A brand represents a customer’s perception of a business and can represent the entire customer experience. Often when we think of a product, the first thing that pops to mind is a certain company’s brand, from Coca-cola to Apple.
Today, there’s a seemingly infinite number of brands for consumers to choose from. Small businesses are then presented with a tricky challenge: how do they make their brand stand out from the crowd?
Office design specialist Diamond Interiors often encounter businesses in the process of establishing or re-establishing their brand who want their …

By Mike Ianiri, Equinox
On a chilly day do you ever dream of packing your bags and moving your family and your job to your dream location?  Perhaps you’d like to live and work on a gorgeous sunny beach in the Caribbean! If so, what technology and telecoms will you need to make this happen?  Here are some tips to get you on the move.
 
Laptops etc
On the beach you don’t want a hefty laptop. Something like an Apple Macbook Air will work better or the Dell Rugged Extreme range if …

My name is Marianna Boguslavsky, I’m in my thirties, and I have a two year old son- I also run a niche digital strategy agency, http://www.boguslavskyandco.com I have an incredibly supportive husband and part of the reason I have managed to run my business whilst having a baby (I worked whilst I was in labour as I did not want to let my clients down). It has go  tten easier with time as now my son is a toddler and goes to playschool part-time. Thus I have three days a week to …

The proliferation of digital devices means that we’re constantly connected to the office wherever we might be, making it difficult to switch off from work and increase stress levels even more than it should. Last year, the Office of National Statistics released figures that revealed three million UK employees work more than 48 hours a week, a rise of a quarter of a million since 2001
Whether it’s a two-week holiday or a twenty-minute respite at lunch, Lucinda Pullinger, Global Head of HR at Instant Offices explains why it is important for workers to …

In modern business circles, advice groups and seminars, having a “growth mindset” is lauded as a vital part of doing business well. It’s even become a way of life for some entrepreneurs. It’s been the maxim of all those who dare to dream they could be the next Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg or Arianna Huffington: those leaders whose companies grew fast and took over the world.
But is it really that simple?
Nick Pollitt, Managing Director of office design specialists Diamond Interiors, thinks not. “We work with a lot of businesses that …

Imagine you are a work-at-home mum who makes a living as a freelance writer. The nature of your work legally defines you as a contractor, although the designation is a mere formality. Now you are wondering if what you do for a living could possibly prevent you from getting a mortgage. Well, worry no more. There are mortgages available for work-at-home contractors of all kinds.
Getting a mortgage as a contractor does require a bit more effort. However, one of the benefits of being an independent contractor is having a bit …

By Neha and Dipe Rajani, Founders of Sonality
The babies and childrenswear market is changing fast, with new and young mums more interested in what their children wear, and where it comes from, than ever before. Social Media and awareness of the environment are driving many of these changes. So what are the trends we should be looking out for?
 

Personalisation/Customisation

For a while now, personalised clothing has been making its way to the forefront of kid’s fashion. Being able to add a unique touch to your clothes really helps you stand out …

By Mike Ianiri, Equinox
It seems that Artificial intelligence (AI) is being talked about everywhere. But what is it and can it improve telecoms (whether that is landline, VoIP, Mobile or fibre/copper broadband) in your business?
What is AI?
Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning (the acquisition of information and rules for using the information), reasoning (using rules to reach approximate or definite conclusions) and self-correction.
In summary, AI is about getting machines to think like humans. This means there are a …

When someone is absent from work, the remaining staff may take on the extra load. But when they come in to work sick, everyone is at risk of catching a cold – which is worse?

It will not come as a surprise to any business owners that an employee’s absence from work can be a disruption.

According to a report by ERS Research and Consultancy, sickness absence costs UK businesses an estimated £29bn annually with the average worker taking 6.6 days off each year.

It can cause a range of problems: work doesn’t …

Business expenses for the self-employed: join an HMRC webinar to find out what business expenses are, what is and isn’t allowable and how using simplified expenses can save you time.
Choose a date and time
Car expenses for the self-employed: If you use a car in your business, you can find out about simplified expenses, calculating the actual costs, leasing a car and personal contract purchases.
Choose a date and time
Additional support can be found in our online guide to self-employed business expenses.
The HMRC Online Customer Forum is also a good place to go …