Housing

Friday 16th August 2024

Can Labour solve the housing crisis? By Ritchie Clapson CEng MIStructE, propertyCEO When Lilt became Fanta Pineapple & Grapefruit, the Coca-Cola Company put a lot of effort into reassuring totally-tropical-taste fans that the product would be just the same. That’s not the message of every rebrand – sometimes a name change is intended to reinforce…

Profitability

Friday 2nd August 2024

Differences between gross and net profit ( and why neither matter unless you  get paid ) Wondering if you’re doing everything you can to boost revenue and cut costs? Or if your business is actually more profitable this year than it was last? The best way to answer these questions is with a thorough assessment…

Smarter

3 Tips for working smarter and gaining personal time You’ve probably heard the maxim that it’s better to work smarter than harder. Working smarter means allocating your time, energy and money so vital tasks get done more efficiently, freeing up your personal time. Too many business owners think they must keep working harder—taking on more…

Podcast Ongoing

Thursday 25th July 2024

Don’t expect podcasting’s bubble to pop just yet By Maz Farsani, Outset Studio As Gareth Southgate can testify, some people just can’t help but look for failure where there is success. Over 21 million people in the UK regularly listen to podcasts, representing roughly 40% of adults. What’s more, the podcast market is still growing,…

Financial Planning

Sunday 21st July 2024

What is financial planning ? To many people, financial planning sounds like something for the very rich. The wealthiest people take their piles of money to someone who tells them where to invest it so they can make even more money. The rest of us just focus on saving what we can while paying off…

Exit

Preparing an exit strategy Research has repeatedly shown that businesses that have been prepared for the owner’s exit are significantly more likely to endure than unprepared businesses. These guidelines around an exit strategy can help your business legacy live on – and get you a satisfactory result. Preparation delivers the best results The key message…

Balance

Saturday 20th July 2024

Getting your work life balance right   As a business owner it’s hard to juggle your work and outside responsibilities. It’s important to run your business effectively and still have a life outside the office. You need a good balance between work and play for your health and well-being. Small business owners especially often fall…

Authenticity

Friday 5th July 2024

The road to authenticity By Carol Mae Whittick, Toastmasters International When a word becomes a dictionary’s word of the year you know that something important is happening. ‘Authentic’ was chosen by Merriam-Webster last year and I suspect that the focus on authenticity is a response to issues of artificiality that we are all having to…

Stress Relief

Saturday 8th June 2024

Feeling overwhelmed? Remember to take a break and breathe. Your mental health matters Here are some effective ways to reduce stress:  1. Practice deep breathing techniques coupled with mindfulness exercises to calm your mind and body. This can help lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone.  2. Engage in regular physical activity like jogging or yoga to boost the…

Side Hustle

Side hustles – top ten tips By Ritchie Clapson CEng MIStructE, propertyCEO Around 43% of Brits have a side hustle on the go – that’s according to a recent survey by finder.com. For the uninitiated, a side hustle is an extra money-earning job taken on in addition to someone’s day job. It might include doing freelance…

Studio

Friday 7th June 2024

5 BENEFITS OF USING A PROFESSIONAL STUDIO FOR YOUR PODCAST  By Maz Farsani, Outset Studio Businesses benefit from exposure to more potential customers, and podcasting is an exciting way to achieve that. In the UK alone, over 21 million people regularly listen to podcasts, and there is an appetite for a vast variety of content,…

Performance Errors

LESSONS ON AVOIDING PERFORMANCE ERRORS FROM ELITE SPORTS By Karen Meager co-author of ‘Rest. Practise. Perform. What elite sport can teach leaders about sustainable wellbeing and performance’. Ever wondered what the main blockers to performance are in your organisation? We’ve rarely met a leader who hasn’t pondered this issue. Finding a way to get more…

Retirement Planning

Sunday 2nd June 2024

Are you on track for retirement? If you are thinking about retiring in 5, 10 or 15 years-time, have you tried to work out the income you will need to live the lifestyle that you want? Now if you do complete this exercise, the number you come up with is very unlikely to be 100%…

Destructive

Entrepreneurs, surprisingly destructive habits you should avoid Entrepreneurs want to have their hands on every aspect of their start-up. This is understandable, as many entrepreneurs come into their respective industries from a place of passion. Their passion will drive them to spend long nights at the office, working hard every hour of every day. Unknown…

5 Keys

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Five key decisions to make before starting a new business Starting a new business is an exciting prospect, but it requires careful planning in order to set yourself up for success. Without a clear vision, realistic timeline, adequate resources and enough time, as many as 20% of new businesses fail within the first two years. However,…