The spread of (Covid-19) Coronavirus from Mainland China throughout the world is having massive effects upon small and medium sized businesses. A lot of small business owners are so busy with running their busy everyday that they have not had time to try to figure out a plan to safeguard their employees, customers and profit lines.
The British economy is reliant upon finance, tourism and to a lesser extent manufacturing. Data presented earlier this month showed British economic growth slowed to a stand still at the end of 2019. Supply chains from China have dropped off and many travel operators are slowing down or closing services. This means limited supply and increases in costs. And because small to medium sized (SME) businesses often do not have the cash flow and financial resources to absorb sudden increases in costs this can mean a serious problem, not to mention the health and well being of their staff. Unlike the press, we don’t just present the problem but provide an answer - So here is what SME business owners need do to manage the coronavirus problem:
By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Worcester Park and Kingston upon Thames and Epsom they are considered in the Industry to be expert business accountants and tax advisors for small and medium sized businesses (SME's). Helping and supporting limited company owners and self employed people throughout the UK, they regularly help clients grow their business providing tailored advice and support. Their support has been considered invaluable by many clients and key to their success. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends.
0 Comments
Tax Affinity Accountants is pleased to announce that we have been awarded the Best Business of 2017, and have been recognised as one of the Top Service providers in our field of expertise by an Independent reviewing panel. A proud member of the Federation of Business this award was external to the FSB and a surprise award.
Independently recognised Our Worcester Park branch was commended for providing a consistently high quality service in our area of business (Tax and Accounting). The independent review team reviewed Tax Affinity Accountants using a 50-Point Inspection which included everything from checking reputation, history, complaints, ratings, satisfaction, trust and the cost to the general public. In short overall excellence. Unexpected review As you can image this has been a very pleasant surprise as we did not even know we were being independently reviewed and did nothing different from what we normally do. We were simply providing the best service we can as normal for every member of the public who approaches us for advice and support. Appreciation We would like to thank all of our customers for allowing us to be part of their lives and letting us help and support them and their businesses. We enjoy helping every self employed person and feel immense sense of pride and happiness when we see our clients businesses expand and grow. In some cases we have seen you guys start from absolutely nothing to a multi million pound turnover within a couple of years. Understanding all the hard work, and long hours it takes for each self employed owner to make their business a success. We have always been there to help and support you and congratulate you on your hard fought success. This award is also recognition for all the staff at Tax Affinity Accountants for going the extra mile and ensuring clients are 110% satisfied. Their long hours worked and late finishes to ensure each clients work is done on time and as tax efficiently as possible means this a reward for their hard work. And finally, we would like to thank the reviewers for their glowing recommendation and wish them the very best for the future as well. By Andrew Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. With branches in Worcester Park, Kingston upon Thames, Cheam, and Surbiton they are considered in the Industry to be expert accountants and tax advisors for small businesses. Helping and supporting companies, contractors and self employed people throughout the UK, they regularly help clients with their payroll and pension. And help grow their business by providing tailored advice. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. As the new tax year begins so with it new tax savings rules and the potential to make more income in 2015/16 as the UK economy moves further away from the recession. The personal tax free allowance rises from £10,000 to £10,600 per annum and for those born before 6 April 1938 its £10,660. And married couples not using their entire tax free allowance can transfer some tax saving to their partner to help him/her save tax on their tax bill. Make sure to employ a good tax accountant (like Tax Affinity Accountants) that will take this into account as it could mean moving across up to £1060 in tax free allowance in the year. With the BOE base rate interest rate staying at a record 0.5% for the entire term of the current coalition government. Making any substantial gain on savings is relatively small. The ISA savings rate has grown to £15,000 per annum tax free but with rates of return at around 2.2% i.e. £330 profit (yes that really is it!). So any real entrepreneur worth his/her salt would never be happy with such low returns. So what should a UK entrepreneur be doing then? Well the word on the street is ‘expand and grow’ to take full advantage of the economic growth predicted in 2015/16 (2.5% Real GDP). This means plan ahead now and start making changes now, take full advantage