As the UK economic recovery appears to have taken hold in 2015 & 2016, as well as the problem of overtrading and running out of cash, owner manager are looking at their exit options. The vast majority of owner managers have never exited a business before, and many generalist business brokers exploit this with promises […]
When times are tough many UK firms react very quickly and discount prices across the board without fully understanding the impact on demand or profitability. The results should be dramatic and immediate. But so is paying the price for discounting. Many industries and companies using discounting fundamentally erode the total value of the market. Buyers’ […]
If you are a small firm or a sole trader, you could be forgiven for thinking that branding is not for you. “Big names spend money on branding, small companies just get on with the job” is a typical response when I discuss branding with clients, in this post I aim to answer the question […]
Dealing with employees on a personal level can wreak havoc in a small or family owned business – because conflicts or disagreements are part of many start-ups and family owned businesses. When it comes to conflicts of interest in a family business, these matters are more difficult to resolve, because there are three levels of […]
As an owner manager you have built up a good business and have been assuming that your children (when old enough) will eventually take over and continue to grow the business. But the penny will drop that your children will not be doing this for a variety of reasons, including some great reasons such as […]
Are you a small business owner looking to grow your business in the next 3 years? If so, you’re not alone! According to recent research by the Department of Business Innovation & Skill, 75% of owners have an ambition of growing their business during this period, however understanding how best to scale up your operations […]
The first thing to say is that for most small businesses, business growth is a very realistic option. My logic for this bold statement is based on observation and common sense. Firstly, most small businesses only have a tiny share of the market they serve – howsoever they choose to define their market. Secondly, and […]
When you have been owning and managing your business for several years, you start to believe that all the necessary paperwork you need is at hand and ready to hand over to a potential investor or buyer. Unfortunately we often meet business owners who are trying to sell their companies with inadequate, out of date, […]
