news 9
Hints on business growth for young entrepreneurs
Alex Minchin, a finalist at the Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition 2013, was one of the panellists at a roundtable for SMEs recently, which looked at growing a business
Many on the panel agreed that recruitment in order to grow was proving challenging, particularly attracting the right talent.
Minchin said: “Zest Digital is fortunate – it’s fairly easy to recruit because we’re in a popular growth area – digital technology – and we also have an internship programme, which works well.” He added that retaining your staff is the challenge and it’s important to offer them attractive incentives (not necessarily monetary). He explained: “It’s not always about the pay. Things like the ability to work from home occasionally, developing skills through training, and empowerment to get on with the job can all boost productivity and morale.”
Barry Potter, partner at Haines Watts, another panellist, said that offering flexible benefit packages and mentoring helped to attract the right people.
Potter warned against the ‘it’s my baby’ syndrome that some business owners have. He said: “The person who started the business is not
necessarily the best person to grow it because they tend to hold on to things – it’s important to work to your strengths and let others help you.” Potter added that it was essential to have a good quality business plan in order to structure growth and ensure future activities were properly considered.
Growth takes finance and funding. Minchin said that he had looked into many possibilities from banks to crowdfunding and there were definitely more opportunities out there now. He also advised those with debtors who were preventing their company from growing to address it urgently. He had managed to change his credit terms and this worked well.
To support young entrepreneurs like Minchin, Haines Watts runs its annual free competition. If you – or someone you know – is thinking of entering, go online at www.hwye.
co.uk and submit a good business case for why you should win.
Those who enter the competition and are successful in getting
Haines Watts wins Accountancy Excellence Award for third year
National accountancy firm Haines Watts, which has several offices in the Thames Valley and the South East, is celebrating success, having won the title ‘Accountancy Firm of the Year – SMEs’, at the annual FDs’ Excellence Awards. The award comes after the firm won ‘Auditor of the Year’ for the past two years.
The awards recognise the service providers that support Britain’s finance community and are based on the results of an annual survey in which financial directors and financial decision-makers recorded their opinion.
The prestigious awards ceremony was held in Grosvenor Square, London and was hosted by Real
Business in association with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), supported by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
Haines Watts beat stiff competition from a number of other UK firms which had been nominated. Rodney Style, managing partner at the Oxford office and chairman of Haines Watts, commented: “It’s great to see Haines Watts win such a prestigious award. This type of award really matters to us because it’s voted for by business people and not by an academic panel of experts. It’s fantastic that we are the first firm ever to have won an award in three consecutive years."
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2014 Barry Potter (left) and Alex Minchin at the recent Roundtable event
through to the finals receive year- long business mentoring sessions with a partner at Haines Watts, PR for their business and prize money.
Competition applicants must be running a business in the Thames Valley, defined as Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire, and should have been trading for over a year.
The competition is open to anyone who is under 36 years
old on July 31, 2014 and there is no lower age limit.
For further information visit:
www.hwye.co.uk
HWYE is also on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
For further information about Haines Watts visit:
www.hwca.com
At Herrington & Carmichael LLP we believe in the traditional values of excellent service and value for money. Our clients appreciate our proactive and friendly approach to all their legal concerns. This is why we are a leading law firm for business and private individuals in the Thames Valley region.
We have specialist teams to help with all your legal
♦ Company & Commercial ♦ Employment ♦ Dispute Resolution ♦ Debt Recovery ♦ Real Estate
Plus all aspects of Private Client law including Wills, Probate, IHT, Residential Conveyancing and Family issues
Waters Edge Riverside Way Watchmoor Park Camberley Surrey GU15 3YL Tel: 01276 686222
27 Broad Street Wokingham Berks RG40 1AU Tel: 0118 977 4045 Email:
info@herrington-carmichael.com
www.herrington-carmichael.com www.businessmag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52