of the optimistic uplift in consumer confidence after the general election on 7th May 2015 and the follow through of huge world cup sporting events, falling oil prices and UK growth leading London and the South East regions. If your business is in property then development is the real boom currently, buying a distressed property or expanding and renovate to a high standard of finish is the where the real money is in property. With older properties, with real potential, being snapped up by developers who have found rising equity easy from their portfolio to use as deposits. Or if you’re in the service industry then a shift to registering your own Limited company and working through this will mean you can take advantage of the lower 20% tax band for companies as compared to the higher 40% band for individuals earning over £31,865. We’ve seen an explosion in new company registrations in the last 12 months and are seeing more and more people not from just the IT crowd but from NHS staff working through agencies to construction workers and engineers moving into this. By Anni Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants. Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Kingston upon Thames they provide a bespoke service to clients right across the UK and are considered in the industry to be experts in business advice. They mentor and support members of the public to make their businesses grow and reach their full potential. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. How to maximise business sales in Spring 2015
With the UK's retailers taking on board the American tradition of "Black Friday" which showed significant discounts on a huge array of products, the sales figures for that month were at an all time high of 6.4%. Leading on from this final Christmas sales figures are yet to be published but it is predicted around £4.45 billion across Europe, with £324.5m being within the UK alone. The late winter and early spring is a good time to introduce new tactics to increase your sales figures. Here are a few tips to increase sales and therefore your profits: Spring up your business Refreshing the look of the business by having new signs and banners to suit the mood of optimism and success in the coming year through your business will give your customers a more comfortable shopping experience and confidence in your business. It can also hint that there may be a good deal to be had with your business. If you have an online website then accommodate by giving your website a New year / Spring twist to inform your customers that your business is willing to adapt to seasonal changes and overall they are likely to feel more comfortable to shop with your company increasing the likeliness of them willing to do business with you. Mailing List Sending your customers a friendly and helpful email shows them you care and that you appreciate them. Try not to mention any promotions/discounts in your email as this may make them feel that it is more like an empty gesture. However if followed up with another email a few days later promoting products etc. then it seems more friendly. If you do not have a mailing list and you deal with customers face to face then telling each customer will give the same affect, if not more. This idea of giving a personal touch to your company is likely again to increase your company's credibility and in turn increase sales. Spring Discounts/Promotions Spring discounts, promotional offers and package deals will never go a miss as it helps to out-price other competitors giving you the edge. Also its worth noting that your customers may be tight pocketed from buying gifts for friends and family and that discounts are what they will be hunting for. Keep well stocked/ Accommodating the increased need for staff This gives two benefits, firstly for a business to see demand and sales slip away due to the fact that you have no stock can be frustrating. Secondly is that if you have a high inventory, studies have shown that you are likely to show more determination to increase sales and boost ideas. It's worth adding that along with the actually products for sale, you also should keep packaging items well stocked as well if your business delivers products. Around the late winter and early spring months it is clear that consumers increase their demand in products and in turn it also increases the amount of pressure your workforce may take. You need to insure you give good customer service and that sales aren't affected by your business being short staffed. To solve this hire more staff to help out or ask friends/family for an extra hand. By Mohammad Khan at Tax Affinity Accountants. Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Kingston upon Thames they provide a bespoke service to clients right across the UK and are considered in the industry to be experts in business advice. They mentor and support members of the public to make their businesses grow and reach their full potential. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. Sole Trader v Limited Company
