Contents
- Latest on business start-up
- Topics in depth
- Advice and reports
- Webinars
- eBooks
- Business press
- Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection
- External resources - GOV.UK
- External resources - Small business organisations
- External resources - Other sources of information
- External resources - Reports
- External resources - Business guides
Latest on business start-up
Read our latest features and articles on starting a business.
Is record pay growth a good sign for businesses?
- Article
- 12 Sep 2023
As the latest Office for National Statistics figures reveal a climb in wage growth, especially in the finance and business services sector, ICAEW experts explain what this means for business.
ICAEW recommendations to address SME finance woes
- Article
- 08 Sep 2023
In its response to the Treasury Committee's call for evidence, ICAEW laments the availability of finance for small business, and sees a role for government in boosting lending to SMEs, following concerns over a deepening access to finance crisis.
Respect for economic institutions key to growth, say MPs
- Article
- 24 Jul 2023
Shadow ministers highlight UK’s current growth-policy shortfalls and set out Labour’s plans for restoring nation’s economic fortunes, at ICAEW-hosted Labour Business Network event.
UK pensions superfund could halt pensions decline
- Article
- 26 Jun 2023
The UK’s first “superfund” proposes to undo years of capital market decline through the creation of large pension funds.
Spring Budget: is it pro business growth?
- Article
- 30 May 2023
The Budget contained tax announcements designed to support business growth. We assess how these measures were received and their drawbacks.
How the British Business Bank puts purpose first
- Article
- 26 May 2023
New CEO Louis Taylor explains how the British Business Bank is increasing the focus on delivering growth to the UK.
Access to finance: alternatives to high street banks
- Article
- 25 May 2023
Traditional banks’ enthusiasm for business lending may be muted, but at a time when the UK economy is hungry for growth, there are still other finance options for companies to explore.
Money, money, money: protecting against bank failures
- Article
- 23 May 2023
If recent bank failures are making you twitchy, what can you do to mitigate the risk of losing your hard-earned business deposits?
Topics in depth
Business names
Our latest features, books, articles and guides on all aspects of choosing a company name.
Advice and reports
ICAEW BAS
ICAEW’s Business Advice Service puts small and medium business owners in touch with both ICAEW members or regulated ICAEW member firms who can provide a free initial consultation, without obligation, to discuss any business issues the owners are facing.
Exclusive
Special report - Growing your business
This report is primarily aimed at smaller businesses seeking to grow and develop and to achieve their full potential through practical guidance and advice.
Starting your business
You’ve taken the plunge and decided to start trading. The first few months spent getting the business up and running are likely to be very hectic. So before getting the business off the ground, it pays to get all the necessary administrative chores out the way.
Webinars
Risk management considerations for SMEs in challenging market conditions
- Webinar
- 14 Oct 2022
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar giving an in-depth overview of the SME market, the current economic conditions and challenges being faced and the specific risks SMEs are facing when starting up.
Top tips for starting a business
- Webinar
- 12 May 2022
Hear from fellow ICAEW members who will share with you their journeys from taking the first steps, launching, then fast forward to running a successful business.
Disruptors, innovators, start-ups - exploring roles for accountants
- Webinar
- 22 Mar 2021
Considering making a move from a practice or established corporate world into a start-up, or exploring expanding your portfolio into this space? Hear insights and experience from our panel of speakers.
eBooks
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.
Exclusive
Art of business valuation : accurately valuing a small business
- eBook
- 2020
- Gregory R. Caruso
- Wiley
This book examines a range of questions you may encounter in a valuation process. The book will supply helpful solutions to common issues that arise when a small business is valued.
Exclusive
Business start up bundle for dummies
- eBook
- 2020
- Colin Barrow
- John Wiley & Sons
A one stop shop to all your business start-up needs! Covers everything budding entrepreneurs need to know to get their business up and running. Whether readers are just starting out, planning a new venture, setting up at home or extending a current business online, this book is all they need to succeed.
Exclusive
Exploring strategy
- eBook
- 2017
- Gerry Johnson, Richard Whittington, Patrick Regnér, Kevan Scholes, and Duncan Angwin
- Pearson Education Limited
This book has long been the essential strategy text for managers of today and tomorrow. From entrepreneurial start-ups to multinationals, charities to government agencies, this book raises the big questions about organisations- how they grow, how they innovate and how they change.
Exclusive
Financial Times guide to business start up 2017/18
- eBook
- 2016
- Sara Williams
- FT Publishing International
Startup guide for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Exclusive
Winning with partners: a practical guide to international expansion for SMEs
- eBook
- 2013
- David Sellings, Viveka Odlen Persson
- Me4U
Aimed at managers of small-to-medium size companies (SMEs) interested in establishing a partner-based export business.
