Applying for finance: The five common mistakes made by startups January 25, 2018 When you decide to apply for a loan to kick-start your firm’s growth, it’s a daunting task as much as it is an exciting one. Essentially, you’re putting your business out there and opening it up to potential scrutiny. This means you have to find a balance between making your business an attractive proposition, while [...]
The seedy Presidents Club fundraiser that forgot what year it is January 25, 2018 Corporate Britain has been working hard in recent years to tackle gender imbalance. The business case for genuinely diverse executive boards is well established and any company worth its salt is ensuring that its pipeline of executive talent is broad and inclusive. Meanwhile, when it comes to those who are just starting out in their [...]
The digital nomads: How to pack a suitcase and start a new life working from abroad January 25, 2018 Who among us hasn’t dreamed of jacking in their day job to trade forex from a laptop in Malibu or open a beach bar in Thailand? You might have read The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss and asked why you haven’t yet “escaped the nine-to-five to live anywhere and join the new rich”. I [...]
Taming the trolls isn’t just a matter of ethics for Twitter and Facebook: It makes good business sense January 23, 2018 Rejoice, ye City folk, for a study has found that, for the first time in years, trust in British businesses has actually risen. According to new figures from the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, the credibility of chief execs has risen 14 points in the last year, while board-level directors have been treated to a 10-point [...]
I couldn’t refuse the world’s biggest club, says Alexis Sanchez after completing move to Manchester United from Arsenal January 22, 2018 Former Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez conceded the chance to play for the “biggest club in the world” was an offer he could not refuse after completing his move to Manchester United. Sanchez, who scored 80 goals for the Gunners after joining from Barcelona in 2014, has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract at Old Trafford, while the [...]
The dollar (USD) trades lower as US government shutdown deadline looms January 19, 2018 The US dollar traded lower today ahead of a midnight deadline to fend off a government shutdown. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of major currencies, was down 0.3 per cent after hitting an earlier low of 90.564, on track for its fifth week in the red. Meanwhile, US 10-year Treasury [...]
New homes: Property going on sale this weekend in Hackney, Croydon, Hampstead, Stratford and Elmswater January 18, 2018 New developments on the market this week Hampstead Reach, Hampstead From £999,000 Admirers of Hampstead’s Arts and Crafts-style mansion blocks may be interested in these 39 new one and two bedroom apartments in a private courtyard. Set across three and four storey buildings, there are two show homes appealing to young families and downsizers that [...]
It’s pensioners, not first-time buyers, who should get stamp duty relief January 18, 2018 Stamp duty is in the news again. Earlier this week, Labour’s shadow housing minister, John Healey, called on the government to extend the tax break introduced in the November Budget to first-time buyers who use the shared ownership scheme. Policies that are seen to help struggling first-time buyers always go down a treat from [...]
Number of UK coffee shops to increase by almost 50 per cent by 2022 January 16, 2018 The number of coffee shops in the UK will rise by almost 50 per cent in the next five years, according to a new report. Research by Allegra World Coffee Portal predicts that the total number of UK coffee shops will reach 31,400 by 2022, up from 24,061 in 2017. Last year the coffee market [...]
It’s easy to criticise the UK apprenticeship levy – but we need to give it a chance January 16, 2018 The start of 2018 has seen renewed criticism of the apprenticeship levy, with last year’s fall in apprenticeship starts being widely cited as evidence that it has become another business tax. In fact, the levy represents a milestone in transforming the way employers access talent and how the post-18 education system operates for young people. [...]