Free business advice resources
Obtaining advice when starting a business is not hard – many people from general bloggers to professional advisors have an opinion on what it takes to build a successful company. Far rarer however, are sources of good, free business advice. Here are our top 5:
1. Gov.uk – Income tax
The source for all official tax, income and employment information, Gov.uk is a treasure trove of useful guidance that will help you find answers to your most pressing issues. Of particular interest to most SMEs owners is the section on income tax:
https://www.gov.uk/browse/tax/income-tax
2. The Federation of Small Businesses
The most trusted and authoritative SME association, the Federation of Small Businesses provides useful news and comment related to trading in the UK. They also offer a number of reduced price services for paying members.
3. Companies House
It never hurts to do some basic research on your competitors, partners and customers, and Companies House makes it easy to check basic details of every company currently registered in the UK. Of particular interest is the ‘Number of charges’ section which gives a very basic insight into company finances.
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//wcframe?name=accessCompanyInfo
4. Startups.co.uk
Aimed specifically at startups (hence the name) this site is billed as ‘the UK’s leading independent, online resource for anyone starting and growing a business’. Expect to find articles covering common challenges and solutions encountered when setting out alone in a new business.
5. Amazon SME section (not quite free, but tax deductible!)
Finally, we had to include this, though it’s not totally free, because it’s a valuable resource. Many of the world’s greatest entrepreneurial minds have committed their knowledge and experience to paper, producing books that cover virtually every aspect of starting and managing an SME. No matter what you are looking for, you can find business advice to help you in Amazon’s SME selection – and note that the cost of any books purchased is also tax deductible.
For all financial advice relating to starting and maintaining a business – whether you’re a sole trader, limited company, or SME – you can contact one of our expert accountants any time.
Do you use other valuable business advice sites which you feel professionals should know about? Let us know with a comment.
