SME

Thinking outside the box

Nicolas Bouv�, head of the renowned chocolatiers Godiva, tells Virginia Matthews why he feels bullish despite the gloom

Inside SME

A recession can be a good time to start your own business

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

As in previous recessions, new businesses are being seen as a way out of the downturn. People being made redundant or not able to find jobs are urged to, in effect, create their own work by starting their own businesses.

Jargon buster

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Marketing objectivesBefore spending time and money on any marketing campaign, it is important to be clear about exactly what you want to achieve. For example, is it to increase sales by 10 per cent with a targeted direct mail campaign or is it to raise brand awareness, perhaps by a strategic advertising campaign in the national press? Once you've defined your marketing objectives you can decide on the best form of marketing to achieve them, and then measure the effectiveness of your campaign.

Business profile: Jim Harrison and the Thornbridge Brewery

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

‘We hired brewers of the highest calibre’

How naivety may have helped one couple set up their business

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Henry Braham and Glynis Murray work in the film industry – but launched Good Oil in 2004 after stumbling across hemp seed oil's nutty taste and nutritional benefits. Today, the company has a turnover of £1m

Book review: Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing the World, by Don Tapscott

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

How Generation Y can transform companies

Adventures in micro-business: Am I too old for the bank to finance my business?

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Professor Russell Smith answers your queries, and profiles a small business facing a big challenge

Business monthly: news in brief

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Season of the switchThe price comparison and switching site uSwitch.com has launched a service to help Britain's estimated 4.7 million small businesses obtain a better deal on energy. The move is in response to growing numbers of calls from SMEs keen to cut costs because of the recession. It is claimed the service – www.uswitchforbusiness.com – could help SMEs save up to 50 per cent on energy bills.

Can a luxury travel company survive another recession?

Tuesday, 3 February 2009

Andrew Dunn's luxury travel company, Scott Dunn, survived one recession by tempting would-be shareholders with free holidays. How is he preparing this time round?

Roger Trapp: An effective use of technology is vital for small businesses

Tuesday, 3 February 2009

For a quarter of a century, the oil company Shell has been helping young would-be entrepreneurs get started in business. Shell LiveWIRE began in the Strathclyde region of Scotland in 1982 in an effort to combat the high youth unemployment of the area caused by the recession of the early 1980s. It was rolled out across the UK later that decade, and has since been introduced to countries around the world, to the extent that five million people around the globe have had contact with the scheme's programmes.