Exclusive
Starting a successful business
- eBook
- 2011
- M. J. Morris
- Kogan Page
Step-by-step guide to starting and running a small business.
Exclusive
Consultant's quick start guide: an action plan for your first year in business, The
- eBook
- 2009
- Elaine Blech
- Pfeiffer
A guide to working as a consultant from a US perspective.
Exclusive
Essential business finance: a complete guide to starting, expanding and selling your business
- eBook
- 2009
- Paul Barrow
- Kogan Page
An introduction to finance aimed at the average business manager.
Terms of use
You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.
Business press
The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive
The Silicon Valley Bank Hangover
- Article
- 03 Apr 2023
- Lizette Chapman
The failure of venture capital’s favourite financial institution, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), is a sign of more trouble to come for the technology sector. SVB's failure can be seen as a symptom of problems in a venture capital industry hit by interest-rate hikes, says Joshua Brustein. As a consequence, startup companies are likely to have to start taking money on less attractive terms.
Exclusive
Feature: the pros of the Hybrid Start-Up
- Article
- 01 Mar 2023
- Nathan Furr, Kate O'Keeffe
How established companies can create a 'Hybrid Start-Up' - a new model that combines the best of people, processes, and resources from both inside and outside the company. Evidence suggests that it is two or three times as likely as an independent start-up to succeed.
Exclusive
When best to scale up
- Article
- 01 Mar 2023
- Hamdi Ulukaya
A new study sheds light on the debate into how fast a high-growth company should scale up. From examining job postings from 38,000 start-ups, the researchers found those start-ups that had scaled up in the first year were 20-40% more likely than others to have failed. They also found that using A/B testing software significantly raised a start-up's odds of success.
Exclusive
The key to a successful business scale-up
- Article
- 01 Jan 2023
- Martin Kupp, Jeffrey F.Rayport, Davide Sola
How to master the “extrapolation” stage, when business start-ups begin to focus on profitability, not just growth. The authors share their advice, based on their experience teaching business school courses on scaling up enterprises and their analysis of dozens of rapidly growing start-ups.
Exclusive
Startups that grew fast learn shrinking can be just as hard
- Article
- 15 Aug 2022
- Aggi Cantrill, Olivia Solon
Lessons from dismissal methods chosen by downsizing companies - there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. Some start-ups try to make redundancies exceptionally quickly, but find employees who stay lose a lot of trust.
Exclusive
A 'radical' market data approach to startup valuations
- Article
- 01 Apr 2022
Valuation professional Michael Blake has issued a challenge to appraisers of early-stage companies: add rationality to valuing startups by relying more heavily on market inputs. The article covers some of the non-standard sources of market data recommended by Blake for valuing startups.
Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection
The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a range of articles, books and reports on starting a business. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Growing by numbers: how to scale up your small business with confidence
- Library book
- 2020
- Della Hudson
- SRA Books
This authoritative, motivating and highly practical guide will take you step-by-step through everything you need to think about, know and do to get your business into the best possible shape for growth.
Financial management for technology start-ups: a handbook for growth
- Library book
- 2017
- A.Bhimani
- Kogan Page
A book to help you with the specific know-how required to successfully manage costs, track profit opportunities and monetize your tech start-up.
External resources - GOV.UK
Get help and support for your business
- GOV.UK
The Business Support Helpline telephone numbers for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and information on getting advice and financial help for your business.
Growing your business
- GOV.UK
This guide can help you think about how to grow your business. It covers getting extra funding, increasing sales to existing customers, attracting new customers, improving your products and services, developing new products and services, hiring and training staff and working with a mentor.
HMRC Customer Forums
- GOV.UK
HMRC Forums where you can ask questions and get top tips on a range of business tax topics, including starting and growing your business.
Help to Grow
- GOV.UK
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT)'s new Help to Grow website aims to support the UK’s 5.5 million businesses in upskilling, business growth, and boosting profits. It provides guidance and support to take businesses from start-ups, to scaling-up and then exporting their goods and services globally. The website is targeted at helping businesses of all sizes but especially SMEs.
Setting up
- GOV.UK
Comprehensive guidance from the government on starting and growing a new business. There are many links and resources, including Company registration and filing information.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
External resources - Small business organisations
British Chambers of Commerce
- British Chambers of Commerce
The website of the network of Chambers of Commerce across the UK provides information on their activities and a tool to find your local Chamber of Commerce.
