SETTING the right price is one of the biggest challenges SMEs face, often leading to undervaluation that stifles growth and profitability. Striking the balance between competitiveness and value is essential, but many businesses still struggle to recognise their true worth. Matthew Hayes, Managing Director of growth partner Champions (UK) plc, shares his insights on how SMEs can rethink their pricing strategies. Unilateral pricing “It’s obviously a standard, industry-wide fact that large, established corporations charge significantly more,” he outlined. “This is often for worse products or services than those of a smaller startup. “One of the things that an SME can…
Author: sme-admin
The UK government is expected to lay out plans for new immigration laws this summer as figures show the Home Office has issued 931,000 skilled worker visas over the last three years – nearly triple their original estimates. But how would a crackdown on foreign talent impact the UK economy, as new data shows migrant workers are contributing a whopping £1.3 trillion each year to their respective sectors. The research comes from the financial experts at Remitly, an American money transfer service, who explored the industries where global talent has the biggest impact and their estimated contributions to annual turnover, View the…
For many SME owners and entrepreneurs, selling a business marks the culmination of years of hard work, but it also brings a unique challenge: what comes next? While traditional retirement may not be on the cards, a growing number of former business owners are opting for ‘micro-retirement’: a strategic pause before diving into their next venture. Rather than stepping away entirely, micro-retirement offers the flexibility to take a break, reassess career goals, and re-enter the business world with fresh energy and perspective. This is an option which is proving increasingly popular with younger workers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, who are redefining the…
For the UK to become net zero by 2050, every business and organisation must play its part. However, a combination of regulations and having the resources available mean large enterprises have taken the lead in transitioning to net zero. This may have helped enable the UK to improve its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), but it has also led to downstream consequences for UK SMEs. Already, SMEs are feeling the effect of the switch to net zero, despite not having clear regulations in place. According to the 2024 UK Net Zero Business Census, around 37% of SMEs have been asked to…
Matt Bailey, workplace analytics specialist at Matrix Booking explores how data-driven insights can help organisations balance occupancy levels and adapt to changing work patterns. Facilities and workplace managers have been at the forefront of addressing and navigating evolving challenges, from sustainability demands to the rapid adoption of hybrid work. It’s a role that requires agile and adaptable workspace strategies – something that only continues to gain momentum. In fact, the push for flexible work arrangements presents both opportunities and challenges for facilities and workplace managers. Initiatives like the four-day workweek, backed by Labour’s push to grant full-time workers the right…
Grant funding is one of the most powerful, yet underutilised, tools for business growth. It provides non-dilutive capital – allowing businesses to innovate, scale, and drive economic impact. However, the competition can be fierce, and success depends on far more than just meeting the eligibility criteria. The most successful applications look at a grant as an investment – funders want to see a return, whether in innovation, job creation, or industry advancement. Streamlion Consulting have supported over 775 businesses with expert guidance on funding, growth strategies, and business development—helping them secure more than £14.5 million in direct funding and driving over…
Leading UK technology consultancy expert highlights the necessity for a constantly evolving target operating model (TOM) curated to specific organisational needs. Across all industries, IT leaders are ramping up AI adoption plans in the year ahead alongside cybersecurity, cloud and privacy needs. According to ITPro’s 2025 Future Focus report, over three-quarters (78%) of surveyed IT leaders state that AI will be one of their top three focuses in 2025. Additionally, nearly a quarter (24%) intend to spend between 21% and 31% of their IT budget on AI alone this year. Notably, however, this report highlighted that IT leaders currently have difficulties with AI adoption and deployment,…
93% of finance decision makers in the UK believe that their company’s pension scheme is posing a risk to their business’ balance sheet, according to new research from LawDeb. This comes despite the fact that 86% of DB schemes currently have a surplus. The findings reveal that 7% of respondents believe their pension scheme presents a significant risk, while 57% categorise it as a moderate risk. A further 29% agree that their scheme brings limited risk, leaving only 6% of decision-makers who see no risk at all from their pension scheme. Among the top drivers of risk, cyber threats -…
Leading business transformation consultancy, Explic8, has announced the launch of its innovative ‘Customer eXperience Maturity Test’, designed to help organisations assess and enhance their CX strategies. The test provides a detailed analysis of businesses’ current CX models and evaluates their approach under the three dimensions of customer service: Ease, Effectiveness and Emotion. By undergoing the assessment, businesses can identify their current position within the CX maturity continuum and uncover gaps and opportunities in their CX strategies. They can then leverage these insights to develop tailored action plans to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction. Ian Nicholls, founder of Explic8, said: “For businesses…
Pistachio Design, a leading creative agency known for its bold, innovative design solutions, is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025. Founded by two creative leaders in 2005, Pistachio started as a small, ambitious creative agency with big dreams. Fast forward to today, and you’re looking at an established, forward-thinking agency that’s made its mark across branding, design, animation and digital communications. A journey of ingenuity and collaboration Pistachio was created to fill a gap in the market for brands wanting agile, creative support. From the very start, the agency focused on delivering more than just great creative — it sought…