LMDTFY News

What do you hate most about running your own business?

What are you best at doing? And what do you like best about running a small business?

Fingers crossed they'll be much the same. Not many of us are good at stuff we don't really like doing. We shine when we're happy, engaged in our work and excited by it. But even the optimists among us naturally droop when faced with the dull side of things.

Its horses for courses. Some people are brilliant innovators but couldn't create a hard working business administration system if their life depended on it. Others are admin monsters but couldn't manage their way out of a budgetary [more...]

Taking The Plunge - Keeping Business Going Through The Bad Times

The recession rumbles on. It’s been a couple of years now and things are still looking horribly rocky out there. But despite everything there’s no better time to take your business by the scruff of the neck and take it to the next level.

How come? Isn’t it better to hole up, hang on to your hat and put off any thoughts of expansion ’til the economy shows real signs of recovery? According to the best business experts that’s the last thing you should do. They reckon when things get nasty, clever business owners gird their loins and go for it instead of retracting their business horns for the duration.

The competitive landscape is easier to succeed in, for a start. [more...]

It's a successful business network Jim... but not as we know it!

How many business networking events have you tried and tested, only to come home fed up with the same old thing: a bunch of people stuck in a room, all trying to sell something to each other, with the usual hard core 60 second or five minute presentations. Blah, blah, blah.

The traditional approach suits some people. Others prefer something light and informal with less – or no - pressure to 'perform'. If that's you but there's nothing suitable in your local area, why not DIY and create your own small business networking organisation? [more...]

10 reasons to be happy you're working for yourself!

Just when you think things can't get any worse out there... they do. The economy's in a horrible state of affairs at the moment. Fuel prices are sky high. Inflation is getting scary. And the thought that the Bank of England might put interest rates up is scarier still.

Thankfully there's never been a better time to be self employed or run your own small business. Here's 10 solid reasons to be very glad you're working for yourself right now.

1.  You can't be made redundant. At times like this many freelancers and sole traders run for the hills and find full time work. But in reality employment isn't anywhere near as safe as self-employment. Quite the opposite. [more...]

A blog is just a blog, right? Wrong. It's one of the single most powerful ways to promote your small business, for all manner of reasons. Here's how to make the most of your blog.

• Make sure your blog is an integral part of your website, not on a separate url where it won't do your core site's visibility any good.
• Use your blog to create and grow your brand, ie. your business's personality. Stick to the same tone of voice throughout to build a cohesive, coherent personality that supports your business and enhances your business proposition [more...]