Adventures in Micro Business

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Each month, Professor Russell Smith answers your queries

Read more here
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sme/adventures-in-micro-business-2122972.html

Venture-backed start-up targets small firms with "SEO for CEOs"

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Linkdex launches software to help small business owners understand how to achieve better results in search engines. Small businesses that want the process of improving their rank on search engines “demystified” are being targeted by a venture-backed start-up.
Linkdex, which launches today, has been backed with £1.2m in seed capital.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/8279670/Venture-backed-start-up-targets-small-firms-with-SEO-for-CEOs.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d3ea54e8d900336%2C0

Secret Diary of an Entrepreneur: Grudgingly flexible

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Well, we’re barely half-way through January, and I’ve already had my first official flexible working request of the year. This is what annoys me most about Christmas and New Year: people come back to work resolved to make major positive life changes, and invariably that results in extra hassle for me.

Read more here
http://secretdiaryentrepreneur.managementtoday.co.uk/2011/01/21/secret-diary-of-an-entrepreneur-grudgingly-flexible/

Bullish boffins lead the way on growth

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Hi-tech manufacturers are Britain's most confident companies. And that's good news on the jobs front. Pessimism may be rife within UK plc at the moment, but new research suggests that 71% of hi-tech businesses are optimistic that their performance will improve over the next 12 months. And that’s not just some empty Government propaganda designed to coincide with the appointment of a new Binary Tsar (we just made that post up, but surely it’s crying out to be created).

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtenterpriseweekly/article/1049682/bullish-boffins-lead-growth/

Ikea layout 'intended to confuse shoppers'

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Ikea's store layout is a psychological weapon used to confuse and disorientate shoppers into spending more, an expert claimed.

Alan Penn, director of the Virtual Reality Centre for the Built Environment at University College London, said visitors to the firm's shops were so baffled by their surroundings that if they see something they like, they pick it up straightaway because it would be too hard to find it later.

Read more herehttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8278010/Ikea-layout-intended-to-confuse-shoppers.html?
sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d3d4ad5f3788270%2C0

32 SEO Tactics to Avoid in 2011

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With all the excitement and planning that comes along with a New Year, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with newfangled ideas. You probably have a long list of  SEO tactics in the pipeline for 2011. Finding the resources, whether time or money, is the real trick.

Read more here
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/seo-tactics-to-avoid-in-2011

Bank lending deal for small businesses 'stalled'

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Attempts by the coalition government to reach an agreement with the UK's biggest banks on the amount they lend to small businesses have stalled, the BBC has learnt.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12260742

Top 12 best tablet PC iPad alternatives

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This year is going to be the year of the touchscreen tablet, of that there can be no doubt.
While tablet PCs have been around for yonks, only now are they becoming the desirable, usable and functional devices that we've always wanted them to be – and it's about time too.

Read more here
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/top-10-best-tablet-pc-ipad-alternatives-690596

Presenting: How to Make Sure You Win Them Over

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The ability to give a strong and convincing presentation is a skill that few are fortunate enough to master. This is something that all business people will come across quite frequently in their working career, so it's best not to try and avoid the inevitable and get on top of it as soon as possible.

Read more here
http://www.is4profit.com/business-advice/sales-marketing/presenting-how-to-make-sure-you-win-them-over.html

Marketing Yourself with Promotional Products

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It can be tough to market your business, especially if you have eager competitors at your heels. Promotional items can be useful marketing tools, and they can improve your brand and your reputation if they’re correctly used.
Just like with any effective marketing strategy, you need to do the research and ask yourself a few important questions before you dive headfirst into marketing your company with promotional products.

Read more herehttp://www.marketing-made-simple.com/articles/promotional-items.htm

Time for small firms to start thinking global too?

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HSBC reckons more and more SMEs are thinking about overseas trade. But how on earth are they going to access the local know-how?

