(LATEST! 20th July 2008 )
(scroll down to see full list.)

Field and Lycett's Young Rural Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 Award - deadline looming!

Thank you very much for your support of our Young Rural Entrepreneur Award and any coverage you have given has been greatly appreciated. This is just a reminder that the closing date is looming and any further help you can give in spreading the word of this competition would be really valuable.

Calling all entries for the Young Rural Entrepreneur Award 2008 and the chance to win £10,000!

With the closing date coming ever closer, if you or someone you know are under the age of 35 and run a UK business with a rural theme, enter now for your chance to walk away with a cash prize of £10,000.

After the success of last year’s inaugural award, Lycetts, the UK’s premier countryside insurance broker, is now searching to find the 2008 Young Rural Entrepreneur of the Year.

The award celebrates and supports the entrepreneurial talent that exists in the countryside, when uncertain environmental and market conditions have forced farmers to change their farming habits or in some cases, get out of farming completely.

In 2007 brother and sister, Ben and Charlotte Hollins of Fordhall Community Land Initiative and Family Farm, proved themselves worthy winners of the award with a novel and enterprising approach to funding and managing the successful conversion of a struggling farm tenancy into a flourishing community owned business venture.

Charlotte adds, “The cash boost did help with the refurbishment of the farm, but the award helped in so many other ways. Winning the prize created a huge amount of PR for us, in the local media, the national trade press and various magazines. As a result we have been able to attract more supporters for the miscellaneous events that we organise on the farm, more potential shareholders and greater involvement with local schools.”

Nominations can be submitted by or on behalf of an individual who meets the awards criteria.

Prize: £10,000

Closing date: 4th August 2008

To enter: visit http://www.thefield.co.uk

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at emma.blane@lycetts.co.uk

Kind regards,

Emma Blane

Young Rural Entrepreneur Award Co-ordinator

Emma Blane - Tel No: 0191 232 1151 Fax No: 0191 232 1873

emma.blane@lycetts.co.uk http://www.lycetts.co.uk

Lycett, Browne-Swinburne & Douglass Ltd (Reg. No. 706042 ENGLAND) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

The information contained in this email is intended solely for the addressee. Any dissemination, distribution, copying or use of this communication without prior permission of the addressee is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Please contact the sender if you have received this email in error.

Every effort has been made to ensure that this email does not contain a virus. You should virus check any message before opening it. Lycetts cannot accept liability for any damage you may sustain as a result of software viruses.

The Field and Lycetts Young Rural Entrepreneur Award 2008 - see http://www.thefield.co.uk to enter.

Seminar Invitation : Secretary of State for Business and Regulatory Reform v Amway
27 June 2008

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The decision in Secretary of State for Business and Regulatory Reform v Amway last week should prompt all direct selling companies and particularly those with a multi level compensation structure to examine and consider change to their business model and practices.

In a half day seminar we will examine the basis of the case against Amway, the changes it made to its business model, the lessons to be learned from the case and provide some practical advice about commission plan structures, income claims, marketing materials, joining fees, distributor compliance management and control of and responsibility for the sales force in general in the context of the decision.

The seminar will take place at:

Whittlebury Hall Training Centre, Whittlebury, Near Towcester, Northants NN12 8QH

Registration will take place from 9.30am and will include lunch at 1pm.

To secure your free place at this seminar, please can you respond to this email t o confirm your attendance stating any dietary requirements.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Kind regards

Jenny Cheung

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please note that our London office moved on FRIDAY 2 MAY 2008. Kindly ensure that all correspondence is now directed to the new address - 6 NEW STREET SQUARE, NEW FETTER LANE, LONDON EC4A 3BF, Telephone 020 7822 1900, Fax 020 7822 1901. Our email addresses remain the same.

Birmingham Leicester Liverpool London Manchester

Please consider our environment; do you need to print this message?

Weightmans LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership, registered in England and Wales, registered number OC326117, registered office India Buildings Water Street Liverpool L2 0GA. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. A list of members' names is available for inspection at our registered office.

Business Adviser Barometer website

The Business Adviser Barometer website offers business advisers the opportunity to take part in influential surveys on a monthly basis. Advisers can benefit from the information, research and best practice issues found in the reports.

