For many businesses this meant initially reigning in any necessary costs, reducing investment in anything deemed as a ‘nice to have’ and focusing on keeping the lights on. However, despite not being out of the woods in terms of economic challenges, this year many SMEs have their eyes on growth.
The potential to generate returns in excess of those available in the public markets and fixed income sees continued investment be deployed into the best and brightest private businesses, but with more rigour and at lower valuations than previous years.
And yet when I hire employees, and assess the performance of my current staff, there is one non-negotiable of what they must bring to the table… and it’s not their productivity.
How do I find investors for my business? It’s a question in every founder’s head when they start to seek business capital. But the process to find an investor isn’t an easy one. Even if you’re willing to put in the work to seek business capital, you first need to carefully consider whether you need it or not. Because funding comes with strings.
As many as four in five start-ups will fail in their first three years. Of those businesses that secure venture capital (VC), only one or two in ten will produce substantial returns. Even if a business makes it through these hurdles, the founder may not.
Despite soaring inflation and the looming threat of recession, the UK labour market remains the tightest it’s been in decades. Towards the end of 2022, unemployment sat at 3.7%, with some 1.1 million job vacancies open by January this year.
Marketing and sales are pivotal within a business and have two key roles; firstly to attract more customers and secondly to develop the customers you already have.
If the whole UK economy is to grow, then the needs of SMEs should to be better understood and catered for, with that in mind, what’s really going to matter to SMEs in 2023 when it comes to all things digital?
Data manifests across all the databases and spreadsheets created and utilised by different departments. Hence, businesses structured by teams inevitably create data silos because mission-critical information is often held in these units and groups.
There are two main reasons why small Japanese businesses are reluctant or unwilling to participate in online business internationally; some even resist eCommerce within Japan.
Though the economic uncertainty will prove tough for businesses, especially SMEs, this is also the best time for leaders to re-evaluate finances and make necessary actions to recession-proof their companies.
As a firm believer in social justice and equity, I have found in the development of AI-powered tools an endless energy source to revolutionise the world.
What I see is a craving for authentic leaders who collaborate across internal and external boundaries. To me, authenticity means putting humanity at the heart of their approach and taking people on a journey with them.
In the tech industry, startups and entrepreneurs are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible and creating innovative solutions to old products or services.
Contrary to popular belief, sales isn’t a difficult discipline. It’s less about what you think you can say to win the sale and more about reframing your mind.
At the same time, the concept of biomimicry - the practice of designing and creating technology based on the models and systems found in nature - has gained significant attention as a way to create more sustainable and efficient solutions.
We are on the frontier of a future that will transform the way we interact with, store and spend money.
While a company's bottom line is profit, the TBL adds a value system to the concept of corporate success, ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Climate technology can reduce the impact of climate change and improve the sustainability of our planet.