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtenterpriseweekly/article/1050613/time-small-firms-start-thinking-global-too/

How to switch your bank account

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Switching bank accounts has a bad reputation for being a lengthy and painstaking process but in reality it is much easier than you think and should take only about eight weeks.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/banking/8269023/How-to-switch-your-bank-account.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d3707727886194e%2C0

Attracting angel investors

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There's no better sign of a healthy economy than a thriving angel investment community.
Angel investing is a particular style of funding for early stage ventures where generally high net worth individuals are prepared to inject funding, and often expertise, into young businesses.

Read more here
http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/startup/attracting-angel-investors-20110113-19pds.html

50 ways to make Google love your website, by Steve Johnston and Liam McGee

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If this book won't change your life, it might transform your business. It is a lesson in the power of keeping things simple. There are lots of reasons for businesses having a website, but all share the common aim of wanting to come as high as possible in the Google rankings when consumers enter a search relevant to their business.

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/5_May/books_google_love_website_63_09.html

Can Apple Find More Hits Without Its Tastemaker?

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Shortly before the iPad tablet went on sale last year, Steven P. Jobs showed off Apple’s latest creation to a small group of journalists. One asked what consumer and market research Apple had done to guide the development of the new product. “None,” Mr. Jobs replied. “It isn’t the consumers’ job to know what they want.” For years, and across a career, knowing what consumers want has been the self-appointed task of Mr. Jobs, Apple’s charismatic co-founder. Though he has not always been right, his string of successes at Apple is uncanny. His biggest user-pleasing hits include the Macintosh, the iMac, iBook, iPod, iPhone and iPad.  But as he takes a medical leave of absence, announced on Monday, the question is: Without him at the helm, can Apple continue its streak of innovation, particularly in an industry where rapid-fire product cycles can make today’s leader tomorrow’s laggard?

Read more here
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/19/technology/companies/19innovate.html?ref=technology

Start-Up 100: The person-centred internet revolution

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Guest columnist Joanna Shields explains what the shift from 'search' to 'share' means for business.  I'm lucky enough to have found myself at the centre of most of the technological revolutions of the past twenty years. First, as a new transplant to Silicon Valley in the late eighties, when digital technology first came on the scene, and then later, as the internet began transforming commerce, communications and our ability to share information with each other. I've seen waves of innovation come and go, but what I'm seeing today is by far the most fascinating development I have ever witnessed.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/8266144/Start-Up-100-The-person-centred-internet-revolution.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d36b2ac65e1016d%2C0

Prepare for interest rate rises

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It was no surprise that the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep base rate on hold at 0.50% this month. But after 22 months of flat interest rates, it's time for borrowers and savers to start preparing for rate increases.

Read more here
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/news/prepare-for-interest-rate-rises/0010782/

Lush hackers cash in on stolen cards

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Cyber thieves are cashing in after stealing credit cards in a hack attack on the website of cosmetics firm
Lush. The online shop was shut down on 21 January and its home page replaced with a message revealing the attack.
Lush said anyone who placed an online order between 4 October and 20 January should contact their bank in case their card details had been compromised.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12254282

The beginner's guide to annuities

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If you are close to retiring, your annuity is probably the most important financial thing you have to think about. Yet according to a recent survey by the Association of British Insurers (ABI), only 23% of us actually understand what they are.

Read more herehttp://www.moneyweek.com/personal-finance/the-beginners-guide-to-annuities-52031.aspx

Don't Make These Smartphone Business Blunders

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At first glance, using your cell phone as a business communication tool makes perfect sense. It's lighter than a laptop, fits easily in your pocket, purse or the palm of your hand, connects to the internet nearly everywhere you go, and seemingly provides instant access to everything you need when you're out of the office.

Read more here
http://blog.entrepreneur.com/2011/01/business-communication-in-miniature.php

Small Business Profile: The Riverside Hotel

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With a sound business plan and associated finance in place, David Milne and his wife Brenda took over Riverside Hotel at Ambleside in the Lake District back in January 2001.

