According to experts, remote work will become one of the major business trends of 2019. The concept of the office has changed over the last decade as employees seek a better work/life balance, and it is expected that 50% of the workforce will be able to work remotely by 2020. The biggest benefit felt by employees regarding remote working is their ability to manage and structure their own time – 65% of employees believe they are more productive working from home. Additionally, the widespread use of the Internet means that …

By Daniel Whytock, Down Your High Street
Despite advances in digital technology Amazon is investing in high street brick and mortar stores. This sounds positive for the future of the high street. Consumers want the best of both online and offline shopping which means they are looking for convenience, choice, a varied, interesting range of shops and businesses.
The future is with omni-channel retail that seamlessly integrates digital technology. This is a key ingredient for high street survival.
However, retail tech is moving very quickly so high street retailers need to move fast …

With solicitors and barristers charging upwards of £150 per hour, many people are now turning to Paralegals who can do much the same as a solicitor or barrister (with a few exceptions) but for a fraction of the cost. Paralegals are currently a growth area with lots of demand for their services.
So, if you are considering setting up your own Paralegal practice, Amanda Hamilton of the National Association of Licenced Paralegals (NALP) has some advice on what you should – and should not – be doing.
Paralegals are not statutorily regulated …

Theresa Goble and Morag McLaren started a business together for the first time in their mid-50s when they felt that the time was right and they had the skills to build a sustainable business.  Their company Vox Integra provides training for professional singers and delivers courses worldwide.  As both cofounders approach their 60s and have 35 years’ experience each in their chosen profession, they realize they are bucking convention for start-ups, which is often seen as a young person’s game.
There’s no perfect age to start a business but if you’re …

If you have a passion for baking, and would like to turn this into a business- or already run a successful cake business, Mums Bake Cakes can offer an additional outlet . Customers input their postcode of where they would like a beautiful homemade cake delivered, and all bakers in that local area are shown- and the customer buys through the site with the order passed to the baker to bake and deliver by hand. All the bakers are fully registered and insured (Mums Bake Cakes helps people through this …

Over 600,000 business were started in the UK in 2015, up almost 4.6% over the previous year. Unfortunately, Dave Millett of independent telecoms brokerage Equinox, is still seeing start-ups making these nine costly mistakes with regards to their telecoms:

A mobile number only on your business card.  Research shows 30% of people do not trust them and therefore will not contact them.  If you only have one mobile you also only have a single voicemail for personal and business calls.  It is all about creating the right first impression.
Using your home …

If you’re struggling to make ends meet, or simply want to earn extra cash, why not embark on a small business venture to help boost your income? There are many things you can do to fill your wallet with cash, so take a look at these interesting ideas.
Set up a mobile company Whether you want to sell food from a little wagon or have your own portable market stall, this could be a great way to fill your spare time. While setting up a business can be testing, anything on …

By Garry Smith, business coach at Advantage Business Partnerships and the co-author of Creating Business Advantage: Setting Up and Running A Successful Business
Perhaps the most important thing for any new business owner to realise is that you need to be ready for constant change, and the stress which can result. Change is now normal and, if you’re not equipped to deal with it, you will fall behind very quickly. However, you can reduce the stress of this by setting up a solid base of policies for your business early on, …

So, you are considering a career in cleaning – but have you got what it takes?
Everybody has the ability to clean – even if we don’t want to, we have to do it to our own homes unless we want to live in filth. Then there are others who actually enjoy doing it and will clean to such an extent you could practically eat your dinner off their shiny surfaces.
But, if you want to make a career out of cleaning you need more than the ability to clean and you …

Having a new baby or young family can be overwhelming, and starting a new business is all consuming. So why do so many mums do both? Despite developing flexible working legislation, many jobs still don’t offer sufficient flexibility, and some mums want the freedom of being their own boss to allow them to prioritise time with their family. Starting a business when you have baby or toddler can be a big challenge, but it is entirely possible too. Here are some pointers from Antonia Chitty of Family Friendly Working, to …