Starting Up

Read our business advice content and editorial on topics relating to business startup and getting your idea off the ground.
Starting Up
How to start a competitions website

How to start a competitions website

“Comping” – the art of strategically entering hundreds of online competitions — is a popular hobby in the UK, with reputable sources like MoneySavingExpert.com offering guidance on how to boost...

S SianCahill
Starting Up
4 reasons holding you back from starting your business (and how to overcome them)

4 reasons holding you back from starting your business (and how to overcome them)

Dreaming of leaving the 9-5 behind and embracing life as a small business owner? You’re not alone. But too often, the same concerns stop would-be entrepreneurs in their tracks, and their ideas...

S SianCahill
Starting Up
Delicious beer and tasty profits – How to start a brewery in 2023

Delicious beer and tasty profits – How to start a brewery in 2023

Making tasty beer and even tastier profits – it’s little wonder that opening a brewery is high on many people’s bucket list. After a tough time during the pandemic, the craft beer industry is...

Dan Hobson Dan Hobson
Starting Up
Starting a clothing brand: your complete guide to fashion success

Starting a clothing brand: your complete guide to fashion success

Been browsing high street clothing shops and thinking you could do it better? Ready to bring your sketchbook full of fashion designs to life? Armed with the right know-how, you can turn your...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith
Starting Up
Starting a business in your 20s: a six-step guide

Starting a business in your 20s: a six-step guide

Working life has changed rapidly in a few short years. Flexible and remote working options are giving us the space and time to think more creatively and develop our own ideas that a typical office...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
How to open a mobile phone shop in five steps

How to open a mobile phone shop in five steps

So, you think opening a mobile phone shop could be your next calling – but you’re not sure where to start. As a nation, most of us couldn’t go a day without our mobile phones. Almost 100 percent...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith
Starting Up
Three steps to opening a vape store

Three steps to opening a vape store

So, smoking is out and vaping is very much in. You’re considering opening a vape store – but is the market too saturated? Could this really be a lucrative venture? Vapes or e-cigarettes have...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
How to start a business with no money in 2023: A six-step guide

How to start a business with no money in 2023: A six-step guide

Building a startup with stashes of cash isn’t the reality for most of us. Whilst our business ideas are abundant, many fail to see the light of day due to funding worries. However, with enough...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
How to start a painting and decorating business in the UK in 2023

How to start a painting and decorating business in the UK in 2023

Launching a decorating business is relatively inexpensive compared to other trades and can be extremely rewarding. Here’s how you can get started. Decorating has consistently been one of the most...

Dan Hobson Dan Hobson
Starting Up
Starting a self-storage business in six steps

Starting a self-storage business in six steps

Whilst the cost of living crisis may be tightening its grip over our spending sprees, it’s undeniable that as a nation, we own a lot of stuff. This, alongside the post-pandemic rise of ecommerce...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
Starting a convenience store: the pros and cons

Starting a convenience store: the pros and cons

Are you moving to a new location ready to become the resident convenience connoisseur? Perhaps you’re chasing a budding business opportunity to be the next one-stop-shop on the corner. Swept with...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
The Pros and Cons of Being a Business Owner

The Pros and Cons of Being a Business Owner

Starting your own business is a dream for many people, but it's important to weigh the pros and cons before taking the plunge. Here is a look at some of the potential benefits and drawbacks of...

Ozzy Ozzy
Starting Up
How to pitch your product in shops and cafes

How to pitch your product in shops and cafes

Are you all set to take the shop and cafe industry by storm? Maybe you’ve sent a few emails and made some phone calls, but it’s all gone a little quiet. Ambitious plans to expand your client list...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith
Starting Up
How to identify your target market

How to identify your target market

As with many budding entrepreneurs, you may have a business idea to revolutionise your sector. But do you really know your target market? Whilst your product might be pristine, you may not have...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith
Starting Up
Opening a dessert shop in five sweet steps

Opening a dessert shop in five sweet steps

Got a sweet tooth? Let’s face it, tasty treats make life a little brighter. Whether it’s a classic sundae or an old school iced bun, the dessert market has a grip on the nation's gut, with the...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
Opening a tea room in six steps

Opening a tea room in six steps

We Brits love a cuppa, and with tea industry revenue estimated to amount to £2.1 billion by 2025, opening a tea room could become quite the lucrative venture. Do scones and clotted cream consume...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith
Starting Up
Starting a cleaning business: a simple guide

Starting a cleaning business: a simple guide

Comprising 5% of the UK workforce, cleaning services are a continued necessity in homes and commercial spaces. From a sparkling side hustle to a fully-fledged franchise, starting a cleaning...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
A guide to franchising: the pros and cons

A guide to franchising: the pros and cons

Whether you have an established company and are looking to expand, or you're new to the industry and want to invest in a successful business, franchising can be a lucrative venture for both the...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith
Starting Up
Starting a profitable sandwich shop: a six step guide

Starting a profitable sandwich shop: a six step guide

The appetite for sandwich shops has seen the UK food to-go market valued at £22.2 billion in 2023. With ‘shop local’ initiatives on the rise and consumers hunting for their next foodie fix...

ChrisGoodfellow ChrisGoodfellow
Starting Up
How to start a small skip hire business

How to start a small skip hire business

Hiring a skip can be costly, and when demand is high it can be difficult to get hold of one. This is classic supply and demand economics, but why is it so expensive to hire a skip and is the skip...

Amalie Smith Amalie Smith