Read more herehttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sme/small-business-profile-the-riverside-hotel-2122975.html

MT Expert's Ten Top Tips: Make sure your e-commerce site isn't leaking revenue

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If your website falls over under pressure, your customers are likely to go elsewhere. Here's how to make sure that doesn't happen.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtdailybulletin/article/1049584/mt-experts-ten-top-tips-sure-e-commerce-site-isnt-leaking-revenue/

How to wield influence during a meeting

From the entrepreneur’s standpoint influence is effectively demonstrated through the application of:

1. Calm self assurance
2. At least a working knowledge of the topic in hand
3. A positive manner, positive attitude and . . .
4. The ability to listen to every other person (the potential investor might be there with advisors) who wishes to voice an opinion.

Similarly you, as the entrepreneur  have a perfect right to expect others to listen to you in a dignified, calm and mature way.

You don’t have the right to expect their agreement.

However, you do have the right to expect respect.

You can tell the potential investor that you don’t feel you’ve been given a fair hearing but be certain of your facts re this. Be prepared to show evidence.

One of your obligations is not to interrupt the potential investor unnecessarily. Another is to give everyone (the potential investor and their advisors) the opportunity to complete their statement, however tedious it might be. It’s polite and constructive not to interrupt somebody.

Politeness is not an outdated view and never should be, regardless of age or experience.

Directors living in a 'boardroom bubble'

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Directors seem to have a very different view to the hoi polloi on how business is going... That’s according to Roffey Park’s Management Agenda report, the result of a survey of over 1,500 managers. It found that, for instance, while 83% of board directors believe their organisations have handled redundancies well or very well, that sentiment is shared by only 44% of managers on grades below them. Which is very revealing indeed. Either middle-management are a cynical bunch – which is perfectly possible – or those at the senior level are walking around wearing blinkers.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtdailybulletin/article/1049788/directors-living-boardroom-bubble/

Facebook U-turns on phone and address data sharing

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Facebook appears to have U-turned on plans to allow external websites to see users' addresses and mobile phone numbers. Security experts pointed out that such a system would be ripe for exploitation from rogue app developers. The feature has been put on "temporary hold", the social networking firm said in its developers blog.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12214628

Mike Lynch, Autonomy (Includes video clip)

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"Unless you are prepared to be obsessed... you probably won't be that successful" says Mike Lynch. In just 13 years, Mike Lynch has seen his company grow from a tiny start-up into one of the largest technology firms in the UK.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10322676

Debt versus equity

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Need some capital to kick-start your business? Maybe you’re looking to buy a new business or grow an existing one. Maybe you want to move to new premises, upgrade your equipment, or simply keep things ticking over from day to day. Whatever your objective, there are two basic ways to raise the capital you need. You can use debt finance, where you borrow the money from a bank; or you can use equity finance, where an investor buys a stake in your business.

Read more here
http://www.mybusiness.com.au/articles/Financing-Your-Business/Debt-versus-equity

Build a Brand in 30 Days, by Simon Middleton

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Simon Middleton admits that the 30 days of the title might not mean an actual month. In fact, he suggests that it might take three months to work through the exercises presented here

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/6_June/books_build_brand_30_days_63_10.html

Kerwin Rae On Influence In Marketing

(Video Clip)

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Kerwin Rae on the importance of influence in marketing

Read more here
http://www.businessandleadership.com/video/v/551

John Timpson: how to act when business partners fall out

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The management column: Straight-talking, common sense from the front line with John Timpson

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/8262562/John-Timpson-how-to-act-when-business-partners-fall-out.html

£98 PCs target UK digital divide

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Low-cost computers are to be offered as part of a government scheme to encourage millions of people in the UK to get online for the first time.

Prices will start at £98 for a refurbished PC, with subsidised net connections available for £9 a month.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uPost Optionsk/news/technology-12205412

Should E-Mail and Letters Have Equal Legal Protection?

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Over the weekend, we reported that the government had ordered Twitter to turn over private information about users associated with WikiLeaks.