Register for the Business Adviser Barometer at: http://www.ukbab.ac/UI/register.aspx

MORE HOUSE BUILDERS LOOKING FOR HELP TO SURVIVE

Small, medium and some large house builders are finding things increasing difficult due to reduced sales and land banks purchased at boom prices.

Roger Humber, strategic policy consultant at the House Builders Association, part of the National Federation of Builders said: "It is very serious indeed. It is tough times for everybody and the worst we have seen for 15 years.

If any of these companies have made unfortunate land purchases in the last year, and then have found sales dip, as many have, then it is highly likely they will be finding it difficult to keep up with interest payments".

Several house builders in England have gone into administration within the last month with one owing £36m.

fightyourcorner.com reports an increased number of enquiries from it's Business Recovery page. "We get calls from visitors to our website: www.fightyourcorner.com literally saying "I want to put my business into liquidation. Can you help?" says Robin Carlyle, MD.

"On the other hand, we do get calls from business people at an earlier stage asking for a revue of their business with a view to setting in place a business recovery strategy involving rescheduling of debts, finance, stock and sales, and an appraisal of the existing market and competition, prior to possible changes of emphasis. This can be very satisfying and much more rewarding" says Robin.

Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVAs) seem to be becoming more common, which provide a genuine opportunity of business owners and creditors to get more out of a business that is in serious difficulties and can lead to recovery.

Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), (Trust Deeds in Scotland), provide a similar situation for individuals in financial difficulties. These are growing in demand too.

www.fightyourcorner.com was launched in Scotland at the end of 2006 with the assistance of Business Gateway and with the "blessing" of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses. Since then, the team of advisors on a number of services including Business Recovery has developed through out most of the UK.

For further information, visit: www.fightyourcorner.com or call 0800 130 0473

Budget response from Tony Robinson OBE, at SFEDI

After what has appeared a fairly muddled four years we're just relieved to see an Enterprise Strategy and do recognise that many of the comments that SFEDI and the SFEDI Advisory Board (all the major national small business membership and business support organisations) have made have been listened to. It will achieve some simplification too.

SFEDI has a major role in providing its standards which underpin enterprise skills and know how and all qualifications for the new enterprise academies and self employment as a career and other potential and existing small business owner development programmes. Full marks for appointing a respected entrepreneur and expert on the regulatory burden, as Sarah Anderson is, to head up the regulatory review focusing first on employment matters. Government don't yet understand that the self employed network with other self employed to handle growth rather than take on staff. So, hopefully Sarah can get us to the point where we look to grow our businesses through employment.

Mentoring is proven and so pleased that at last the government looks to be about to trust us in the private sector to provide the kind of support that prospective and existing small and home business owners demand. SFEDI quality standards for Business Advisers and Business Mentors will be used to ensure the quality but it is massive progress the realisation, proven in all our research that business to business mentoring tops the 'must have'.

As I'm a member of the Ethnic Minority Business Task Force I'm delighted that government will implement our recommendations. Naturally we'll accept any further support for disadvantaged communities, women entrepreneurs and the over 50s. The access to finance, enterprise academies and work with football clubs are all headline grabbers but could be great. So thanks lots.

However, although some of the responsibility for implementing the strategy is with the private and social enterprise business support sectors far too much responsibility still has been given for implementation to goverment agencies. This was a real opportunity to leave Business Link as a very useful signposting service and portal but to 'go with the grain' of what small business owners trust for delivery i.e. the existing, quality assured enterprise support and training community including enterprise agencies, chambers, business clubs, accountants, private sector mentoring, coaching and training providers etc.

A lot of the report concentrates on celebrating what has been achieved rather what needs to be achieved through integrating enterprise in a strategy across all government departments, particularly with DIUS, (incl. new Commission for Employment and Skills and LSC) DWP etc. We invite them to attend our next SFEDI Advisory Board meeting to clear up some of the muddled thinking and loosely used statitics. For example the report praises the increase in start ups, self employed and small businesses. 500,000 start ups and 4.5 million small businesses and then claims how wonderful it is that 70,000 employers, many of them small businesses, have benefited from the £1billion Train to Gain funding - 70,000 v 4.5 million!. Just how much of Train to Gain is helping small and home business owners gain the enterprise skills and know how to survive and thrive.

