Leading disaster recovery firm, BELFOR UK is delighted to announce the appointment of Yvonne Stokes as National Account Manager. She will be joining the Major & Complex Loss (MCL) team with a dedicated focus on the SME commercial market and development of BELFOR UK’s Red Alert® priority response. As part of the Major Loss team, Stokes will drive the expansion of BELFOR UK’s SME portfolio, collaborating closely with commercial loss adjusters. She will also be responsible for managing current Red Alert® clients while promoting BELFOR UK’s service offerings and exceptional capabilities to commercial clients across the UK, strengthening existing and…
Author: Greg Robinson
Rock Face, an accessible men’s care brand, is on a mission to shake up the men’s toiletries sector taking on behemoths like Unilever, Proctor & Gamble and L’Oreal. Central to its foundation is a belief that men’s brands should do more to speak to ‘the everyday man’, not just hero the celebrity and do more to amplify positive male role models. From a product perspective they approach the category differently, working with fragrance houses to create a world class aftershave and infusing the scent into the best formulas on the market. At the helm of the company is James…
The workplace is undergoing a significant transformation. With the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents expected to increase by 327% over the next two years, and Gartner forecasting that 15% of daily work decisions will be automated by 2028, the very nature of leadership is being redefined. But as the world shifts rapidly, agentic AI is not just a tool; it’s a collaborative partner. These systems are reshaping core business functions, from how we communicate to analyse data and make decisions. As AI systems match or surpass human performance in certain areas, the tasks where AI falls short become even…
CleanCo, the world’s leading independent alcohol-free spirits brand1 today announces England Cricket Captain, Ben Stokes OBE as its latest strategic investor, as part of a wider $5 million fundraise. Stokes joins CleanCo as both an investor and brand partner, as the challenger brand is set to realise cash-flow positivity this year. Stokes’ investment in CleanCo was born from his own personal journey re-balancing his relationship with alcohol. His decision to invest stems from a deep alignment to the brand’s ethos: that not drinking doesn’t, and shouldn’t, mean missing out. Both Stokes’ and CleanCo founder, entrepreneur and Guinness World Record holder,…
Chris Homer and his team at JPA Financial Planning are celebrating the first anniversary of opening their office in Fairford on June 21, 2024. JPA Financial Planning was formerly based in Faringdon but can now be found at 27a London Street, Fairford – just a couple of doors away from Budgens and opposite the Plough Inn. As an experienced financial adviser, Chris has been helping people and businesses with their financial planning for nearly 14 years. JPA Financial Planning is a real local family business run by Chris and his wife, Gemma along with other staff members comprising Gemma’s son,…
This year marks a major personal and professional milestone for Finance Director Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam. As he celebrates turning 50, he’s also marking five successful years at the helm of his business, The FD Consultant based in London yet working all over the UK. With a career spanning global finance, start-ups and FTSE 100 corporations, Romesh reflects on what he’s learnt running his own business over the past five years. “Building this business has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done. It’s pushed me in all the right ways, and reminded me that it’s never too late to keep growing – both personally…
Entrepreneurs Circle (EC) founder Nigel Botterill has revealed how his multi-million-pound business nearly collapsed twice but emerged stronger each time, offering critical lessons for business owners facing adversity. Speaking to SME Today, Botterill detailed how EC survived a £600,000 financial black hole in 2015 and a potentially devastating pandemic crisis in 2020, ultimately doubling in size and recently securing a £4 million property investment to fuel future growth. “The old saying that a smooth sea never made a good sailor also applies to business, explains Botterill. “Every super successful entrepreneur has gone through some storms. 10 years ago, I almost lost…
In the complex world of business operations—particularly within public projects or regulated sectors—whistleblowing is often misunderstood. While it can raise red flags and trigger uncomfortable scrutiny, whistleblowing isn’t inherently negative. In fact, when handled correctly, it serves as a powerful tool for transparency and accountability. However, when ignored, mishandled, or punished, the consequences can be severe—legally, financially, and reputationally. The recent £320,000 employment tribunal award to Stephen Cresswell, a former HS2 project risk specialist, highlights just how costly those consequences can be. According to recent reports, Cresswell claimed that his contract with HS2 was not renewed in 2022 after he…
Entrepreneurs Circle, the UK’s largest private organisation dedicated to helping business owners grow, has taken a bold leap forward with the £5 million purchase of a new 15,000 sq ft national headquarters — a significant investment in the future of its business and its membership. Founder and CEO Nigel Botterill had originally been looking for “a slightly larger office” to support the growth of his expanding team…what he found was something else entirely. “As the lease was coming up we were just browsing at first,” said Botterill. “We’d seen a few on our doorstep but nothing was setting the pulses racing. Then, we…
In today’s volatile economic climate, maintaining strong cash flow isn’t just good practice — it’s critical to business survival. For SMEs in particular, the ability to convert invoices into working capital can be the difference between growth and collapse. Uday Patel, Partner at Judge & Priestley LLP, works closely with business owners facing the pressures of late payments and debt recovery. In this article, he highlights why liquidity is essential and how a strategic, legally backed approach to debt collection can help safeguard your business’s future. “Cash flow is the pulse – the key vital sign of a company”, Jack…