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Scaling a business

Use our selection of guides, links, books and articles to find more information on growing your business.
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Bonus episode: How to tackle late payments

ICAEW’s Iain Wright talks with the government's newly appointed Small Business Commissioner Emma Jones CBE.
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Growing your business

The business is established and you are ready to expand. Support for owners of growing business, including information on sources of additional funding, expansion, exporting options and restructuring.
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ICAEW support

Scale-up series: An introduction to scaling up

Understand what scaling up means, how to identify when a business is ready and first steps to take.
Read more

Accessing finance

Financing a growing business
  • Helpsheets and support
An overview of finance options for growing businesses, highlighting which types best support different growth plans from launching new products to international expansion. Guidance includes questions to ask when considering finance options and tips on getting the most from your bank.
Equity vs debt
  • Helpsheets and support
Whether to chose equity or debt finance is one of the first questions that business owners need to tackle. Explore the differences, the benefits of each and other considerations.
Managing your cash flow
  • Helpsheets and support
Economic uncertainty can affect cash flow. Get guidance on how best to manage cash in your business, including working across business functions and communicating with debtors.
Where to find the right advice
  • Helpsheets and support
Good independent financial advice throughout your business journey is invaluable. Find out how you can secure the right support.

Business Finance Guide

This independent guide provides entrepreneurs, SMEs and growing businesses with information on the finance options that are available to them throughout their business finance journey.
Debt finance options Equity finance options
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Business performance management

Business men talking about shop layout retail
Balanced scorecard
  • Hub page
Use our selection of books, articles, links and guides to find more information and guidance on the balanced scorecard.
Green yellow and red peppers at supermarket
Benchmarking
  • Hub page
Use our selection of books, articles, links and guides to find more information and guidance on using benchmarking.
Designer in studio small business
BPM tools, templates and case studies
  • Hub page
Tools, templates and case studies to help you manage your business's performance.
Smiling business women working together on contract documents
KPIs
  • Hub page
Gain insights and inform decision-making with these essential business tools.
Lorry driving down road
Purchasing and supply chain management
  • Hub page
Our resources can help you with finding and managing suppliers, purchasing, managing stock and planning for supply chain disruption.
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Sales and marketing
  • Hub page
Increase your sales and brand impact.

Exporting

Navigating International Trade Challenges
  • Webinar
  • 10 Jul 2024
Involved in international trade? Delve into critical topics that impact businesses worldwide with this webinar from the Tax Faculty.
How to futureproof your business for international trade
  • Article
  • 14 Nov 2024
What are the critical considerations for building a firm base for future overseas trade? Charles Platts, Chair of ICAEW’s Global Trade Community, outlines the basics.
Ecommerce lessons from Boden’s export success
  • Article
  • 12 Nov 2024
For fashion retailer Boden, direct to customer routes established the brand and brought a large, loyal international following in markets such as the US and Germany.
Exporting goods: how to nail the paperwork
  • Article
  • 21 Mar 2024
Greater international trade will have huge economic benefits for the UK, but red tape is putting many companies off the process. Here’s what you need to know.
Trading with the world post-Brexit: what you need to know
  • Article
  • 15 Jul 2024
Post-Brexit, UK-based SMEs are exploring trading opportunities with the rest of the world. Managers should take these steps to make the most of the UK’s free trade deals.
EU trading post-Brexit: what you need to know
  • Article
  • 15 Jul 2024
The EU remains the UK’s largest trade partner, yet despite the business benefits of international trade, many SMEs are deterred by a lack of know-how and fears over higher costs and more administration.
More support

Managing growth

Growing your business
  • Article
The business is established and you are ready to expand. Support for owners of growing business, including information on sources of additional funding, expansion, exporting options and restructuring.
Scale-up series: An introduction to scaling up
  • Webinar
Understand what scaling up means, how to identify when a business is ready and first steps to take.
Investment vs organic growth
  • Article
Dr Gavin Scrub looks at the reasons for, and consequences of, early funding decisions
Scale-up forecasting amid uncertainty
  • Article
How to grow: agile forecasting is a strategic imperative for growing businesses and how members can help clients navigate uncertainty with confidence.
How to grow: financial planning for scaling up
  • Article
Trying to scale a business without a solid financial plan can only end in disarray. A leading portfolio CFO explains what that plan should look like.
How to Grow: key considerations for scaling a business
  • Article
Vision, structure, strategy and the importance of a focused mindset and constant self-growth were highlighted as essential factors for scaling a business at ICAEW’s Scale-Up Live.
Scaling up: how to build flexibility into your strategy
  • Article
How to grow: scaling a business isn’t just about growth, it’s about growth with resilience – especially during these times of greater uncertainty.
How to get your pricing strategy right and increase business profitability
  • Article
Value has to be the primary driver in setting a pricing strategy. Andreas Hinterhuber’s research shows that business efforts to increase prices result in higher profitability than those to reduce costs. Here he explains the key components for increased business profitability.
More articles

New markets

Use our guides to keep informed on the latest on your industry and help kick-start research into new markets. Find market research reports, economic forecasts, tax information, import and export details, trade bodies and trade journals.

Globe
Country resources
  • Hub page
Resources on over 170 countries and territories including economic forecasts, guides to doing business and information on the tax climate in each jurisdiction.
Industry guides
  • Listing
Do you need to find industry specific information for a client or to gain an understanding of a new market for business?
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Company research
  • Article
Keep informed with the latest intelligence on your industry, competitors, and markets.
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Industry profiles
  • Listing
In-depth briefings on a wide range of industries, to help you navigate the business landscape with confidence. Written, researched and fact-checked by ICAEW librarians.