The order was fairly routine, and Twitter and other Internet companies have so far refused to talk more about it. But, as we wrote in Monday’s paper, the high-profile nature of the court order brought to light an issue that cyberlaw experts have been discussing for years: the ways in which the law lags fast-changing technology.

Read more here
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/13/should-e-mail-and-letters-have-equal-protection/?ref=technology

Emma Bridgewater

(Video clip)

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In 2010 Emma Bridgewater celebrates the 25th anniversary of the founding of the  She spotted a business opportunity after being unable to find a suitable pair of cups and saucers as a gift for her mother.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10322646

Mobile banking: how to beat the fraudsters

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Mobile is a real buzzword in the banking industry right now, both using the mobile to actually make a payment, or using a mobile phone, normally a smartphone, to manage your bank account, which we call mobile banking.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/banking/8259207/Mobile-banking-how-to-beat-the-fraudsters.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d302bfd3c17de26%2C0

Scanning the skies: Helping Asian travellers to compare prices

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Starting a business is not for everybody, according to travel entrepreneur Martin Symes. Entrepreneur Martin Symes has one clear piece of advice for anyone starting a business: "It's going to take longer and cost more than you think."

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11982948

Bribery Act to be reviewed after business fears

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The controversial new anti-bribery law will be reviewed amid fears it threatens to hamstring British companies.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/bribery-act/8258368/Bribery-Act-to-be-reviewed-after-business-fears.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d3036c51407dab0%2C0

Intellectual stolen property: businesses don't trust employees with data

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Businesses worry that light-fingered employees will make off with their IP, according to a new survey - and rightly so, by the looks.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtdailybulletin/article/1049413/intellectual-stolen-property-businesses-dont-trust-employees-data/

Soapbox: People are the path to profit at all times

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SMEs are facing a tough and uncertain future. To survive, they need to maximise every resource they have to hand. It's an obvious point, and we've heard it many times before, yet we still fail to grasp just how much people matter. Finding, retaining and motivating the right people can seem like an impossibly onerous task for owner-managers, who tend to lack time and resources. Yet those who get it wrong do so at their peril.

Read more here
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sme/soapbox-people-are-the-path-to-profit-at-all-times-2122412.html

Dragons' Den Grow Your Business

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Dragons' Den Grow Your Business: How to expand from small to big, by Michael Heath, Peter Spalton and Stuart Warner - Collins, £12.99.

For years individual Dragons have been cashing in on their celebrity entrepreneur status by publishing a stream of business books. From autobiographies to 'how to' guides on every imaginable aspect of business life, bookshelves are full of wisdom from "the Den".

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/8_September/books-dragons-den-grow-your-business_64_01.html

The best gadgets and tech at CES 2011

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Every year at CES, you’ll find a small cluster of super-gadgets that stand head and shoulders above the crowd. This is the kit that draws the biggest crowds, has the greatest potential and keeps the weary tech-heads talking long after they’ve left the convention centre and ordered their first mojito. If the exhibitors at this year’s show would let us walk off with ten products, no questions asked, we’d stuff our suitcases with the kit below and UPS the rest . . .

Read more here
http://ces2011.techradar.com/2011/01/the-best-gadgets-and-tech-at-ces-2011/

Forex Focus: what the VAT rise could mean for the pound

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Liz Phillips takes a look at the impact last week's VAT increase could have on sterling.  In normal times - remember them? - a rise in the VAT rate might be expected to send the pound in only one direction: up. Of course we all know these are far from normal times.  The British economy is not yet out of the woods and inflation is already above government target levels. And we are not alone in our troubles.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/offshorefinance/8252890/Forex-Focus-what-the-VAT-rise-could-mean-for-the-pound.html

What can buy-to-let landlords do if their tenants default?