European Commission: Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
- European Commission
Portal for EC information and resources for SMEs, with business-related links and guides to EU legislation and financing programmes.
Family Business UK
- Family Business UK
A growing body of family businesses working to support the UK family-owned business sector (formerly named the Institute for Family Business, IFB). The organisation will work to promote the role of the family business model in the UK economy, and also support and advise family businesses to invest, grow and sustain for the long-term.
Family Business United
- Family Business United
Resources and useful features for family-run businesses, including upcoming events for the sector and The Family Business Top 100, a list showcasing some of the best family businesses across the UK.
Federation of Small Businesses
- Federation of Small Businesses
The FSB publish the quarterly Voice of Small Business Index which provides a picture of the UK economy from the point of view of the small business owner. The index looks at employment, revenues and the confidence of small firms and provides information on regional businesses with a breakdown by sector across the UK.
Forum of private business
- Forum of Private Business
Not-for-profit membership organisation which provides guidance and support for SMEs and aims to 'represent small businesses views and be their voice in government'.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
External resources - Other sources of information
A guide to government support for small businesses
- The Pitch
A quick guide to government support for SMEs from The Pitch, an independent pitching competition for startups. It covers what support is available to SMEs - at a national and local level - and how and where to access it.
British Library Business & IP Centre
- British Library
The British Library's Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Centre incorporates services and information aimed at entrepreneurs and small business owners, including expert advisers to talk through your ideas and a wide range of essential information to help you research your market and start your own business.
Business Growth Fund
- BGF
BGF is an investment partner for growing companies in every sector of the economy, providing tools businesses need to grow, from funding to expertise.
Cobweb
- Cobweb
Cobweb is an independent publisher of practical and easy to understand information for business start-ups and small business owners, and for the advisers, professionals, and organisations that guide and support them.
Growth Business UK
- Bonhill Group plc
Practical tips and resources for established businesses undergoing rapid expansion.
Quick Books Resource Centre
- Intuit Inc
Comprehensive collection of guides and tips hosted by Intuit QuickBooks on starting and running a small business. A UK-based version of the portal is also available.
Startups.
- Startups.
Online resource for those starting or running a small business. The website includes start-up guides for over 50 different business sectors, business start-up news, success stories and advice on finding finance and recruiting and managing staff.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
External resources - Reports
Equitable equity: Increasing and diversifying finance for high-growth SMEs in the UK's regions
- 2017
- Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)
High-growth businesses often struggle to access finance - particularly from investors or crowdfunding. This report investigates how the UK can open up access to all sources of finance for successful SMEs across the country.
The ambitious entrepreneur: Tackling your barriers to growth
- 2021
- BDO
A study exploring the various barriers to growth that ambitious businesses in the UK face as they look to build, grow and scale their business. An accompanying hub of articles and resources to support high growth businesses is available.
Understanding the characteristics of high growth companies using non-traditional data sources
- 2019
- Data Science Campus
Report exploring how non-traditional data sources and data science methods can be combined with more conventional business data, to help understand the characteristics and behaviours of high growth companies. A follow-up update explores whether firms engaging in certain management practices were more likely to be classed as high-growth.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
External resources - Business guides
Creating a valuable business
- Atom Content Marketing
A LawDonut guide to making strategic decisions that can help create and maintain a valuable business. Running a business often involves reacting to circumstances, making minor decisions that have a limited, short-term impact. In contrast, creating a valuable business is about taking strategic decisions that have a lasting effect.
Essential guide to financing your start-up business
- Atom Content Marketing
The right start-up financing gives your new business a solid financial base. It makes sure you have the funding to cover your short-term needs and to make the most of opportunities to grow.
Increasing productivity
- Atom Content Marketing
Building long-term profitability allows you to grow your business and your own personal rewards from it. Creating and increasing profitability depends on doing many little things better than the competition.
Role of the company secretary
- Atom Content Marketing
An outline of the role and responsibilities of the company secretary from the Law Donut
Source green suppliers and equipment
- Atom Content Marketing
Opportunities to source your business supplies, raw materials or finished goods from environmentally-friendly suppliers are increasing. Benefits can include getting the edge on the competition, cost savings and tax breaks, better prospects with lenders and investors, and a boost to your firm’s marketing.
Strategic acquisitions
- Atom Content Marketing
An acquisition could increase the size and profitability of your business overnight. But an acquisition can also bring problems, draining financial and management resources from your original business.
Your money and your business
- Atom Content Marketing
As the owner-manager of a small or medium enterprise, your own financial affairs are likely to be closely entwined with the way you run your business.
Terms of use
ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.
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