Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley, who has died aged 91, leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as a pioneering woman in technology, a refugee who became one of the UK’s most generous philanthropists, and a leader who transformed the lives of thousands. Publisher of SME Today and Director of The Great British Expo’s Ltd, Alec Jones Hall, reflects on his personal relationship with Dame Stephanie – a bond forged through shared events, conversations, and mutual respect – and the lasting inspiration she brought to his work and life. I first met Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley when she received our highest accolade –…
Author: sme-admin
Whether it’s rewiring a socket on a Saturday, assembling a flat-pack wardrobe, or lending a hand (and a van) to help someone move house, being a tradesperson can come with some expectations from friends and family. But just how often are they helping out, and what is it costing them? To find out, temporary business van insurance experts Tempcover commissioned a survey of 500 tradespeople to uncover the scale and impact of “mates’ rates” across the UK’s trade community. Always on Call: How Often Tradespeople Are Lending a Hand Trade-related favours for friends and family are a regular part of life for…
Steve Daniels, co-founder and CSO of PE, shares practical insights gained from scaling, exiting and building multi-sector businesses over three decades. Steve Daniels is passionate about championing the nation’s SMEs. With a career history spanning three decades – and having founded and scaled several businesses himself- he has a unique, first-hand perspective on the challenges and opportunities faced. Now his company helps business owners and leaders to save time, reduce costs, boost profitability, and operate more sustainably. Through PE, the UK’s largest independent largest business-to-business energy supplier, Steve and his team not only deliver electricity and gas, but a full…
Will Williamson, director of JDR Group, a digital marketing agency in Derby offers marketing advice to SMEs discussing how the way in which people are finding companies and organisations online is changing and what they should do about it. Just when everybody got used to SEO and the importance of getting your brand to the top of Google, it’s all change in the world of website searches, thanks to – you’ve guessed it – AI. We had already seen a change in this area, with younger internet users preferring to look for brands and products by using social media sites…
With ‘employee training’ Google searches up 40% in five years from 10,000 to 15,000 monthly in the UK, it is clear that people are searching for support, but bringing it up can still feel awkward. Arwa Due-Gundersen, Senior Business Development Manager at Cambridge Advance Online, part of the University of Cambridge Online, says employees shouldn’t feel like they have to push for development on their own. Actively encouraging training and development can have many benefits: Development opportunities encourage retention – 41% of employees surveyed by McKinsey left their last role due to a lack of career advancement and development opportunities, the most common…
Is anything actually free in business? Helen Steel, Managing Director at Streamlion Consulting and a seasoned grants expert, has often heard the term “free money” thrown around when discussing business grants. But as she knows from experience, nothing in business truly comes without cost. In this article, Helen unpacks the hidden time, effort, and commitments behind grants and other so-called “free” offers, revealing why these opportunities are far from free despite appearances. The Reality of “Free Money” in Grants Let’s start with grants. Often called “free money,” these funding opportunities seem like a dream come true for businesses. But hold…
From escape rooms to axe throwing, crazy golf to darts, the competitive socialising sector has been growing in popularity over the last few years. More and more consumers are turning to fun, engaging and interactive experiences to let off steam, and this doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon. Research from market intelligence agency Mintel shows that participation in competitive socialising activities increased by 13 per cent between 2019 and 2023, while 26 per cent of consumers stated they were visiting competitive socialising venues more often in 2024 than in the previous year. Equally, of the UK adults who…
The Bank of England has cut its base rate to 4.0%, signalling a shift towards supporting economic growth after months of speculation. For UK SMEs, the decision offers some breathing space, yet business leaders and analysts agree that underlying challenges remain — from stubborn inflation to tightening access to finance. SME Impact in Brief Borrowing costs fall – The cut to 4.0% will ease repayment pressure and make growth-focused investment more affordable for SMEs. Inflation still bites – Stubborn price rises in services, food, and energy are keeping operational costs high, limiting the full benefit of cheaper borrowing. Funding access…
ESCP Business School’s London Campus has been awarded the Small Business Charter (SBC) accreditation, reinforcing its commitment to empowering UK SMEs through business education, training, and community collaboration. This enables ESCP to deliver the UK Government’s Help to Grow: Management programme, offering SME leaders access to expert-led training to support long-term recovery, resilience, and innovation. This recognition highlights the school’s strong commitment to fostering student entrepreneurship and its support for SMEs and start-ups in its local community of North London through specialised programmes and consultancy initiatives. ESCP has partnerships already established with organisations including Camden Council, Barnet Council, One Kilburn, and the French Chamber of…
Athos Rushovich, Director of Specialist Health Distribution at Vitality says that a wealth of data now points to employee health as one of the biggest factors impacting productivity, adding it’s time to get back to basics. Nearly one in five (17%) SME employees in the tech and IT sector say not being able to exercise is impacting their productivity, with 14% flagging musculoskeletal concerns.* This arguably seems like a quick fix. So, why does it remain a nagging issue? Are employers so knee-deep in the complexities of running a business, they’re missing the obvious – the fact that when people…