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There is a compensation scheme available to landlords should tenants stop paying their rent.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/investing/8253626/What-can-buy-to-let-landlords-do-if-their-tenants-default.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d2dd589e96309af%2C0

Facebook's death: Greatly exaggerated

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Beware the Ides of March! It seems hard to even fathom that anybody would believe this, but the internet has been buzzing with stories alleging that on 15 March Mark Zuckerberg is going to give it all up and shut down Facebook.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/maggieshiels/2011/01/facebooks_death_-_greatly_exag.html

As an entrepreneur, what does the term ‘active participation’ really mean in a practical sense?

Active participation is crucial. Without this, the meeting is useless and both time and money are wasted. I’d class that as a feeble meeting. Avoid feebleness at all costs. Otherwise the memory will be so negative that the potential investor will be reluctant to attend in future. Moreover if obliged to attend, they will be as uncommunicative as previously. Possibly even more so. All in all, negative reinforcement.

So does this mean that a business meeting needs to be entertaining in order to succeed?

Certainly not! Effective participation means that both the entrepreneur and potential investor felt valued. This is demonstrated by their contributions being appreciated by each other. Sounds good on paper, but what about the practical reality?

The most effective, and fortunately uncomplicated, way is through your actions The most important being that the potential investor’s opinions are not met with derision. This is easily achieved by listening patiently. Note patiently, not endlessly!

10 tips to consider before starting up a new business

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Here are some tips from the Bytestart team for anyone who is thinking about setting up a new business.

Read more here
http://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/24/24_6/starting-up-a-new-business-tips.shtml

Angels, Dragons & Vultures: How to tame your investors... and not lose your company, by Simon Acland

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With a title that sounds like a Dan Brown novel, it's only right that Simon Acland here seeks to burst a few myths. Despite - or maybe because of - his successful career in venture capital, Acland is particularly harsh on the dangers posed to entrepreneurs by that breed of investor (characterised here as the vultures of the title).

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/10_November/books-angels-dragons-vultures_64_03.html

New year business technology bargains

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Well, you’ve taken back all those unsuitable gifts of socks and jumpers, so what can you do to improve your business technology new year? Here are the best technology winter bargains waiting to be snapped up

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/8252203/New-year-business-technology-bargains.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d2c57b883174e61%2C0

Banks offer hope of more business loans

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The UK's major high street banks have indicated that they will lend an extra £10 billion to small businesses next year.

Read more here
http://www.eaassociates.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=34427&d=601&h=160&f=260&u=40c38A45&m=8031

New products and markets key to a good 2011

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Entrepreneurs need to look to new products, markets and customers in order to have a successful 2011, according to Business Club members.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/8251120/New-products-and-markets-key-to-a-good-2011.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d2c586a2ba17b2b%2C0

iPad 2 rumours: what you need to know

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With only weeks to go before its expected unveiling the iPad 2 release date, specs and price are still closely guarded secrets, but that doesn't mean there aren't some juicy rumours, inspired guesses and possibly even Apple leaks to consider.

Read more here
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing/apple/ipad-2-rumours-what-you-need-to-know-900232

Luke Johnson: Angel investors and tomorrow's champions

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Our columnist wades into the bank lending debate - and suggests London has adapted better than most of the UK.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtdailybulletin/article/1047362/luke-johnson-angel-investors-tomorrows-champions/

One million people to receive new tax demands

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An extra one million people are to receive new tax demands amid a payment fiasco by the taxman. They will be told they have underpaid or overpaid after HM Revenue & Customs made errors on their tax codes.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/8250710/One-million-people-to-receive-new-tax-demands.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d2b2f597c943d5c%2C0

Ryanair v easyJet: how they compare with each other, and the rest

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From 'hidden' charges to airline punctuality, here's how Ryanair and easyJet measure up, along with a few other household names.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/8241361/Ryanair-v-easyJet-how-they-compare-with-each-other-and-the-rest.html?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d2c044b01fa4dbe%2C0

Overwhelmed with debt? Here are your options

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It is estimated that more than a million people have "problem debts" – as recession, rising unemployment and the credit crunch take their toll. Many of these people will put their finances back on an even keel by careful budgeting. But those whose debts continue to spiral may have little option other than to consider one of the arrangements now available to help people escape their debts.

