Articles

For owner-managed businesses, hitting 7-8 people is a crucial milestone. At this size, managing everyone directly becomes unmanageable. It’s time to appoint your first layer of managers to oversee operations, freeing you up to focus on strategy and growth.

Family business succession planning is often avoided due to emotional ties, fear of conflict, and unclear leadership. Learn why it's essential to discuss succession early, how to address challenges, and ensure a smooth transition. Read on for practical advice and an FAQ on family-owned business succession.

SME Business Leader? Gain critical insights on how the October 30th Budget will impact your business. Register your interest to attend an exclusive in-person event this November with renowned economist Roger Martin-Fagg and former England Rugby Captain Martin Johnson. Discover actionable strategies for navigating business and leadership challenges in uncertain times.

For businesses in sectors like manufacturing, engineering, and other traditional industries, trade fairs have long been the cornerstone of lead generation and building client relationships. These in-person events provide a unique opportunity to connect with key decision-makers, showcase products live, and build trust through face-to-face networking. However, as the marketing landscape shifts increasingly towards digital marketing, relying solely on traditional trade fairs may no longer be enough to sustain business growth.

When planning to sell your business, it’s not just the tangible assets like equipment or inventory that buyers consider. Intangible assets play a crucial role in determining your business’s value and attractiveness to potential purchasers.

As a small business owner, managing daily operations can often feel overwhelming. From overseeing finances to ensuring customer satisfaction, the demands are endless. However, as your business grows, these challenges only increase. One of the most effective ways to ensure your business scales sustainably is by investing in robust business processes and automation systems. This approach is not just about enhancing efficiency; it's about laying a strong foundation for long-term success and competitiveness.

In today’s fast-paced world, small businesses (and even very large organisations) can find themselves in markets that become saturated or even redundant due to rapid technological advancements. When traditional methods no longer serve customer needs, it’s crucial to pivot quickly to stay relevant and competitive. So which way to turn?

The journey of growing a business in the first ten years of trading is often fraught with challenges. From securing initial funding to scaling operations and maintaining a competitive edge, business owners face numerous obstacles. This article explores the key challenges what we experienced at first hand and also what I observe with my clients when we first start working together.

Selling a business involves careful planning and consideration across various key areas. It can be a real emotional roller coaster of a journey.

Do you find it a challenge balancing family dynamics in your small business?

Are you the head of a family-owned business?

The end of December is always a good time to reflect on the past year's performance.

Before you set your team off on it's next challenge, ask yourself if you have considered the FOUR essential conditions required for the team to thrive and not just survive.

There are four classic organic growth strategies for businesses. Do you know them?

We are delighted to announce the launch of The Business Owners Club. The first session takes place at Casa Hotel, Chesterfield in January 2024.

Cloud-Busting was delighted to exhibit at Chesterfield's first Business Expo in October 2023!

Cloud-Busting is delighted to exhibit at Chesterfield's first Business Expo in October 2023!

In the dynamic landscape of rapidly expanding businesses, the outflow of cash can be astonishing. If your business is funded conventionally through debt loans or invoice financing, mastering the rate of growth becomes paramount.

In the dynamic landscape of rapidly expanding businesses, the outflow of cash can be astonishing. If your business is funded conventionally through debt loans or invoice financing, mastering the rate of growth becomes paramount.

In the dynamic landscape of rapidly expanding businesses, the outflow of cash can be astonishing. If your business is funded conventionally through debt loans or invoice financing, mastering the rate of growth becomes paramount.

What is your business GROWTH strategy for 2023/2024? Do you have one? Do you know how to build one?

My biggest fear, whilst running an SME business for over 17 years, was finding out about issues and problems from my management team TOO LATE.  

I’m Mel Archbould and I’m the CEO of Cloud-Busting, a local team helping SME businesses navigate their way through the scale-up transition from small to medium size since June 2022.

When turbulence is the new norm - how do you prepare your 2023 forecast? Most small businesses will have an annual budget for the year, a target P&L and will run a 13 week rolling cashflow. They are the traditional financial planning and forecasting tools for Small business (up to 49 employees). But how useful are they in these current times?

Back in September I attended an online seminar, C.R.A.S.H – delivered by @Dent.Global, all about recession-proofing your business, many entrepreneurs were in attendance. It was full excellent content. But the stand-out subject matter, for me, was the importance of taking care of the business leader through what will undoubtedly be a challenging period.

Fifteen to twenty years ago, if we had talked about burnout in our business, we would have all thought we were talking about a faulty motor or gearbox on one of our machines! Now we hear the term more frequently and we read burnout is at an all-time high within businesses large, medium, and small.