A difficult question that the self-employed face is whether to trade as a sole trader/partnership or to trade as a limited company. However, the answer isn’t definitive and is dependent on many factors ranging from the type of business you are running to the type of person you are. Whichever one you choose has different implications for tax, legal and financial responsibilities. The aim of this article is to give you an insight to the advantages and disadvantages in terms of tax purposes of being a sole trader/in a partnership or forming your own limited company. Hopefully it will inform you on the structure most beneficial to you. Legality As a sole trader, you are the business. You have full control and ownership of the business and are able to manage it in any way you like. On the contrary, a limited company is its own legal entity. Instead you serve the company as a director of the company and act as a shareholder. In most cases, you are considered as an employee but this status is not automatically granted in terms of Employment Law, the National Minimum Wage or for Tax Credits. Tax – Sole Trader You are subject to income tax on the taxable profits of your business. For the tax year 2013/14, you pay 20% tax on income between £0 - £32,010 and 40% tax on income between £32,010 - £150,000. Income above £150,000 is taxed at 45%. The personal allowance amount for persons aged under 65 is £9,440. You are also required to pay Class 2 & 4 National Insurance contributions (NIC). Class 2 NIC are at a flat rate of £2.70 per week. However, you may not need to pay Class 2 NIC if your earnings are below £5,725 for the whole year. Visit http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/working/intro/class2.htm to see if you may be exempt from paying Class 2 NIC. Class 4 NIC is calculated based on your profits for the year. For 2013/14, you pay 9% on annual profits between £7,755 and £41,450 and then 2% on any amount over that. Any trading losses you incur on your business can be offset against other your income to reduce your tax liabilities. Tax – Limited Company For a limited company, it pays corporation tax on its taxable profits. Company tax rates are lower than the higher rates of income tax. If you are employed under your company and taking a salary, your earnings from that employment are subject to income tax and Class 1 NIC due through PAYE (Pay As You Earn). The amount you pay is dependent on your earnings. Shareholders of the company who are on a higher tax bracket may have to pay higher a higher tax rate on any dividend income they receive. Losses from the company can only be offset against its other income but not against your income as an individual. What does it all mean? Now for most people, the above two paragraphs may have been not only been of little help but confused you further. Here is a scenario that will make things easier to understand and hopefully give you enough information to aid you in that important decision. You have a trading income of £16,000 pre tax and wish to extract all the profits for yourself. As a sole trader, you will be taxed at 20% for any income in excess of your personal allowance. The total tax liability including the Class 2 & 4 NIC amounts approximately to £2,181 (assuming 48 weeks and available personal allowance of £9,440). The tax calculation for a limited company is slightly more complex as you have more flexibility in how you distribute the income. For simplicity sake, you take the minimum annual wage that is not liable for PAYE tax or NIC which is around £7,000. Company profits under £300,000 are taxed at a rate of 20%. Taxable profits is £9,000 and amounts to a corporation tax liability of £1,800. This leaves £7,200 to be distributed as dividend which is taxed at 10% for income below the earnings threshold of £32,010. The total tax paid equates to £2,520. In this scenario, it is marginally better to see that remaining as a sole trader is more beneficial as you pay much less tax. However, calculations may differ depending on the trading income and how much salary you take. The general idea is that as your trading income increases, its becomes more and more beneficial to trade as a limited company than as a sole trader (40% income tax versus 20% corporation tax). Just a Final Note You are better off trading as a sole trader for tax purposes if your annual trading profits are not high. However, many businesses opt to form limited companies for reasons that extend past tax issues. Should the business fail, you will not be personally liable for its debts if you were a limited company. If you plan to sell the business after a few year then limited is again a better choicAlso if you plan to expand the business then getting finance for your business may be easier if you were a limited company. There are many varying circumstances that makes being one more appealing than the other but if you still appear unsure then just contact us and we’ll be sure to offer you tailored expert advice to aid your decision. By Wilson Law at Tax Affinity Accountants Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Kingston upon Thames they are considered in the Finance Industry to be the small business experts. Helping and supporting business throughout the UK, they regularly help new and established businesses with valuable support. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. The bridge between having a good business idea and implementing such idea into a business model can be wide and daunting. Getting the necessary funding to kick start your business can be a difficult process and different sources of finance may not be appropriate for everyone due to varying circumstances.
Whether you require investment for start-up capital or are looking to expand your business, the cost can be astronomically different depending on a few variables. Here is a list of things to consider when looking for a source of funding for your business: The “Right” Amount There are a few questions that should instantly appear on the forefront of your mind when you are seeking finance.