Read more here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/borrowing/8250116/Overwhelmed-with-debt-Here-are-your-options.html

How to present a request for finance to your bank

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It is important to appreciate the following criteria used by banks when considering providing finance for a client:

Read more here
http://www.eaassociates.co.uk/content/business/business-finance/raising-finance/how-to-present-a-request-for-finance-to-your-bank.html?u=40c38A45&m=8031

iPhone named most social brand - again

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Apple’s iPhone has notched up its third consecutive year as the most social brand on the Vitrue 100 list. The list is compiled by analysing online conversations on a daily basis across social networks blogs, micro-blogs, photo and video sharing sites using the Vitrue Social Media Index (SMI).

Read more here
http://www.businessandleadership.com/marketing/item/27664-iphone-named-most-social/

Can you teach leadership or are you born with it?

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The study of leadership goes back as far as Plato - and still it continues to intrigue psychologists, but what makes a good leader?

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12074114

What was hot at this year's Vegas gadget show

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LAS VEGAS – Gadgets revealed at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas flop more often than they pop. This year's show, however, delivered many products that are bound to make a difference for years to come.

Read more here
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110110/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_gadget_show_hottest_gadgets

Cameron wants to tempt more entrepreneurs from the dole queue

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The PM says he's going to double the number of people who can receive the New Enterprise Allowance. Assuming people are brave enough to take it up.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtenterpriseweekly/article/1047921/cameron-wants-tempt-entrepreneurs-dole-queue/

SMEs count cost of VAT hangover

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We know businesses weren't looking forward to the VAT rise - but how are they coping now the big day has passed?

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtenterpriseweekly/article/1048250/smes-count-cost-vat-hangover/

Is working with your hands better than just with your head?

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If the new year and inevitable return to work leaves you yearning for change, is working with your hands the answer? The time for reflection is nigh - a new year, a new you. But is that workstation you've slotted back into looking depressingly familiar? As millions of workers drag themselves back into the office to contemplate another 12 months of drudgery, many will be wondering if they are in the right job.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12108000

Editor's Pick: Top marketing interviews of 2010

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Business & Leadership was fortunate enough to talk to some of the world’s thought leaders in sales and marketing during 2010. The following are some of our favourite interviews from the year.

Read more here
http://www.businessandleadership.com/marketing/item/27525-editors-pick-top/

Corporate security: not just for Christmas

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8.5m office workers are planning to plug Christmas gadgets into the workplace. Something else to worry about.
 
Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtdailybulletin/article/1047775/corporate-security-not-just-christmas/

Will the new VAT hike derail the recovery?

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Doom-mongers are predicting that hiking VAT to 20% will result in higher inflation, slower sales and job losses. Happy New Year to you, too.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/bulletin/mtdailybulletin/article/1047767/will-todays-vat-hike-derail-recovery/

How to tell which business angels are . . .

. . . an appropriate funding source for your company.

The simple answer is 'use your intuition'. Although simple, it is relevant – but it’s far from the whole story. Intuition can be an unreliable friend. So don’t rely on it entirely. There are other aspects to consider.

An angel investor might be a great opportunity to gain an advisor. So do your research. Is this person looking to just invest cash without any hands-on involvement – or can they contribute significant experience, knowledge, and networking opportunities, as well as the cash you need to grow your business?

Ideally you’d want both. Practically though, you might not get both in one individual. Fair enough. Under such circumstances you might want a suite of investors: some who contribute both cash and expertise, and others who contribute just the cash. You can never have too much cash, whereas it is possible you can have a surfeit of advice.

Advice is ideal if it is relevant, of course, but can be problematic if there is disagreement on advice between two or more of your business angel investors. Sooner or later you’ll end up being a referee, and that way you are bound to upset one of them, or all of them.

So to reiterate, ideally you want more that one business angel. Both provide cash and one provides expertise.

