Cut down your energy bills December 16, 2010 IT HAS been a sad few weeks for anyone with a gas or electricity bill to pay. Last week, Npower announced plans to increase electricity and gas prices by 5.1 per cent, bringing to four the number of big energy companies hiking rates this Christmas, bringing the average household’s bill to £1,210. And just yesterday, [...]
Three ways to save your pennies overseas December 16, 2010 IF THE estimates of the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) are to be believed, nearly 4m of us will be heading abroad over Christmas. But whether you’re escaping to sunnier climes or hitting the slopes, here are three tips to help you avoid parting with your cash. 1 BEST CREDIT CARD TO TAKE ABROAD [...]
PERSONAL FINANCE NEWS December 16, 2010 NEW SHARE BROKING FIRM LAUNCHED Rivington Street Holding yesterday launched its execution-only share broking service, promising to cut the cost of share dealing for private investors. Created by Barry Jenkins and Brian Gould, JPJshare.com will charge from £4.75 per trade for those making more than 15 trades a month and £5.75 for less frequent users. [...]
Why your firm needs a a well-informed mentor December 16, 2010 FINDING a mentor is one of the most important things to establish when you start a business. Good accounts and quality market research have their place, but time and again successful entrepreneurs credit the presence of a trusty confidante or adviser as the root of their success. Many are lucky enough to already have expert [...]
TALENT FOR BUSINESS IS INSTINCTIVE December 16, 2010 PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT, LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL We ALL remember the kid who sold sweets to his friends in the school playground (though my sons tell me it’s now more likely to be mobile phones). Although it’s difficult to generalise, entrepreneurs do seem to share some traits. Harvard Business School professor W. A. Sahlman defined entrepreneurship [...]
Over a quarter of SMEs hiring in 2011 December 16, 2010 Over a quarter of small and medium businesses (SME) plan to hire more staff next year, found an Orange SME research. The survey also found that 76 per cent of businesses predict a more prosperous year or the same level of success for their business in 2011. Three-quarters (74 per cent) of SMEs were considering [...]
Bringing business to the bedroom December 16, 2010 Research by T-Mobile shows that over half of small business owners are most likely to turn to their husband or wife for business advice. Partners are trusted over accountants, trade bodies, other small businesses and bank managers as a source of straight talking advice. Behavioral expert Judi James explains that this is because: “Psychologically, talking [...]
Free business funding clinic December 16, 2010 The British Library IP Business Centre is offering a free workshop on how to generate capital for your business. The workshop offers the opportunity to receive a one-to-one 30-minute consultation with an expert from the centre’s “angels den” of venture capitalists drawn from Europe’s largest business angels network. The workshop runs on 22 December, 6, [...]
The outlook for private equity in 2011 December 15, 2010 THE private equity industry has not experienced the bounce back this year that many had been either expecting or hoping for after a very difficult 2009. Yet despite a patchy and volatile 2010, there is a glimmer of hope that the recovery in portfolio values and confidence should become more entrenched in 2011, as bank [...]
Weak banks drag on FTSE as Moody’s warns on Spain December 15, 2010 BRITAIN’S leading share index slipped back yesterday, snapping a four-session winning streak, with banks the worst performers as investors’ risk appetite waned on fresh eurozone debt concerns. The FTSE 100 ended down 9.03 points, or 0.2 per cent at 5,882.18, having finished at its highest close for 30 months on Tuesday after putting on 1.7 [...]