Michelle Reece, Director at ABS Limited, shares her insights about why many B2B companies are sitting on a goldmine they don’t even realise. While they struggle with duplicate data entry, inventory chaos and orders falling through the cracks, their ERP system already contains everything needed for seamless online commerce. Yet, this disconnect between websites and back-office systems is avoidable. The conversation always starts the same way. Business owners want to sell online, but they’re concerned about it creating chaos in their back office. Working with companies like drinks wholesaler AFT Drinks and others, we’ve seen how ERP and business-to-business (B2B)…
Author: sme-admin
When setting out the UK government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan last summer, Sarah Jones MP, Minister of State for Industry, stated ambitions for the UK to be recognised as the best place to start, grow and invest in advanced manufacturing anywhere across the globe by 2035. There are plenty of steps being put in place which should help to make this vision a reality, with Portakabin, the UK’s leading modular building provider, on hand to explain how modular buildings can also help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt advanced manufacturing practices quickly. A recap of the UK’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan Published last…
Emsco Partners announces the launch of its fund to address the UK’s growing SME succession gap. Tens of thousands of profitable small and medium-sized businesses are owned by ageing founders, many without clear succession plans. Research indicates that around 41% of UK business owners plan to step away from their companies within the next ten years*. Emsco Partners is a long-term investment firm that seeks to acquire and actively manage high-quality UK businesses, providing thoughtful ownership transitions for retiring owners. Founded by tech entrepreneurs Emma Margetts and Scott Winship, Emsco Partners provides sellers with an alternative to private equity and trade buyers through long term, operator-led ownership in the UK’s lower mid-market. The fund attracted strong investor interest and reached almost three times oversubscribed within three weeks. The…
New research amongst 18 to 40* year olds from the OneFamily Group, which includes the life and critical illness brand Beagle Street, has revealed a worryingly high number of young UK adults who say they rarely or never set money aside in case they are ever unable to work. Whilst half of those surveyed (51%) said they do put money aside in case they are unable to work for a period of time, for example due to illness, injury, or redundancy, 44% said they rarely or never do. This worrying statistic means more than 7 million young adults** could be…
As Dragon’s Den returns for series 23 – an award-winning Derbyshire business founder shares top tips on how to survive ‘The Den’ The founder of an award-winning business transforming brands and humans across the UK and beyond has shared top insights on how to win pitches on TV’s Dragon’s Den after working on the production crew in his formative years. Series 23 of the iconic show returns to our screens on January 29 with new guest investors the rapper Tinie Tempah and former footballer Gary Neville scheduled to take two of the five hot seats, joining regulars Deborah Meaden, Steven…
By Mark Hamson, Managing Director of Insurance, Westfield Health Small and mid-sized employers are making brutal decisions about employee benefits right now. It’s not a question of fine-tuning anymore – it’s about what they can actually afford to keep. Healthcare inflation hit 10.6% in the UK last year, among the highest rates in Western Europe. Forecasts suggest global medical costs will rise by more than 10% in 2026, with Europe-wide increases expected above 8%. National Insurance increases are adding hundreds of pounds per employee on top of that. For a business with 50-100 people, that could mean an additional £20-30,000 in annual costs, plus…
Author: Cameron Rueppel, Wealth Management Consultant at Mattioli Woods Divorce is often described as one of life’s most stressful events, and for good reason. Emotions dominate, while urgent priorities like housing, childcare, and daily stability take centre stage. In the rush to untangle lives, long-term financial planning is often overlooked, sometimes with consequences that only emerge years later. A fair settlement is about more than just who keeps the family home. It requires a full understanding of all assets, the tax implications of dividing them, and how today’s decisions will shape tomorrow’s security. Pensions: the overlooked asset One of the…
The Thames Valley Business & Community Awards 2026 have announced their shortlisted nominees after a record-breaking year, with over 1,460 nominations received from across the region. The awards celebrate excellence, innovation, leadership and social impact across businesses, charities and individuals operating throughout the Thames Valley. This year’s nominations reflected the strength, diversity and resilience of the region, spanning sectors including technology, professional services, hospitality, manufacturing, education, charity and social enterprise. Judges commented on the exceptionally high standard of submissions, noting that the volume and quality of nominations made the shortlisting process one of the most competitive in the awards’ history.…
Good Food, the UK’s number one food media brand, has launched the inaugural Good Food SME Awards celebrating the small and medium-sized businesses, whose innovation, creativity and commitment are making an impact in the food, drink and health industry. The Good Food SME Awards want to hear from the best producers, innovators and creators in the industry. There are 9 categories to enter recognising the best Disruptors, Founders, Innovators, Storytellers, Health producers, Family-Run businesses, Creatives and those businesses making a positive impact on the world. Plus two judges’ choice awards, including the overall winner who wins £25k of promotional media spend on Good Food platforms, including print, podcasts and digital, reaching 16m food lovers a month. The prize also includes a stand at one of the UK’s biggest Christmas food events,…
Small businesses across the UK are being warned about a growing scam in which fraudsters pose as dissatisfied customers, sending fake complaints via text message and WhatsApp in an attempt to pressure owners into issuing refunds or compensation. The scam typically involves messages claiming serious issues with products or services, such as hair or plastic found in food, spoiled pet treats, or food allegedly “being off.” The sender presents themselves as a customer but refuses to speak by phone, insisting that all communication takes place via text or WhatsApp. Messages are often written to sound urgent or alarming, encouraging businesses…