Doing your homework from the start will help you avoid many future problems. A shortfall in funding may jeopardise your business in its entirety, you may miss out on that explosive launch you was hoping for or realise that a particular project didn’t produce the desired results because you ran out of cash. There’s a subtle understanding in business that goes like this; “you need to spend money to make money”. Making big changes in your business requires money and not everyone has that money in their bank accounts. However, funding must not only be sufficient but efficient as well. There’s no point asking for more than you need, it will just result in more interest and a larger repayment towards the end. Plan out your budget by listing a breakdown of the different components the funding is used for. You may spot areas in which you can forgo and others that you may have missed out. And once you get the funding, you’ll know exactly what to do with it. Timing is Key Timing is essential in many aspects of life and its no different in regards to funding. Having a realistic time horizon to pay off your borrowings can make repayments easier and more manageable. Pacing your repayments can avoid interest payments from siphoning your cash flow. Tip: If your business is performing better than expected, think about repaying back the debt earlier to decrease the amount of interest accumulating. The Correct Choice Here comes the most difficult part when seeking for funds. How do I choose between so many options? Well unluckily for most, they don’t have as much choice as they think they do when it comes to the selection of finance. The most common for small businesses to get funding is through their own savings. This is, by far, the cheapest source of funding and the only opportunity cost associated is that you lose out on the interest on your savings which quite frankly is nothing compared to the potential interest payments you make for other sources of finance. However, a lot of the time, the money is not enough to fuel the business which leads to people opting for the next best choice; a bank loan. This may be the most appropriate option for many individuals seeking funding as terms can be flexible and mutually agreed upon by both parties. Tip: Try browsing through the different types of loans you can apply for, you may believe that there is some standard rate banks tend to charge for certain loans but be very surprised that the conditions of such loans can be as different as night and day. Take every percentage point at face value; there may not be much difference between 7% and 8% but over the long term you’ll end paying back significantly more in aggregate. Borrowing money through a loan or equity share from family and friends can be a good source of financial investment. Loans offered in this fashion tend to have a low interest rate compared to traditional loans and possess more lenient terms. Offering a piece of your business via equity distribution can motivate your family and friends to help grow your business. Be warned though that any business problems don’t end up trickling down to family matters. Also, make sure any loan agreement is in writing just to avoid any legal problems that may arise in the future. Another alternative of funding is through an outside investor. This is usually not a loan but an equity investment. This means that the investor becomes a shareholder in the business and is entitled to a percentage of the business profits (depending on his/her equity share percentage). Furthermore, the investor may have some degree of control in your business. Depending on the investor, this could be advantageous or disadvantageous. The outside investor could bring new ideas and contacts into the business which would help accelerate the growth of the business. On the contrast, the investor could be in disagreement with any business decisions made and hinder the progress of the business. It is up to the business owner to make sure the interests of both parties are aligned. One thing to note is that debts can be paid off but equity is fixed for the lifetime of the business which could result in equity being much more expensive if the business grows rapidly. At Tax Affinity Accountants we provide free tailored advice to help grow our clients business. By Wilson Law at Tax Affinity Accountants. Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Kingston upon Thames they are considered to be small business experts helping and supporting business in the UK. They regularly help new business start up and provide valuable support for new businesses. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. Start Your Own Business in 2014- Top Tips
With the jobs market as saturated as ever, 2014 may be the year to cut loose and set up your own business. Figures from ‘Start Up Britain’ report that over 500,000 new businesses were incorporated in the UK in 2013, employing approximately 7 million people. Here are some tips to give your new business the highest chances of success: 1. Business Plan- One of the keys to starting up a strong new business venture is to ensure you have a well-structured, yet flexible business plan. By planning thoroughly your business model and strategy, you improve your chances of eliminating costly mistakes. Take time to assess the market and your competitors and ensure you have a USP (unique selling point) to differentiate your product/services. Have a strong grasp of sales forecasts, costing and investments so you can track the progress of your business and also attract funding from lenders. 2. Break-even Analysis- This is very useful tool to ensure you don’t jump into a new business venture without properly assessing the risks. By working backwards and summing all your fixed costs, you can work out approximately how many units you will need to sell at a given price in order to break even. This allows a straightforward check to ensure the business is viable. A simple formula for this can be calculated as follows: Break-even point = fixed costs/ (unit price – variable costs) 3. Know your product (and its competitors) - Do your homework. Make sure you have fully researched the competition. What are their strengths/weaknesses? Know your customer and who you are targeting in order to tailor your product/service to the clients’ needs. Also ensure you have a competitive pricing strategy. 