The self employed are mostly ignored yet 70% of start ups, which will include at least 200,000 necessity self employed, no other option, will have no employees. There is a clear bias through the report when it refers to small firms to mean those few percent that are 20-50 employees. For example near the end it quotes figures of 40% of small businesses with an average of over £250,000 turnover. The average is £65,000 turnover which is why we have the VAT limit where it is. So they're talking about VAT registered businesses perhaps?

Similarly they're going to invest more in leadership and management training for I think the sixth successive year, due to a CBI recommendation. Yet surveys of small business owners including SFEDI's own, recently of 2,800 small business owners, showed that they wanted enterprise skills (the stuff SFEDI describes) such as winning customers and managing cash flow. Although the strategy says it is 'not about picking winners' the majority of the money goes to the potential and existing small businesses that government regard as higher employers, higher educated, higher turnover with higher finance requirements, higher innovation aspirations and therefore in their opinion higher growth potential.

There is a lot for SFEDI to admire in this Enterprise Strategy and be grateful for but we'd have preferred more of a focus on enterprise skills and know how for all and 'going with the grain' for delivery of this, underpinned by SFEDI standards and proven good practice, as we believe this will ultimately be more successful. They deny picking winners but the bias of the investment is in that direction and frankly you can't pick winners.

Dear HBA,

I just wanted to introduce myself as I hope zuuMedia will be providing its services to many of the members of the HBA.

I am very pleased that we are able to offer, via Simply Business, 3 months free offsite data backup. As you know data backup is critical for any business and it is something a small business owner often forgets. The advantage of broadband now means that businesses can easily and affordably back their data up automatically everyday, without having to remember to do it.

I am not sure if Andy mentioned it to you but we also provide proactive remote computer maintenance, security and 24/7 computer support for consumers and small businesses and I would be very interested to put together an offer for your members around support as well. For example we offer a free computer health check when we will run a complete check on their computers and then email a detailed report, followed by a phone call to discuss what was found. As an example over the last few months we found the average on each computer to be:

Viruses - 8
Spyware & Trojans - 73
Adware - 300
Missing Security Patches - 6

For more information about both services please go to www.zuuMedia.com

All the very best,
Philip

Dear Sir / Madam

I would like to introduce you to a new business that could save you and your customers time and money, whilst helping your organisation and those you communicate with reduce the effects of your carbon footprint by providing the facilities to reduce the number of business journeys and phone calls you make.

You can hold meetings with existing contacts by getting them 'in the loop' and network with other like minded businesses and organisations without cost or time restraints or even geographical boundaries to hold you back.

And it all takes place wherever you want to be, which is ideal for the busy executive juggling their work-life balance - and perfect for home based workers.

The Loop Online is a simple, extremely cost effective, environmentally conscious, time-saving way of conducting business communications.

It is an ideal option for businesses and organisations ranging from sole traders, owner managers, small to medium sized businesses and organisations where resources are limited, right up to multi-site national and international organisations communicating with colleagues, customers and suppliers worldwide.

Come visit us at www.thelooponline.co.uk where it's easy to register online and start benefiting from a host of easy to use enhanced business communication tools that facilitate meetings and networking capabilities from wherever there is a computer.

It's simple to register with us online and then you too can enjoy the benefots of time and money saving enhanced business communications that are environmentally conscious.

To find out more about The Loop, who we are and what our aims are, I have attached some literature that will give you further information and help you make up your mind about 'getting in the loop'.

We welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Pete

Peter Gosling
Director
The Loop Online Limited
Company Registration No: 6362179
Email: petergosling@thelooponline.co.uk
Tel: 07968 104542
Website: www.thelooponline.co.uk

Hello,

I’ve just come across the homebusiness.org.uk site and was wondering if I might make a suggestion?

We have recently launched a UK focused Wiki-style business directory Bizwiki - http://www.bizwiki.co.uk/ The information on Bizwiki is a combination of user contributed content and hand-edited articles, data spidered by our in-house webcrawler, information from chamber of commerce and industry sources and licensed data.

I thought that Bizwiki UK might be a good fit for your Links page http://www.homebusiness.org.uk/links.htm

I would be happy to answer any queries you may have.

Thank you for your time.

