12,804 retail businesses closed in the UK last year, with forecasts suggesting the number of closures could reach 17,000 in 2025. With business closures continuing to rise, the experts at insolvency practitioners Liquidation Centre were eager to provide essential insight on the most common mistakes leading to retail business closures and how to avoid them. Five scary mistakes retail businesses make just before closing 1. Neglecting customer service and feedback Providing excellent customer service is amongst the most integral parts of running a successful retail business, which is why it might come as no surprise that neglecting this area is one of the scariest mistakes made before a retail business…
Author: sme-admin
Searches for ‘can I set fireworks off in my garden?’ have soared by 5,000% as bonfire night approaches (Nov 5). As many begin planning their own at home fireworks show, not everyone will be aware of potential damages that could be costly for homeowners. To advise homeowners, London rubbish removal company Clear It Waste have revealed their top tips to protect gardens and homes this bonfire night, as well as the costly mistake that many could make this November 5th. 3 mistakes that could cost you hundreds this Bonfire Night Burnt lawns and damage to patios Cost of repair – £750-£1,200 Setting off fireworks repeatedly…
As Christmas party invites begin to circulate, a new survey by instantprint reveals the UK is far from united on what makes a great festive bash. In a poll of 2,000 UK office workers, 80% said the best time to plan the Christmas party is before the end of September, with delays leading to venue issues, budget burnout and last-minute panic. But the real divide? What the UK actually wants on the night. While “drinks and dancing at a city centre bar” came out top overall (42%), regional preferences vary wildly. Londoners favoured glam bar nights (68%) and black-tie dinners, while Yorkshire voted…
London-based entrepreneur, Reedah El-Saie, has successfully secured £30,000 funding from A-list Dragons’ Den stars, Sara Davies, Deborah Meaden, and Touker Suleyman for her educational gaming company, Brainspark Games. Reedah, who appeared on the hit show on Thursday, 23rd of October 2025 to pitch her multi-award-winning business, impressed the Dragons with her AI-powered, immersive educational mobile games platform. Part-funded by Innovate UK, the platform is designed to make learning enjoyable and accessible to all, including neurodiverse learners. Her passion and dedication to making education attainable for all made a big impression, and as a result, Sara Davies, Deborah Meaden, and Touker…
A powerful panel discussion at the Women in Tech Day at Birmingham Tech Week has shone a spotlight on the barriers that women still face in the tech sector, from unconscious bias to rigid working structures and a lack of visibility at senior levels. Birmingham-based AI entrepreneur Davina Schonle (Founder, HumanVantage AI) shared her personal experience of being turned away from a high-profile industry event earlier this year, simply because she had her baby with her. Davina said: “So many of us get unintentionally excluded due to subconscious bias. As a new parent and a business founder, I’m constantly navigating overlapping challenges, such…
Time is often treated as an expendable resource., with Founders wearing multiple hats, juggling endless tasks and convincing themselves that working longer hours is simply part of the job. But what if we’ve got it all wrong? What if the smartest move a founder can make isn’t hiring more staff or chasing funding, but buying back their time? Time has quietly become the most undervalued asset in business. In business, we talk about cash flow, profit margins and growth strategies all the time. But when do we ever ask how much time we’re spending on tasks that don’t actually move…
The Government recently announced plans for new V Levels qualification after PM pledged to get two-thirds of young people into higher-level learning. Andrew McClusky, Managing Director, BEP Surface Technologies, comments on the Government’s new V-Levels announcement: “The Government’s plan to introduce new V-Level qualifications is a positive step towards rebuilding Britain’s technical skills base, but only if it’s backed by meaningful investment and real industry partnership. For decades, vocational training in the UK has been eroded by underfunding and poor infrastructure. Many engineering colleges have closed, and too few training centres have the modern machinery or experienced tutors needed to…
The latest research from Barnett Waddingham finds that as many as 1 in 6 UK companies could risk insolvency if an increase in employer minimum pension contributions were mandated. Just 17% said they would be able to afford the increase with minimum impact. Nearly a third of businesses would freeze hiring entirely (31%) if the Government mandated higher employer contributions Over two-fifths (22%) would look to actively reduce their headcount in response Just 17% would be able to afford an increase with minimal impact to their current business As the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) actively reviews the UK’s…
New data shows most firms expect to keep or grow their workforce despite AI threat Advancetrack’s Accounting Talent Index reveals just 13% of business leaders think technology will cut accountant numbers over the next five years Fears that AI and technology will replace accountants are being dismissed by business leaders, with new research showing the vast majority of firms expect to keep the same number – or even hire more people – despite early AI and automation advances. The Accounting Talent Index 2025, published by Advancetrack, reveals that most firms are planning no reductions in headcount ahead, with only a small minority…
By Tomás Dostal Freire, CIO & Head of Business Transformation, Miro As leaders, we all want our teams to be excited about and engaged in their work. While everyone loves the feeling of a big win, from a successful launch to a campaign that goes viral, we can make our teams even stronger if we zoom in and ask a simple question: what makes work meaningful for today’s workers? Or, more to the point, what are the ingredients of a great day at work? According to our new survey, the best days don’t come from a completed to-do list or…