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Start up business ideas

For a successful business, you need a viable business idea, the skills to make it work and the funding. Discover whether your idea has what it takes.

Set up a business

Forming your business correctly is essential to ensure you are protected and you comply with the rules. Learn how to set up your business.

Skills and wellbeing

Advice on protecting your wellbeing, self-confidence and mental health from the pressures of starting and running a business.

Business planning

Learn why business planning is an essential exercise if your business is to start and grow successfully, attract funding or target new markets.

Start up funding

It is likely you will need funding to start your business unless you have your own money. Discover some of the main sources of start up funding.

Tax and National Insurance

Businesses and individuals must account for and pay various taxes. Understand your tax obligations and how to file, account and pay any taxes you owe.

Business law

Businesses are required to comply with a wide range of business laws. We introduce the main rules and regulations you must comply with.

Sales and marketing

Marketing matters. It drives sales and helps promote your brand and products. Discover how to market your business and reach your target customers.

Business premises

Some businesses need a high street location whilst others can be run from home. Understand the key factors from cost to location, size to security.

Employees

Your employees can your biggest asset. They can also be your biggest challenge. We explain how to recruitment and manage staff successfully.

Business IT

It is likely your business could not function without some form of IT. Learn how to specify, buy, maintain and secure your business IT.

Grow your business

Few businesses manage the leap from start up to high-growth business. Learn what it takes to scale up and take your business to the next level.

Employees

Your employees can your biggest asset. They can also be your biggest challenge. We explain how to recruitment and manage staff successfully.

Resource topics

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Creating a workplace code of conduct - checklist

A code of conduct should spell out acceptable behaviour in your workplace, as well as giving you a reference should problems arise in the future.

Investing in your people - checklist

Following the Investors in People standard helps you show how committed you are to developing your staff. Here’s how to get started.

Implementing an email policy - checklist

Read our checklist on creating a workplace email policy, establishing security procedures and letting your employees know what's expected of them.

Training staff on a budget - checklist

It’s not always financially feasible to invest in external training for all your staff. Read our tips on how to train staff without a huge layout.

Identifying training needs - checklist

Read our tips on keeping your staff trained so they can carry out their jobs effectively and with a minimum of stress.

Using personal development plans - checklist

Setting clear objectives and supporting learning in the workplace is a valuable investment. Here are our hints on planning for staff development.

How to stop your staff leaving

For small firms, the loss of a key staff member can be devastating - so what can you do to keep employees happy and loyal?

Are you a terrible boss?

They say that people don't leave the job, they leave the boss, which is true in many cases. So what do employers do to become known as a bad boss?

Top 20 employment law facts you need to know

Top 20 employment facts you need to know to make sure your policies and procedures comply with the law.

Essential guide to minimum wage and statutory pay obligations

Regulations covering wages and statutory pay apply to almost every business. Our guide to minimum and living wage, pay for new parents and sick pay.

Essential guide to rights for working parents and carers

Our overview of maternity, paternity, adoption and parental rights, including leave surrounding a birth or adoption, pay and time off for child care.

Essential guide to sickness issues and SSP

Businesses lose a lot of money through employee sickness. Read our guide to your obligations to ill employees and how to manage unauthorised absence.

Time off for working parents: a guide for new employers

Working parents are entitled to time off to care for their children. This Acas guide for employers explains the rules.

Essential guide to the law on flexible working

Almost all employees with at least 26 weeks’ service have the right to ask for flexible working. Advice on how to consider flexible working requests.

Working time, rest breaks and holidays: a guide for SMEs

Find out the limits on the number of hours employees can work per week and the minimum amount of paid holiday and rest breaks they are entitled to.