Kind regards,

Jurga Galvan

Communications Manager

Bizwiki UK - User editable business directory
web: http://www.bizwiki.co.uk/
mail: comments@bizwiki.co.uk

7 January 2008

Leading Government Enterprise Advisors Show Support for Sean Taggart and Describe Government Policy for Small Business Owners as Discriminatory

Two small business owners who have been leading enterprise advisers to Government; Tony Robinson OBE, founder of SFEDI, the business enterprise training and support standards setting body, and Elsa Caleb, director of SFEDI and former member of the government’s Small Business Council, have expressed support for Sean Taggart, managing director of Kent-based Albatross Travel. Mr Taggart has just resigned from the Department for Business and Regulatory Reform's (DBERR’s) Small Business Forum, claiming that the voice of small business has been ‘neutered’ in Whitehall.

Both have been quick to agree with opinions cited by Taggart for his departure, particularly his comment that the Small Business Forum had become ‘merely a 'tick box' for an SME engagement agenda that appears to focus more on one-off events rather than meaningful long-term dialogue and understanding.’

“The SFEDI Board of business owners shares Mr Taggart’s frustration,” comments Tony Robinson, recently recognised for championing UK entrepreneurship by the International Association of Book-keepers and a member of DBERR’s Ethnic Minority Business Task Force.

“We give our recommendations in good faith based on what prospective and existing small business owners want. Yet when policy is turned into programmes, we end up with a couple of hundred thousand management-led organisations becoming awash with billions of pounds of government training and support budget, whilst 4.3 million self employed and small business owner-led enterprises receive, comparatively, peanuts and higher costs for meeting regulation. It’s a form of discrimination.”

He added: “What’s worse is that small business owners often get someone sent by government, who couldn’t start or run a small business in a month of Sundays, wasting their time by asking them pre-set questions or giving them prescribed solutions so that the government’s engagement targets are met. This is despite SFEDI laying down the competence standards to be met by all those providing support to small business owners.”

Elsa Caleb, founder of EJC Associates Ltd, a previous winner of both the European Federation of Black Women Business Owners Award for Training and Woman of the Year for Social Enterprise, said: “Sean’s resignation is a warning shot for government. At SFEDI we believe government should help every new start up and small business owner, in their first year of trading, to meet enterprise friendly regulations and gain the know-how and support network to survive and thrive. The training and support they receive must meet SFEDI standards in order to guarantee quality. We don’t want big company boiled down leftovers. Government should be funding those who can’t afford training and not supporting those companies which can. It sometimes seems to intervene where it is easier to achieve headline grabbing targets and not where it is necessary to intervene.”

Elsa and Tony agreed that despite them urging government to ‘go with the grain’, too much money is wasted when it does try to help small and home business owners. “Government doesn’t trust those who are already the trusted advisers to small business owners so instead sets up its own expensive consultant-designed infrastructure, marketing agencies and job roles for every new programme. It should be enabling advisers in enterprise agencies, community based business support, small business membership organisations, chambers, private sector training and support providers, professional service practices, business clubs and the like to do the engagement and delivery job for them.

“Despite us giving up huge amounts of time at great cost to help with policy and programmes, it seems that the regulatory burden is just as great and very little of the Train to Gain, Learn Direct, Skills for Business Network, Investors in People and Business Link money has been spent on useful, practical business development training and support for micro business owners and the self employed.

“We need help from all small business owners and all the small business membership and support organisations on the SFEDI Advisory Board to unite to get the attention of government so that Mr Taggart’s efforts are not in vain.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

SFEDI is the UK standards setting body and endorsement body for prospective and existing small and home business owners and all those that support them. More details on SFEDI, its work and endorsement programme and logos can be found on http://www.sfedi.co.uk

The UK SFEDI Advisory Board Enterprise Support Awards take place at BAFTA on 17 April 2008. Details are at http://www.sfedi.co.uk/uk-enterprise-awards.

SFEDI Advisory Board Organisations supporting and hosting tables of their guests at the UK Enterprise Support Awards so far include:

Lloyds TSB
Federation of Small Businesses
Inbiz – Microbusiness and SME training specialist
National Federation of Enterprise Agencies
The British Chambers of Commerce
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
IAB Qualifications for Business
Kent Enterprise (part of Kent University)
GoSkills – the Sector Skills Council for the Passenger Transport Sector
Lantra – the training organisation for the land-based sector
Customer First (UK) – the organisational standard setting body for customer service for business support

SFEDI media enquiries:
Please contact: Rebecca George - George PR - 01449 737281/07974 161108, email: rebecca@georgepr.com

Free telecomms service for homeworkers, small businesses and charities

I'm currently marketing a completely free service to small businesses, home workers and charities. The service doesn't cost them a single penny and can save them hundreds/thousands of £'s on expensive call management systems for their workplace/home.