Should eBay and PayPal hand your sales data to the tax authorities?

Extract . . .

There’s been much talk recently both in the UK and in the US regarding eBay, PayPal and the tax man. The big issue is should eBay and PayPal hand across sales data and seller’s details to the authorities to ensure that any taxes due are paid. In the UK the issue was sparked by the story in the Daily Mirror of a seller who is allegedly not paying VAT, even though they are well above the VAT threshold. It’s been suggested that it’s down to eBay to ensure that sellers are registered as businesses, are registered for VAT if their sales exceed the VAT threshold, and that it would create a level playing field for all ensuring no one is disadvantaged by being forced to compete with sellers who aren’t paying their dues.

Read more here
http://tamebay.com/2010/12/should-ebay-and-paypal-hand-your-sales-data-to-the-tax-authorities.html

Microsoft warns on IE browser bug

Extract . . .

Microsoft has issued a warning about a serious vulnerability in all versions of its Internet Explorer (IE) browser. If exploited by a booby-trapped webpage the bug would allow attackers to take control of an unprotected computer.

Read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12067295

Reluctant heroes

Extract . . .
The recession has changed the landscape for start-ups radically, with more now driven by necessity than desire. EN investigates.
The outlook for start-up businesses in the UK is hardly positive. Evidence of banks’ unwillingness to lend to new businesses isn’t in short supply – far from it, in fact – and it’s not just lenders who view fledgling businesses as too big a risk to take.

Read more here
http://www.enforbusiness.com/feature/reluctant-heroes

Board stiffs?

Extract . . .

Non-execs used mostly to be retired accountants who’d doze off at board meetings and wake up for the annual company dinner. Things are changing, as EN discovers.

Read more here
http://www.enforbusiness.com/feature/board-stiffs

Top 10 best tablet PC iPad alternatives

Extract . . .

Apple hasn't just rekindled interest in tablet devices, it has created the kind of hysteria that only Apple can.
There's no denying that the iPad is a beautifully crafted device that's a joy to use, but not everyone wants to buy into Apple's design and marketing hype.

Read more here
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/top-10-best-tablet-pc-ipad-alternatives-690596

The 10 biggest gadget letdowns of 2010

Extract . . .
Not everything lives up to the impressive-sounding, bullet-point list of features that appeared on the internet six months before launch.

Read more here
http://www.techradar.com/news/mobile-computing/the-10-biggest-gadget-letdowns-of-2010-916069

MT Expert - Finance: Small firms can go automatic too

Extract . . .

Automated systems are no longer the preserve of big companies; they can now help SMEs get more efficient too.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1047128/mt-expert-finance-small-firms-go-automatic-too/

Buy-in, by John Kotter and Lorne A. Whitehead

Extract . . .

Ever had a brilliant idea that never quite came to fruition? This is the problem John Kotter - Harvard Business School professor and one of the world's foremost business thinkers - hopes to solve with his new book, 'Buy-in'. Kotter's basic thesis is that there's a limited number of ways in which good ideas get shot down - 24, he reckons, to be precise - and he and his co-author Lorne Whitehead have come up with specific ways to combat all of them.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/books/1036901/books-buy-in-john-kotter-lorne-a-whitehead/

Do it right: Seven ways to sell your ideas

Extract . . .
Having a good idea is just the first step. Now you have to convince someone else it's good.

Read more here
http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/985275/do-right-seven-ways-sell-ideas/

10 tips to unlock finance

Extract . . .
Banks are set to record profits in 2010 in an environment where it is excruciatingly difficult to obtain finance for businesses, small or large.
Most of this profit will likely come from increased mortgage volumes and increased pricing for business lending.However banks can’t not lend to businesses forever. Customers are paying down loans every day so loan books get smaller over time and hence the income stream gets smaller. For business bankers the price rise in the past 18 months has compensated for this and allowed the banks to sit back and understand where the lending risks lie in the economy without taking any new risks on.

