A stolen password might seem like a minor inconvenience, but it is one of the most common ways cyber criminals gain access to business systems, sensitive data, and customer information. Joshua Walsh, Information Security Practitioner at rradar, relentless’s embedded legal and risk management partner, believes there is a persistent misconception that serious cyber incidents mainly affect large organisations. In reality, SMEs are frequently exposed to far simpler vulnerabilities, including compromised credentials and everyday security gaps. Despite a growing awareness of cyber risk, poor password habits persist. The latest research from NordPass shows that “123456,” “admin,” and “123456789” are still among…

In conversation with SME Today, Catherine shares how a deeply personal parenting challenge became the foundation for Hygge Sheets, a fast-growing international brand supporting families navigating nighttime accidents. What started as a search for better solutions at home quickly uncovered a widespread but often unspoken issue affecting millions. Through honest dialogue, instinct and a commitment to helping others, Catherine has not only built a successful business but is also playing a key role in changing how we talk about sleep confidence and nighttime wellbeing. Hygge Sheets was inspired by your experiences as a parent. At what point did you realise…

SME Today had the opportunity to sit down with Gunikka Ahuja, Founder of Bunta Beer, to discuss her transition from a six‑figure role at Adidas to building a brand at the intersection of food, culture and innovation. In this Q&A, Ahuja opens up about spotting a gap in the market, taking the leap into entrepreneurship, and redefining the role of beer alongside Indian cuisine. You walked away from a successful six-figure career at Adidas to launch Bunta Beer. What was the moment you realised the opportunity was too compelling to ignore? There wasn’t one single moment. It was more like…

Residents living in housing for people in later life across England will soon have access to fitness classes, wellbeing support and an online community designed specifically for people aged 55 and over, thanks to a new partnership between Gloucestershire-based Jim’s Gym and Anchor’s Be Well 360 service. Founded by Stroud personal trainer James Hilton, Jim’s Gym helps people aged 55 and over stay active, build strength and maintain their independence through live online classes, on-demand workouts and a supportive community. The new partnership will see residents at Be Well 360 locations gain access to the Jim’s Gym platform, which helps older people stay…

The FD Consultant, founded by London-based finance director Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, takes home multiple business awards honouring the business’s commitment to customers and supporting SMEs. Over the last weekend of April, The FD Consultant, visited both the Kingston Borough Business Awards and the Best SME Awards after being announced as finalists in four categories across the two business awards. The consultancy firm provide fractional finance director and CFO support to start-ups and SMEs across the UK, working closely with founders who need senior financial expertise without appointing a full-time board-level hire. On 23rd April, Romesh and his team headed to the Kingston Borough Business Awards which recognise businesses making a strong impact within the local business community.…

Having been in the legal industry for over 20 years, I’ve seen disruption more than once. I started my career at law firm Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman) and later became Director of Transformation at LexisNexis UK. Now, I’m CEO of Flex Legal, a SME dedicated to championing diversity across the legal sector. In pushing for change, I’ve realised that while disruption is out of our control, how we respond to it isn’t.  Strength doesn’t necessarily come from size. With smaller teams, SMEs have a chance at proactive response and can usually sense change before it’s too late. How does this work in practice? Scale versus speed There’s no denying the value of large firms. With their depth of expertise, capacity and infrastructure, bigger teams can stay calm in…

A year after taking on the CEO role at Bristol-based WestSpring IT, Emma Carter has been reflecting on the lessons she has learned while leading a growing business through a period of change, investment and development.  The reflection comes shortly after WestSpring IT was named in the IT Channel Oxygen Fast-Growth 50 for 2026. For Emma, the last 12 months have reinforced some simple but important truths about leadership, growth and building a business for the long term. Lesson one: You don’t need all the answers One of the biggest surprises for Emma has been how much leadership comes down to judgement. “People often imagine leadership is about…

Award-winning charity Best Mates hosted the first Community Impact Round Table in May, creating a space for organisations to share ideas, build connections and strengthen support across the community.  Earlier this year, the charity was named Charity of the Year at the South West Business Awards in Swindon. During the event, co-founder Jeff Tucker won a business lunch for eight people in a raffle and decided to use it to bring together charities, community groups and organisations from across the region. Founded by Jeff Tucker and Carl McCulloch, Best Mates provides financial, emotional and physical support to adults aged 18 and over facing life’s challenges. The charity…

There’s a pattern playing out across UK businesses right now. A founder signs up for ChatGPT. A sales director installs Claude. Someone in marketing starts using an AI image tool. The tools stack up, the subscriptions add up, and somewhere around month three, the question gets asked: ‘Why haven’t things changed?’ This is the most common, and most costly, mistake SMEs are making with AI right now. Not that they’re using it. But that they’re collecting tools instead of building a strategy. The Myth and the Reality A narrative has been quietly forming in boardrooms and business forums across the…

Making Tax Digital 2026: The Complete Guide for UK Small Businesses Making Tax Digital (MTD) is HMRC’s most ambitious tax reform in a generation — and in 2026, it enters a critical new phase that directly affects hundreds of thousands of sole traders and landlords across the UK. If you’re self-employed or receive income from property, you need to know whether MTD for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) applies to you, and what you need to do before the deadlines hit. This guide covers everything: what MTD is, who it applies to, the 2026 and 2027 rollout, what…