Would it be possible for you to review my website and if possible reccomend it to the visitors of your website if you are impressed with it.

I've listed all the information below and please give it a try it won't cost you a penny. As an added feature it is also great security for ladies who work from home, my call management system provides them with a free 0844 local rate number directed to their home number, which means that they never have to use their home number when advertising their business.

The website is http://www.instantswitchboard.co.uk.

If you have any questions please email me at sales@blueboxtelecom.co.uk

Kind Regards

Rob Douthwaite
Blue Box Telecom

The Pipeline card

This website will be of interest to anyone who needs to drive for their business or has to use their car to reach their premises. It is aiming to sign up sufficient people so it can negotiate cut-price petrol for members with a major retailer. The group currently has more than 500,000 members.

The website is at: http://www.pipelinecard.org

BusinessZone.co.uk and UKBusinessForums.co.uk Appointed as Media Partners to the SFEDI Advisory Board’s 2008 UK Enterprise Support Awards

Leading small business advice websites BusinessZone and UK Business Forums have teamed up with SFEDI and its Advisory Board (http://www.sfedi.co.uk) as media partners to the inaugural SFEDI Advisory Board’s 2008 UK Enterprise Support Awards. The presentations take place on Thursday 17 April at BAFTA in London with the awards highlighting excellence among individuals and organisations providing support to the UK’s entrepreneurs and small businesses.

SFEDI, the small business watchdog and standards setting body, is hosting the event on behalf of its Advisory Body, which brings together all the major national small and home business membership, support and training organisations which help small and home business owners to start up, survive and thrive. Members include the British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses, the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies, Inbiz, Lloyds TSB and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

BusinessZone.co.uk is the leading online community for owners and managers of small to medium sized businesses providing free resources including practical advice features, expert blogs and a guide to start-up finance. UKBusinessForums.co.uk is the most active SME forum in the UK, providing reach to over 14,000 members. It is positioned solely as a site for discussion, engagement and interaction, generating 2,000 posts a week, and over 800,000 page impressions per month.

Tony Robinson OBE, small business owner and executive director of SFEDI, said: “There’s a rich community of people in the UK specialising in meeting SFEDI standards to provide the best and most practical help necessary for small businesses. Members of the community range from volunteer mentors from start up charities, to trainers and advisers from banks, enterprise agencies, accountants, private sector specialist companies helping the long term employed into self employment to those providing incubator support for graduate entrepreneurs.

“The SFEDI Advisory Body Enterprise Support Awards remind us that behind every successful small business owner, there are often one or two committed advisors, who have provided expert guidance through good times and bad. The Awards will showcase true excellence in the UK’s small business support sector and we’re delighted to be working with BusinessZone.co.uk and UKBusinessForums.co.uk to give this community the recognition it deserves.”

Dan Martin, editor of http://www.businesszone.co.uk and administrator of http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk, commented: “Many of the UK's entrepreneurs are more than happy to help and support fellow small business owners in achieving the kind of success they have enjoyed. Unfortunately, however, their efforts are not often recognised. The SFEDI Advisory Body Enterprise Support Awards put this right.

"BusinessZone.co.uk and UKBusinessForums.co.uk are delighted to be the official media partners of the awards. I look forward to hearing what I'm sure will be immensely inspirational entrepreneurial stories.”

Categories include awards for professional advisers, such as accountants, through to volunteer business mentors. There is also an award for the business owner or entrepreneur who has done most to support other small and home business owners, also sponsored by BusinessZone.co.uk and UKBusinessForums.co.uk Nominations can be made online at www.sfedi.co.uk/uk-enterprise-awards. The closing date is 30 January 2008.

Ends
For SFEDI media enquiries please contact:
Rebecca George - George PR - 01449 737281/07974 161108, email: rebecca@georgepr.com

Notes to Editors:
SFEDI is the UK standards setting body and endorsement body for prospective and existing small and home business owners and all those that support them. More details on SFEDI, its work and endorsement programme and logos can be found on www.sfedi.co.uk

SFEDI is currently seeking sponsors for the individual Enterprise Awards and for tables of ten seats at the Awards Lunch on 17 April 2008. Details are at http://www.sfedi.co.uk/uk-enterprise-awards.

