found some of the best resources on the web, to bring you these five tips for staying successful in a new and unpredictable world.
With the UK employment skills shortage extending across over 30 domains, according to the Government’s own figures, colleges and other institutions have a critical role to play in identifying where skills fall short and what needs to be done about it.
On 6th February 1952, Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne when the UK was exhausted from war and rationing. But on her watch, the economy soon began to boom. New shopping centres and housing were built, followed by the first motorway.
Companies that import and export are having a tough time recently with the disruption of Brexit, spiralling prices, and the war in Ukraine, so some positive news would be welcome. And on the surface, the recent reversal of planned import controls delivers this.
If you’ve been struggling to recruit the right people into your business recently, then you’re not alone. There is a ‘skills shortage’ in the UK, and between January and March 2022, vacancies rose to a record 1,288,000. This also comes against a backdrop of Brexit and a pandemic, both of which have been blamed for labour shortages. Some sectors have received particular attention, for example, the shortage of HGV drivers following the UK’s exit from the EU, and the difficulties in finding hospitality staff since the pandemic.
Did you know that:
Every business owner will need to deliver a short pitch at some point, which sums up the basics of your business in under a minute. It is a powerful tool and here are our top 5 tips to make sure your pitch hits the right note.
It’s that time of year again when we look back to the triumphs and tribulations of the past and raise a toast to the opportunities of the future. And from where we’re sitting, there’s much to report!
There has been much controversy around the planned government changes to IR35, the legislation meant to prevent employees from passing themselves off as freelancers in order to avoid tax.
Winning new business is essential for growth, and in the early days as a small business, gaining just a handful more new customers can make a big difference.
As an entrepreneur or small business, you’re always on the hunt for new business opportunities. Being able to spot these opportunities is essential for growth, especially in today’s business environment.
Referrals can be incredibly powerful for your small business - they are the simplest and most consistent way to grow your customer base.
It used to be that a CEO would reach the top spot after years of having worked their way steadily up the corporate ladder. People would stay in one organisation for their entire career, and their experience and dedication to the business would earn them that coveted top spot.
Do you, as a leader, fear change?
Perhaps you've noticed employees are becoming stuck in their ways. Or things have become stagnant.
Does a "this is the way we’ve always done things" attitude permeate the business?
Luton, Bedfordshire: EFM announces the launch of their new business advisory division, EFM Growth. Separate from their more financially focused counterpart, EFM Growth is a new venture with a specialist team, working alongside business owners to support their growth strategy and overcome a wide range of commercial problems.
Attempted recruitment in services firms at lowest for 25 years
The British Chambers of Commerce’s quarterly economic survey – the UK’s largest private sector survey of business sentiment, and a lead indicator of UK GDP growth - shows little to be cheerful about as growth flatlines and business confidence weakens.
The Chamber of Commerce has been in existence for over 100 years. And in that time it has used its power and resources to support, enable and elevate businesses around the globe. But today, the Chamber of Commerce conjures up very different meanings for different people.
Starting now until November, Velocity Growth Hub has brought together local business owners and trainers in a programme of new, fully-funded business skills workshops that combine local business knowledge and expert training to give you the best client experience.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today slightly downgraded its growth expectations for the UK economy, forecasting GDP growth for 2018 at 1.3% (from 1.4%)
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