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Latest news, support, events and advice for you and your business
6 ways to boost your productivity as an entrepreneur
Running a small business requires a lot of energy, but there are steps you can take to avoid the dreaded burn-out Anyone who’s taken on the mammoth task of running their own business knows how it feels to be tired and burned out. Periods where you feel a...
The importance of cybersecurity when working from home
Recent events have forced many businesses to get used to remote working, but this can have consequences when it comes to data protection Data protection is one of the most important factors in any modern business. With so much of our business data and documentation...
Family Piccalilli Business Adapts to Lockdown with 40% increase in Retail Stockists
A Darlington-based family food producer has created new opportunities during lockdown as an emphasis on shopping local has led to new partnerships with regional retailers - boosting stockist numbers by 40%. Calder’s Kitchen launched in 2016 to supply their unique...
6 ways to compete with Amazon as a small business
The delivery giant is seemingly unstoppable, but is there a place for smaller brands in the Amazon Kingdom? When it comes to online shopping, there’s one name that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Amazon – the behemoth of deliveries; the supreme...
Why does your business need a business plan?
When it comes to running a business, you can’t just wing it A business plan defines your business: how it stands, where it’s going, and how you plan to get there. It’s an essential part of starting up your business, and those who try to dive right in without a plan...
5 ways to make your business stand out as a brand
Branding is key to a business’s success, but how do you make sure your brand feels unique? No business operates in a vacuum. Even if your offering to customers is innovative and different from anything else on the market there is always competition for your customers’...
5 ways to boost employee productivity while still supporting wellbeing
Getting the most out of your staff needn’t mean working them to the bone We’re all familiar with the feeling that there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and for entrepreneurs this feeling can be particularly strong. Making sure productivity remains high in...
Entrepreneur Lifts Prospects for New Business with Key Contract Win
A North Tyneside entrepreneur is raising prospects for his newly launched business after securing a key contract with North Tyneside Council for a project to install and upgrade new lifts at council buildings. Kris McGough set up Rise Elevator in 2019 following...
Innovative programme to boost County Durham start-ups
Durham Ambitious Business Start-ups (DABS) is an innovative new approach to supporting start-up businesses in County Durham. Set up by Business Durham, the economic development arm of Durham County Council, DABS will test pioneering new approaches for...
Is remote working better than the office?
Recent studies have found that employees are split on how they’d like businesses to operate going forward. There are no hard and fast rules, of course, but if you are still undecided on what your “new normal” should look like, here’s some food for thought. Remote...