Members of the SFEDI Advisory Board involved with the event include:

British Chambers of Commerce
Forum for Private Business
Federation of Small Businesses
National Federation of Enterprise Agencies
Lloyds TSB
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
Inbiz
Customer First UK
Kent Enterprise Hub
IAB Qualifications for Business

Sift Media, publishers of BusinessZone and UK Business Forums, is a leading business-to-business publisher specialising in online, interactive professional communities.

With a range of services including websites, email publications, industry awards and events, Sift Media delivers original, branded content to over half a million professionals in business, accounting and finance, HR and training, IT, marketing, customer management and knowledge management

British Shops and Stores Association website

The British Shops and Stores Association (BSSA) website is a resource for non-food shops, particularly focusing on smaller businesses. The website has a membership area, as well as areas accessible to all, including news and legislation affecting shops.

Visit the website at: http://www.british-shops.co.uk/homepage.htm

Thank you for the time you have taken to read this email.

We are seeking Affiliates to promote our product - a 3 CD set containing every possible document, letter or template required to run a business.

It costs nothing at all to sign up as an affiliate and we pay a massive 40% commission. It's a product that everyone needs no matter what business they are in so substantial earnings are easily achieveable.

To learn more about the product please click here: http://www.borderpublications.com/documents

To get links for your web site or email signature please click here: http://www.borderpublications.com/documents/affiliate.htm

Kind regards

The Border Publications Team

Horsesmouth e-mentoring website

This website puts experienced businesspeople in touch with new start ups that are looking for advice. Horsesmouth is seeking mentors from all walks of life, to give advice on business, life and learning. It hopes those who sign up to the site looking for help will also be able to give advice to others.

Visit the website at: http://www.horsesmouth.co.uk

Dear Sir,
This may not be applicable, but I have a small serviced office available in case one of your members in the West Siussex area is poss looking to expand!
Please see advert below. Would it be possible to advertise this to anyone who you feel may be appropriate please? Nursing agency, draughtsman, solicitor, accountant, IT / web work etc would be ideal.

Many thanks,
Gayle Palmer D.O.
Osteopath
www.livingelements.co.uk

Serviced office available, approximately 270 square feet, light, airy and peaceful. Office space is lockable and there is ample parking on site. Private telephone line possible, other services by arrangement. Situated within a Health Care Clinic in Sidlesham. £500 per calendar month. Viewings are by appointment please contact Gayle Palmer on 01243 641665 or 07769 746113 to arrange. info@livingelements.co.uk

Hello,

I was simply wondering if you could take one minute out of your busy schedule to take a look at this small home business marketing site:
http://smallbusiness.logoworks.com and, if you find it interesting enough, link to it from the links page of homebusiness.org.uk.

The blog features articles geared towards small business marketing, and provides a few resources that would be valuable to small business or home business owners. We offer a lot of small business marketing content that your site visitors would find useful.

Other than benefiting your website visitors, we would also like to perminently add a link to your website from our resources site, with your permission.

Let me know what you think, and thank you very much for your time.

I really appreciate it,

Tanner Christensen
http://smallbusiness.logoworks.com

iTrade website

This website has been set up by the Government's UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) department to help firms in the East of England network with their international counterparts, exchanging knowledge and ideas. There is also information on worldwide business trends, news, events and courses. Members can discuss ideas in the forums. It is currently free to join.

Visit the website at: http://www.itrade.org.uk

Hi there –

I run Platinax (http://www.platinax.co.uk/) which is a free resource run by entrepreneurs to help other entrepreneurs and start-ups get the most from using the internet. It does this by providing helpful articles, a business forum for Q&A, as well as news and a business directory.

I’d just like to find out whether it’s possible to work with homebusiness.org.uk in order to help raise awareness of Platinax among your visitors. For example, do you provide any advertising opportunities?

In the meantime, any questions, feel free to ask.

Best regards,

Brian

http://www.platinax.co.uk/

Platinax Internet Ltd is registered in Scotland: SC291750

Phone: 07963 808470

Email: brian@platinax.co.uk

Business book free to download

A book helping people to improve their creative businesses has been made freely available on the Internet. 'T-Shirts and Suits, A Guide to the Business of Creativity', by business guru David Parrish, aims to help people make the most of their creative abilities, and to combine them with best business practice. It has been transformed into an e-book, which can be freely downloaded.