4. Marketing- Although some forms of marketing can be expensive, it is highly important to increase brand awareness and start attracting a wider customer base. Use free marketing tools such as social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to spread the word. Even basic techniques such as asking customers to tell their friends and family can be highly effective. 5. Ensure the Right Image- The perception of your business is extremely important to its success. Ensure a professional image by creating a clean, easy-to-use website and business cards. You should also consider using a 0800 number which will be free for customers to call from landlines. This is a simple way to make the business more customer-friendly. 6. Home Business- Consider setting up your business from home initially. There are a range of benefits to this. Aside from extra flexibility, you will also avoid the costs of renting an office space, utility bills and other expensive bills. Furthermore, you can claim certain household expenditure as tax deductible. A portion of telephone, internet and utility bills can be deducted from your tax liability. 7. Build the right team- Going it alone in business can be highly stressful so it is imperative you build a strong team around you. Depending on your circumstances, you may also benefit from starting up with a partner in order to increase ideas and share the load. Look for someone with the same aspirations but with a different skill set that can complement yours. By Thomas Hoadley at Tax Affinity. Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy. Based in Kingston upon Thames they are considered to be small business experts helping and supporting business in the UK. They regularly help new business start up and provide valuable support for new businesses. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. Tips for Reducing Business Costs
If you own your own company, you will inevitably seek to bring in more business and increase revenues in order to boost your bottom line profit. However, equally crucial to final profit are your business costs. If you can cut down on unnecessary expenses and implement some simple cost-cutting strategies, you will make that all important difference and give yourself an edge over your competitors. Here are 10 basic ideas on potential cost-saving techniques: 1) Energy Costs- Investing in energy-saving office equipment has two key benefits. Firstly, you will pay less on future energy bills due to the more efficient nature of the appliances. And secondly, many energy efficient technologies are 100% tax deductible in the year of purchase according to the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ACA) scheme. You can write off the entire cost of energy saving appliances against profits, including: boilers; combined heat and power (CHP); lighting; pipe work insulation; and refrigeration. 2) Telephone and Internet Costs- Telephone and internet costs can be a significant overhead cost for some businesses. Landlines are expensive so make sure you don’t use them unnecessarily. Joint plans for internet and phone can help to save costs. Furthermore, consider automated phone attendants in order to save on staff costs, BUT make sure you don’t compromise your client service with long waits on hold. 3) Cash Flow- This is arguably the most important factor in the health of your business. In order to keep a healthy cash flow you should be wary of extending credit to your customers. You could perhaps offer small discounts for early payments and consider charging penalties for late payments (although this must be carefully outlined in contracts/invoices etc.). 4) Online Marketing- Rather than overspending on unnecessary advertising, make the most of the new trends towards online marketing through social media such as Facebook and Twitter. This is an extremely easy and inexpensive way to save money, whilst still increasing brand awareness. 5) Work From Home- Depending on the nature of your business it is certainly worth considering working from home. Aside from an obvious increase in flexibility, you will also be saving considerably on costs from commuting and maintaining an office. Furthermore, a proportion of your home expenses can be deducted from your taxable profits. Tax savings can be made on a range of household expenses, including: a proportion of utilities bills; repairs and maintenance directly related to your business space; mortgage interest; council tax; and rent. 6) Bulk Buying- As a business owner you are entitled to an account with wholesalers such as Costco or Booker, amongst others. You should certainly take advantage of bulk buying discounts. However, in order to maximise cost savings, you must consider whether buying in bulk is cost effective in each case for your business. For example, just because the cost per unit of pens, for example, is lower than an individual pen, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should purchase 1000 pens. Small businesses should only buy what they need in order to save costs and avoid waste. 7) Group Buying- Joining buying groups of multiple small businesses can greatly expand the buying power of smaller companies. The Forum of Private Business recently teamed up with Buying Support Agency (BSA) to offer group buying discounts in order to vastly reduce costs on routine items for small businesses. Equally, SME Discounts is a group-buying site offering substantial (up to 90%) discounts on business products such as marketing, operations, IT and B2B products and services. 