Read more here
http://www.mybusiness.com.au/articles/Financing-Your-Business/10-tips-to-unlock-finance

Bosses under pressure, but stress is bad for business

Extract . . .

More than a third of bosses suffered anxiety as they battled through recession. But experts agree stress is bad for business. So how do you create a healthier workplace?

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/5_May/stress_63_09.html

Do TV entrepreneurs reflect reality?

Extract . . .

Entrepreneurs who seek funding for their enterprises on TV shows such as Dragons' Den are quite real. They are the same mixed bag of hard-working, insightful, diligent, deluded, arrogant and passionate folks that turn up in the offices of angel investors and venture capitalists to pitch every week.

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/5_May/debate_63_09.html

How to make the customer king

Extract . . .
Customer service has come a long way in the UK... and it matters more than ever when times are tough and social media is on the rise. Here, a group of experts and entrepreneurs reveal how businesses can improve their approach.

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/7_July_August/customer_service_special_report_63_11.html

Show us the money

Extract . . .
While small firms struggle for cash, High Street lenders are being portrayed as villains. So how do you build trust with your bank while keeping a business on track?

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2009/11%20December/business_banking_63_04.html

The Extra One Per Cent: How small changes make exceptional people

by Rob Yeung

Extract . . .

What makes successful people succeed? It's a simple question to pose, but clearly not an easy one to answer, otherwise someone would have patented the "secret of success".
Here psychologist and coach Rob Yeung takes a scientific approach to discovering exactly what it is that high-achieving people do that makes them more exceptional than fellow employees given the same opportunities and tools.

Read more here
http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2010/11_December/books-extra-one-per-cent_64_04.html

Small Businesses Should Focus on Exports

Extract . . .
Although exporting is traditionally considered the domain of multinationals, Kathleen Brush says small and midsized companies have plenty to gain from selling overseas

Read more here
http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/dec2010/sb20101221_792621.htm

Organic startup ideas

Extract . . .

The best way to come up with startup ideas is to ask yourself the question: what do you wish someone would make for you?

Read more here
http://www.paulgraham.com/organic.html

Microsoft kills Office anti-piracy program

Extract . . .

Microsoft has killed an anti-piracy service that checked whether customers were running legal copies of Office, saying that the program had "served its purpose."

Read more here
http://www.cio.co.uk/news/3254355/microsoft-kills-office-anti-piracy-program/

BT is the worst ISP for call centre wait times

Extract . . .

BT has been named the ISP with the worst call centre that keeps customers waiting longest.Consumer organisation Which? surveyed some the biggest broadband suppliers, banks and energy companies, by making some 500 calls to their customer service centres. BT's broadband call centre came out as the worst with the longest waiting a whopping 13 minutes and 49 seconds. Which? also said that while the call was free for those calling from landlines, it would have cost £2.08 for those on a typical mobile phone tariff.

Read more here
http://www.cio.co.uk/news/3254478/bt-is-the-worst-isp-for-call-centre-wait-times/

Examining the psychology of a purchase decision

Extract . . .

Human psychology is a fascinating science, not least because of the frightening discoveries about just how predictable our behaviour can be. Customers make decisions based on a large number of factors and although it is impossible to influence them all, successful marketers try to strike a balance between appealing to the emotional and rational sides to our personality.

Read more here
http://www.marketing-made-simple.com/articles/psychology-of-marketing.htm

No loafing for novice bakers on a roll

Extract . . .

Sue Ferguson and her partner Jonathan Hicks bought a handsome old house at semi-rural Mernda, near Whittlesea, three years ago because it seemed a lovely place ''to relax at the end of our working lives''.

Read more here
http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/growing/no-loafing-for-novice-bakers-on-a-roll-20101219-191xv.html

HAPPY NEW YEAR ONE AND ALL

Venture Link wishes everyone a happy and extremely Prosperous New Year for 2011. May recession be many miles behind you, may business always be exciting and most of all, may you always enjoy what you are doing!

The Editor