You can download the e-book at: http://www.davidparrish.com/page.asp?pgid=125&pgsid=33

It is also available at: http://www.merseysideacme.com/displaynews.asp?pageid=latestnews&item=842

The Search Engine Guide website

This is a useful website for small businesses that have an online presence. This frequently updated site has hints and tips to help businesses get the best search engine rankings they can, in a blog-style format. It seeks out relevant articles, tutorials, hints and tips on search engine optimisation (SEO) and brings them together in one place.

Visit the site at: http://www.searchengineguide.com

Setting up an IT system from Businesslink

Start-up businesses that are unsure of what kind of IT system they need can now use an online tool to let them know what their businesses requires. Business-link’s ‘Setting up an IT system’ offers advice for small firms and start-ups on what the most appropriate equipment for their organisation would be. The interactive tool uses a short questionnaire to identify the main use for IT within the business. Business owners enter details on which members of staff need to use the system and an assessment is then made on how simple or sophisticated a system is required.

The tool can be found at http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/ITbasics.

Business Plan software

Hello, Home Business Alliance,

I am the Director of a organisation called Company Partners. I've just visited homebusiness.org.uk and I think that our web sites have similar audiences. We are very careful who we link to ourselves, so I've given you some information about Company Partners below and I wonder if you would like to exchange links. This should help both our Internet endeavours.

Company Partners is seen as an authoritative site with number one rankings in Google.com (all sites worldwide) for Business Partners.
We have been featured on BBC's Working Lunch and in National Newspapers.

I have already placed a link to your site along with a description at http://www.companypartners.com/links.php?subcat=19 . If you want the description of your site modified, or if you have any other cross-promotion ideas, let me know. I would appreciate if you would place a link back to my site and below is the details you should need:

URL: http://www.companypartners.com/business-plan.php

Description: An independent review of the best business plan software applications.

Online business skills assessor

Provided by the East Midlands Incubation Network, this online tool comprises nine elements for enterprises in the region to complete to assess the level of their business skills. It aims to highlight where there are skills deficiencies, and help businesses put together a development plan to overcome any problems.

The tool is available at: http://www.emincubation.co.uk/main/DOC/935 (Registration, which is free, is required to use the assessor)

Business4Brunch website

This website was set up to help smaller firms to network and publicise their businesses. It was put together by marketing firm Business Feet after it found that few networking events were aimed at smaller enterprises. The site, which is free to join and use, allows firms to showcase their businesses online and to link up with other small enterprises at networking events.

Visit the website at: http://www.business4brunch.com

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You take decisions almost every day to improve your working life - overcoming challenges, juggling towards joy.

The LifeShift Series of Books helps you make better decisions

- making Joy the basis for your decisions (Rediscover The Real You: Book 1)
- getting you out of your own way (Take The Brakes Off: Book 2)
- developing a strategy customised to you (Your LifeShift Manual and Workbook: Books 3 & 4)
- revealing the lowdown on money (Creating Abundance: Book 5)

You can download them at www.lifeshift.co.uk as a package or individually

Buy the full set (£59) and claim a 90 minute session with me (also worth £59!) - first 250 orders only.

Earn 40% commission: become a clickbank affiliate and sell the books yourself.
http://www.clickbank.com/info/jmap.htm?vendor=lifeshift takes you to the Affiliate Sign-Up page for LifeShift Books, or go to Marketplace on the www.clickbank.com site and enter the keyword LifeShift.

There is a best time to 'Relaunch Your Life' ... it's RIGHT NOW! Check out www.lifeshift.co.uk NOW!

Andrew

Andrew Ferguson aka The Wise Old Owl
t: 020 7473 5544 - the best way to contact me
Breakthrough Centre 29 Adine Road, London E13 8LL
Breakthrough Centre Ltd - Registered in England & Wales No 2995425
Visit www.thewiseoldowl.co.uk for flexible 121 coaching
Visit www.lifeshift.co.uk for ways to restore your life balance
& www.breakthroughnetwork.net our holistic suppliers network

Tax rules relaxed for self-employed homeworkers

The tax rules for self-employed homeworkers are being relaxed by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

Since 6 April, self-employed people who work from home on a limited basis, as well as full-time homeworkers making a claim for the 2006/7 tax year do not have to provide records of every business expense when they make a tax claim. Self-employed homeworkers are also allowed to reclaim tax on part of their domestic bills for business purposes.