ICAEW Business Advice Service

Grow your business with trusted business advice. We connect entrepreneurs, start-ups, and SMEs with ICAEW regulated accountancy firms who will provide a free initial consultation without obligation.
Find out more Search for a BAS firm
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Sustainable growth

UK sustainability reporting requirements
  • Helpsheets and support
Access resources that explain current reporting requirements in relation to sustainability.
European Sustainability Reporting and Assurance
  • Helpsheets and support
An overview of the EU legal framework for sustainability reporting, under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards
  • Helpsheets and support
On this page, the Corporate Reporting Faculty provides an introduction to the work of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and its IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards.
Why nature matters to businesses
  • Listing
All businesses depend on nature, but nature is deteriorating rapidly and biodiversity is being lost faster than at any time in human history. This poses growing physical risks to businesses, capital providers and the wider finance system that cannot be ignored.
Connecting sustainability and finance
  • Thought leadership report
A practical guide offering support on how finance professionals can better connect sustainability and information, performance and disclosures. And a look ahead as to what this means for the future of corporate reporting.
Embedding nature into business decision-making
  • Listing
With nature risks rising, and opportunities ahead for those that embrace a nature positive transition, business and finance institutions can't afford to ignore nature.

Tax

Capital allowances
  • Hub page
Access expert commentary and practical guidance from ICAEW on capital allowances within the UK tax regime
Employment taxes
  • Hub page
Practical guidance, commentary and support on employment taxation, including: benefits and expenses, company car tax, national insurance, PAYE and real-time information, and the taxation of intermediaries.
MTD and VAT
  • Helpsheets and support
The first stage of HMRC's Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme focuses on VAT and imposes new requirements keeping on some VAT registered businesses and organisations from April 2019.
Research and development
  • Hub page
Expert commentary and practical guidance from ICAEW on reliefs related to research and development within the UK corporation tax regime.

Technology

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Artificial intelligence
  • Hub page
Expand your Accounting Intelligence with ICAEW's practical AI resources
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Cyber security
  • Hub page
Cybercrime and threats to computer systems have become a major concern of businesses around the world. This resource centre provides a focal point for ICAEW members looking for support in managing cyber risks.
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Cloud computing
  • Hub page
ICAEW's guidance with which to establish the over-arching principles of software procurement.

Webinars

Transformation series: Delivering a sustainability reporting transformation
  • Webinar
  • 19 Mar 2025
25 April
Scale up series: Building your network and communication skills
  • Webinar
  • 19 Mar 2025
1 April
Think, feel, thrive: practical tools for managing stress and pressure
  • Webinar
  • 19 Mar 2025
25 March
Exclusive Funding for business: get investment ready and explore funding options
  • Webinar
  • 13 Mar 2025
Aimed primarily at manufacturing businesses, this webinar will inform you about available commercial funding and how to get it.
More webinars

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 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.
Exclusive Grow by focusing on what matters: competitive strategy in 3 circles
  • eBook
  • 2011
  • James H. Davis, Joel E. Urbany
  • Business Expert Press
Guide to business growth from a US perspective.
Exclusive Growing business handbook: inspiration and advice from successful entrepreneurs and fast growing UK companies, The
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Adam Jolly
  • Kogan Page
A guide to maximising growth and controlling risk.
Exclusive Growing your business: making human resources work for you
  • eBook
  • 2008
  • Robert A. Baron, Scott Shane
  • Business Expert Press
This book provides the information needed by an entrepreneur starting a new venture to choose your initial team of cofounders and employees. It gives detail of selecting, recruiting and retaining high-performing talent and motivating employees.
Exclusive Numbers business: how to grow a successful cloud accountancy practice
  • eBook
  • 2018
  • Della Hudson
  • SRA Books
This book is a road map that will help a qualified professional to start and grow a successful business from scratch.
Exclusive Unwritten rules of M&A: mergers and acquisitions that deliver growth- learning from private equity
  • eBook
  • 2024
  • John Colley
  • Palgrave Macmillan
This book helps to navigate the difficult terrain faced by boards wishing to grow through acquisition. It identifies which strategies are more likely to be effective and how the chosen strategy largely determines the form of integration.
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.

More eBooks

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 business growth. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
The business life of an entrepreneur
  • Library book
  • 2025
  • A. Lane
  • LexisNexis
A short digest focusing on key tax issues of concern to entrepreneurs in business. Sections cover issues including starting a business, developing a business, profit extraction, selling a business, and protecting family wealth.
The business start up guide
  • Library book
  • 2021
  • A.Pink
  • Tunbridge Wells
A practical and jargon free guide to the essential things every entrepreneur needs to know when setting up a business. Chapters include: the business plan; raising business finance; structuring a business tax efficiently; promotion and marketing; controlling overheads; common mistakes in business.
Growing by numbers: how to scale up your small business with confidence
  • Library book
  • 2020
  • D. 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.

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

Can't find what you're looking for?

The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.

Join the Small and Micro Business Community

Whether you work with small businesses or run your own, our new Community has practical resources to help at every stage of the business journey from starting out and focusing on growth to being well-established. The community is open to members and non-members.
Find out more
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Resources
Resources for ICAEW members in business
Business support

Thought leadership, insights, technical resources and professional guidance to support ICAEW members working in industry with their professional development.

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Economy and business environment

Make sense of the ever-changing world with upheaval and disruption all around us. The world in which we operate never stays the same, our content helps you stay on top of it.

Resources
Restructuring and turnarounds hub

Resources to help steer businesses through restructuring or insolvency interventions.

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Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.