Investec Comment: Why the future is bright for SME finance May 10, 2015 NO ONE needs to be told that it’s been a difficult few years for small businesses seeking finance, and economic recovery has done little to change this picture. The Bank of England’s latest Trends in Lending report found that the annual rate of growth in the stock of lending to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) [...]
Joanne Moore: The lady blazing a trail as the only female master gin distiller in the world May 10, 2015 Distilling alcohol has remained largely a male affair, which is odd, since women have a greater number of tastebuds than men and are better at discerning flavour. But Joanne Moore has risen through a 20-year career in ginmaking to become the only female master distiller in the world. Moore had no intention of becoming a [...]
Razor sharp: Will King talks moving on from King of Shaves, politics, a plan for Tesco and why we need Tinder for voting May 4, 2015 I came, I saw, I shaved, I died’ isn’t how I want to be remembered,” quips Will King. In 1993, he founded King of Shaves, the popular men’s toiletries brand. In frustration over the poor quality of his own products, he turned to his then-girlfriend’s bath oil for a smoother finish. The resulting businesses, including [...]
Investec Comment: What the election could mean for SMEs May 4, 2015 THE RISE of smaller parties across the UK has made this the most difficult General Election to forecast in at least a generation. We know that the SNP is likely to make major gains across Scotland, winning upwards of 40 seats, mostly from Labour. An increased Ukip vote will likely hit the Conservatives harder than [...]
How to crack the UAE May 4, 2015 Nicole Green finds out why relationships are so important when trading with one of Britain’s leading export markets EVEN for ambitious businesses, breaking into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may seem like a challenging prospect. It’s a complex economy, with its own cultural quirks and peculiarities. But it’s also one of the UK’s leading export [...]
A better understanding of risk can unlock finance May 4, 2015 For British manufacturing firms seeking finance, a return to the lending practices of 30 years ago, when decisions were based less on financials and more around “common sense”, may be welcome news. This is according to Mike Hartley, head of commercial credit north at Santander, who says that lenders are now looking more holistically at [...]
Interview: City A.M. talks economics with Santander UK chief economist Barry Naisbitt May 4, 2015 GDP growth slowed to 0.3 per cent in the first quarter. Is the UK economy losing momentum? Growth at 0.3 per cent was a surprise relative to expectations, particularly expectations based on purchasing managers index surveys, retail sales and the like. We do know that GDP figures get revised, however. It seems to me that, [...]
Intelligent design: Made.com co-founder Chloe Macintosh talks knitting and the importance of opportunities April 26, 2015 When Chloe Macintosh sat down with a friend of a friend, she didn’t expect to get a job out of it – or to go on to become the co-founder of e-commerce furniture company Made.com. But Brent Hoberman, co-founder of Lastminute.com and mydeco.com, isn’t any old coffee meet-up – and there’s nothing ordinary or unremarkable [...]
Investec Comment: Asset finance: Everything you need to know April 26, 2015 TOO many small businesses see their expansion plans quashed by a lack of finance. Their bank doesn’t have the confidence to lend them the money they need, so business owners end up trying to fund their companies’ growth on overdrafts and credit cards, storing up trouble for when the next downturn comes or not proceeding [...]
Unfinished business: Serial entrepreneur Luke Johnson talks sentimentality, curves and the General Election April 19, 2015 It's a big wide world, and there’s a lot to be done. It’s important to have a sense of urgency.” This is business polymath Luke Johnson’s answer to why it is that he has quite so many business interests – his industriousness is astonishing. Johnson, who waded into the world of business after getting a [...]