Read more on this story at: http://www.manufacturingnetwork.org/pooled/articles/BF_NEWSART/view.asp?Q=BF_NEWSART_286899

And view HMRC's guidance at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/bimmanual/bim47815.htm

Own-it IP protection website

This is an online resource for small creative businesses and freelancers to find out more about protecting their intellectual property (IP). It contains free legal contract templates, fact sheets, podcasts, and articles, as well as legal advice and an FAQ section. The website is a collaboration between Creative London, the London College of Communication and the University of the Arts London.

Visit the site at: http://www.own-it.org/

Save up to 87% on Toner – TonerTopUp.co.uk supplies bottled toner powder refills for laser printer, fax, copier and MFP cartridges. For many models you just unplug and pour! Otherwise we supply tools for simple refilling. For a 5% discount enter sourcecode HBA1 online at tonertopup.co.uk. (Otherwise contact 01732 750364 - martin@TonerTopUp.co.uk)

Directory of waste and recycling facilities for small firms

NetRegs, the Government website that provides guidance on environmental regulations, has launched a Waste Directory to show small businesses in England and Wales where they can find licensed sites for recycling or disposing of waste. The directory is free to use and can be searched by postcode or town, as well as by type of waste. Similar directories are available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Read more at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/1728977/1728990/1729116

Access the directory, plus the Scottish and Northern Irish equivalents, at: http://www.netregs.gov.uk/netregs/1724261/

Farmers' markets forum launched

An online forum has been launched for enterprises that sell goods at farmers' markets. The Farmers Market Forum already has more than 50 registered users, who can share expertise, and find out more about produce and venues. It has been put together by the people behind Market eStalls, a virtual farmers' market where small businesses can create online ‘stalls' to sell their goods.

Visit the forum at: http://www.farmersmarketforum.co.uk

See Market eStalls at: http://www.marketestalls.com

Welsh enterprise organisation launched

A new enterprise organisation has been launched in Wales, with the backing of a number of the principality's Chambers of Commerce and the Wales Trades' Union Congress (TUC). The key objective of the Business Dragons-eChamber Wales initiative will be to tackle economic inactivity. It hopes to promote an enterprise sector that "thrives and enriches" the Welsh economy.

There is more on this story at: http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0100news/tm_headline=%2Ddragons%2D-tackle-economic-inactivity%26method=full%26objectid=18613478%26siteid=50082-name_page.html

SmartBarter is offering free annual memberships as an introductory offer to selected businesses. If you are keen to trade using this new system and would like to apply for a free membership then contact us at admin@smartbarter.co.uk. We will assess your application and reply to you within two working days. This introductory offer is intended to build up a range of goods and services on the site, so if you are an active trader and would like to take advantage of it, apply now!! http://www.SmartBarter.co.uk
See Press Release below.

IT advice in plain English

Lifehacker.com is a website that features IT tips in plain English for both novices and professionals. The frequently updated blog is full of useful shortcuts to help users save time and make the most of their software and IT equipment. The information is fully searchable and users also have the option of leaving comments on the tips.

Access the website at: http://www.lifehacker.com

Press Release!

SmartBarter goes live on the Internet!

SmartBarter is a brand new concept in online trading, launched in January 2007. It combines the functions of an online trading community with the innovation of a barter site. SmartBarter is aimed, primarily, at small businesses and sole traders although it is also envisaged that individuals and corporations may join. Goods and services of all kinds can be bought and sold through the site.

SmartBarter offers an economic means for businesses to enhance their web presence, utilise surplus stock and extend their business networks. Members can trade with each other using BUCs (Barter Units of Currency) and get a mini web page and unlimited catalogue entries to advertise their goods and services. After paying an annual subscription, members receive an allocation of BUCs (similar to loyalty points) which they can then use to trade with others immediately.

Unlike other barter sites, SmartBarter also offers the facility for members of the public to browse the catalogue of traders and items and to purchase from the traders using pounds or their own national currency. There are no transaction fees or other hidden charges, simply a once a year subscription.

SmartBarter's unique custom built software provides easy accounting,