8) Buy Second-hand- Office equipment can easily be bought second-hand as other businesses and organisations look to sell. Assuming you are careful, there are some great deals to be had for equipment that is as good as new and this can really help to reduce the costs of setting up an office. 9) Inventory- Try not to hold an excessive amount of inventory if you are unlikely to shift it in the short term. Inventory that is being sold is essentially just company money sitting on the shelf and this greatly impacts on your bottom line. Be nimble with your stock levels to react to consumer demand but don’t overstock your business as this cash could be spent more effectively elsewhere. 10) Staff Costs- Employee wages are often the most significant cost to a small business. Employees are in most cases crucial to the success of your business so you don’t want to alienate them by cutting wages. However, you may consider reducing hours slightly in unproductive areas of the business. In addition, look for interns or inexperienced hires that can perform certain tasks for a lower fee, or nothing at all. Finally, consider outsourcing certain areas of your business in order to save on time and cost. Payroll, for example, is an area that doesn’t add much value to your business and can be time consuming, so it may be wise to subcontract such an activity. By Tom Hoadley at Tax Affinity. Tax Affinity Accountants are experts in Tax and Accountancy in the UK. Based in Kingston upon Thames they have clients right across the UK as well as Europe, Middle East and North America. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. Improve the profitability of your small business
Statistics show that around two-thirds of small businesses failed to make a profit last year or increase their profit at all. However, people do not realise how much a small change can impact a business. Making a series of small changes can increase profitability more than making one big change. Here are some suggestions you can take to increase your profit. Revenue and Costs – The Direct and Indirect In basic terms, revenue minus costs equates to profit. So to increase your profit you can either increase your sales or reduce your costs. Many businesses may have little control over the amount of sales they do but all businesses should have control over their costs. Negotiating prices with suppliers can be a key factor to reducing your direct costs. Many businesses tend to stick with one supplier and not negotiate prices but being aware of market prices can increase your bargaining power and potentially save you a lot of money. Costs that could be regularly reviewed in your business include insurance, utilities, mobile/telephone charges and Internet. Ways to decrease your overheads and indirect costs are less obvious compared to direct costs. A good way to lower your indirect costs is to improve your systems. For example, switching from a paper based system to an electronic system to keep important records and manage documents can help reduce your administration costs and minimises the chances for errors. It may be good business practice to review your systems on an annual basis and to seek input from staff from future improvements. Marketing and visibility It can be a very difficult task for small businesses to get their name out and having a small marketing budget doesn’t help either. One thing to keep in mind is not the size of the budget but the effectiveness of your marketing. Understanding your target audience is vital to promoting the awareness of your business. For example, as a local fish and chips shop located near a high school, you can offer a meal deal for students. The sales promotion will help attract one of your key target audiences and possibly increase the reputation of your shop through word of mouth. Also, make sure your advertisements are tailored towards your target audience. Hearing back from 10% of 200 people is better than 1% out of 1000 people. Certifications and accreditations can help put you ahead of your competitors. With the Internet being such a huge platform for communication, it is definitely to your advantage to go online. Try setting up a user friendly company website or use social media sites to increase the awareness of your business. It is a cheap and effective way of promoting your business to prospective customers. Managing your Cash Flow Interests on loans may seem insignificant at one point in time but it quickly accumulates to realisable figures that can put a dent on your profitability. Try keeping a reserve of cash that can be used to cover your current liabilities i.e. short-term loans and interests on long term loans. Having a healthy cash flow can reduce the problems you face if a short-term commitment arises. Key Performance Indicators Analysing key indicators can give light to areas of improvement for a business. Common indicators include actual sales figures against forecasts, costs against budgets, gross profit margin and staff costs. Get advice from your accountant to ensure you’re monitoring the right indicators for your business as staff tends to work towards them whether they are critical to the business or not. The Real Gems of your business In particular to small businesses, every staff member has the opportunity to spread your company’s message. Everyone needs to contribute: whether that is networking on the web, promoting sale offers or greeting customers with a smile, every small thing matters. Get them to be as motivated as you are by encouraging self-development. Reward employees who make an effort to represent the business in and out of work. By Wilson Law at Tax Affinity. Tax Affinity Accountants are considered in the market to be experts in Tax and Accountancy in the UK. Based in Kingston upon Thames they have clients right across the UK as well as Europe, Middle East and North America. For more information visit www.taxaffinity.com. To read more interesting articles like this visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Please feel free to comment and share this with your friends. If you thinking of starting a new business then the following 10 tips by will definitely help.
