The highly anticipated Thames Valley Expo, Reading’s largest business networking and educational event, is set to take place on Thursday, 24th October 2024 at Green Park, Reading. Running from 10:00am to 3:00pm, this flagship event is designed to support small business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals looking to expand their networks, gain valuable industry insights, and explore opportunities for business growth. Thames Valley Expo 2024 brings together businesses of all sizes to showcase products, share expertise, and engage with fellow entrepreneurs in a vibrant, supportive environment. Whether you are a start-up aiming to build connections or an established company seeking to…
Author: sme-admin
Our phones have become indispensable – but could you go a full workday without picking it up? instantprint asked this very question in a survey of over 1,000 workers and the responses were pretty divided. Surprisingly, 39% of people believe they could get through the day without succumbing to the temptation of their mobile devices. That’s almost two in five workers who think they could stay focused and avoid their phones entirely – an impressive display of self-control in a world where we’re constantly connected. However, the majority aren’t so sure. A significant 60% admitted that they wouldn’t be able…
For a long time now, marketers have been using data and trends to inform their creative decision making; from the best time of day to send an email, the colours and language that are most likely to deliver the desired outcome, to the customer journey that has the highest chance of conversion. In fact, according to a Forbes survey, 88% of marketers use data obtained by third parties to enhance their understanding of their customers – painting a more detailed picture of their behaviour and preferences. Research also suggests that those who are using data to inform their approach saw…
A Structured Query Language (or SQL) injection attack was listed as the third-most critical safety risk to organisations by the OWASP Top 10, and is still a threat to 21% of organisations, costing them millions in recovery and reputational damage each year.1 2 Despite this, Google searches in the UK for ‘What is SQL Injection’ have surged by 550% in the last 30 days, highlighting the growing prevalence and importance of such attacks.3 In response to this, the application security SaaS company Indusface has detailed the potential financial impact of SQL Injection attacks on businesses. Additionally, they offer best practices to help organisations effectively mitigate the risks associated…
For many businesses, paid search, the paid-for advertising found on search engines such as Google, is still considered one of digital marketing’s most well-known channels. Also known as pay-per-click, or PPC, using this marketing channel is a vital focus for brands and businesses who are looking to compete online. One of the best things about paid search is that you can track almost everything. If someone sees your paid search ad and clicks through to your website, this is tracked and you know how they got to your site. You know which ad they saw, what messaging they responded to, and…
New data from hiring platform, Indeed, signals some openness from UK employers to hiring migrant workers, with flexible local language requirements in some lower paid occupations. “English not required” is explicitly stated in almost 3% (2.8%) of job postings, with the share of no language requirements highest in lower paid jobs in Cleaning & Sanitation (7.9%), Driving (7.6%), and Beauty & Wellness (6.6%). Despite some language flexibility in certain lower paid sectors, the UK lags behind other European countries in willingness to hire workers without local language skills. The Netherlands has the largest share of postings that do not require knowledge…
As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) dominate headlines and reshape industries, they are not just buzzwords – they’re revolutionising the way we work. With 2024 drawing to a close, Cambridge Advance Online, the University of Cambridge’s online short course provider, taps into the expertise of AI and data science academic lead, Dr Russell Hunter, to uncover the top ML trends business leaders need to know as they navigate this rapidly evolving landscape. This comes as an increased number of UK businesses integrate AI into daily operations and more UK professionals explore careers within ML: IBM’s latest global AI adoption index found…
Warrant Officer Class 2 Andrew Whiting VR, currently serving in the British Army in Andover, is using his spare time to help organise one music project aimed at raising money for Fatima Whitbread’s UK Campaign. Fatima is releasing her UK Campaign Anthem this Christmas 2024. Starz Fostering CIC – along with Andrew Whiting are organising the Christmas 2025 song to raise awareness for the need for Foster Carer’s. With the support of the military and in collaboration with Fatima Whitbread — Starz and Andrew hope to make a positive impact for children in care across the UK. Fatima Whitbread’s UK…
Since October 2020, Soumya Dinesh has been Managing Director and Co-Founder of Atula Technologies – a Buckinghamshire based business specialising in bespoke software solutions for SMEs. Having launched the business with her late husband Dinesh Ramanan four years ago, Soumya is now heading the company. However, Soumya’s background hasn’t always been in tech, having started out delivering flowers across Bengaluru in India. She talks to SME Today. “Growing up I excelled academically and despite my initial interest in aviation, I went on to study finance at Pondicherry University, in India, where I grew up. This allowed me to springboard into…
In honour of World Mental Health Day yesterday, the experts at job search and career coaching platform JobLeads teamed up with Maria-Teresa Daher-Cusack, a Clinical Development Consultant at Health Assured to shed light on the key health red flags to watch for in an unhappy workplace. They’ve also offered a five-step guide to help you rediscover your true calling amid a growing trend in career curiosity. Unhappy at work? This is what happens to your mind and body when you hate your job Chronic stress and burnout Ongoing dissatisfaction in the workplace can lead to persistent stress and anxiety. The constant strain of tensing your muscles in…