1) Do what you love. You're going to devote a lot of time and energy to starting a business and building it into a successful enterprise, so it's really important that you truly deeply enjoy what you do, whether it be running fishing charters, creating pottery or providing financial advice. 2) Start your business while you're still employed. How long can most people live without money? Not long. And it may be a long time before your new business actually makes any profits. Being employed while you're starting a business means money in your pocket while you're going through the starting a business process. 3) Don't do it alone. You need a support system while you're starting a business (and afterwards). A family member or friend that you can bounce ideas off and who will listen sympathetically to the latest business start up crisis is invaluable. Even better, find a mentor or, if you qualify, apply for a business start up program such as The Self-Employment Program. When you're starting a business experienced guidance is the best support system of all. 4) Get clients or customers first. Don't wait until you've officially started your business to line these up, because your business can't survive without them. Do the networking. Make the contacts. Sell or even give away your products or services. You can't start marketing too soon. 5) Write a business plan. The main reason for doing a business plan first when you're thinking of starting a business is that it can help you avoid sinking your time and money into starting a business that will not succeed. Remember, you don't have to work through a full scale business plan for each new business idea you come up with; a simple Business Plan, for instance, will let you test the potential of your business idea much more quickly. 6) Do the research. You'll do a lot of research writing a business plan, but that's just a start. When you're starting a business, you need to become an expert on your industry, products and services if you're not already. Joining related industry or professional associations before you start your business is a great idea. 7) Get professional help. On the other hand, just because you're starting a business, doesn't mean you have to be an expert on everything. If you're not an accountant or bookkeeper, hire one (or both). If you need to write up a contract, and you're not a lawyer, hire one. You will waste more time and possibly money in the long run trying to do things yourself that you are not qualified to do. 8) Get the money lined up. Save up if you have to. Approach potential investors and lenders. Figure our your financial fall-back plan. Don't expect to start a business and then walk into a bank and get money. Traditional lenders don't like new ideas and don't like businesses without proven track records. 9) Be professional from the get-go. Everything about you and the way you do business needs to let people know that you are a professional running a serious business. That means getting all the accoutrements such as professional business cards, a business phone and a business email address, and treating people in a professional, courteous manner. 10) Get the legal and tax issues right the first time. It's much more difficult and expensive to unsnarl a mess afterwards. Does your business need to be registered? Will you have to charge VAT? Will you have to have Liability Insurance or deal with payroll and taxes? How will the form of business you choose affect your income tax situation? Learn what your legal and tax responsibilities are before you start your business and operate accordingly. Following the advice on starting a business above will make starting a business both a smoother, less stressful process and go a long way towards ensuring the business you start lasts and thrives. By Susan Ward. To read more interesting and informative articles visit www.taxaffinity.com/blog. Tax Affinity Accountants are expert in helping businesses succeed. Based in Kingston upon Thames they come highly recommended due to their fair pricing and outstanding business support and service. |
Various AuthorsOur experienced accountants and tax advisers provide valuable insights into practical every day questions and issues. Archives
August 2024
Categories
All
Ask your own question: If you would like to have a tax related question answered here, please send your question to [email protected]. |