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St Pauls' Catherdral, London cityscape, tube

Getting ahead in the battle to attract and retain top talent

As a firm believer in the power of putting people first, I’m excited to write this monthly column for Business Leader, offering you a candid peek into the challenges and opportunities of recruitment strategies and robust talent planning. I didn’t grow up dreaming of workforce solutions, or of being a chief executive. It was one...

Niki Turner-Harding

Finger pointing a block with other hands holding items

How political parties can win over business and triumph in the general election

As we embark on a general election year, I shall, as will many other entrepreneurs, be looking for the political party that has the most enterprise-friendly strategy. For the past 20 years, I have run Enterprise Nation as a growing business support resource for thousands of start-ups and early-stage businesses. It has given me a...

Emma Jones

Andrew Mclaughlan leaning against a door

Welcome to the new Business Leader

Welcome to the new Business Leader. We’re excited to reintroduce ourselves to the dynamic business community in the UK, starting with our relaunched website and invigorated mission.  At Business Leader we’ve identified a glaring need to support the trailblazers – the founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs propelling mid-sized companies forward. Our commitment is clear: to inspire...

Andrew McLaughlan

Illustration of someone falling, Madonna and a phone v2

Welcome to the brave new world of bio-preneurs

It’s 5 AM and I’m aimlessly scrolling through Instagram as I battle my two-hour jet lag for the sixth night in a row since a trip to South Africa. My circadian rhythm is pathetic, and I don’t have enough self-control to charge my phone in another room. I’ve also broken my New Year’s resolution which...

Caspar Lee

Finger pointing and people running up stairs canvas

Five laws that spell success and can put you on top in a crowded marketplace

There are hundreds of thousands of podcasts around the world. Many of them focus on the areas that we talk about – mindset, business, high achievement and finding your sense of purpose. A question I get asked all the time is, why has my High Performance podcast been so successful? I think the answer to...

Jake Humphrey

A toy figure of a businessman with a briefcase, dressed in a smart suit, in the style of a little green army soldier

The art of business wargaming

It’s 8.30 AM and a team of senior managers arrives in a City boardroom to be greeted by a table groaning with croissants, Danish pastries and Colombian coffee. The managers have no idea why they have been called in. The phone rings and a voice at the other end says, “You are now in a...

Josh Dornbrack

A pattern with illustration featuring Larry Ellison

Inside the rise of Larry Ellison’s tech empire

Sukhendu Pal spent a decade at the heart of the database giant in its early days. Here he looks back at how a brilliant leader made Oracle an unstoppable force.

Josh Dornbrack

Two pound symbols fight in a street

Price wars: Strategies in the battle against inflation

Fraser Smeaton, CEO at Morph Costumes, is in a pickle. With inflation easing and a cost-plus model in play, he’s facing a tricky balancing act. He’s not on his own as business leaders across Britain are tackling a pricing challenge, deciding between cutting prices to win customers or fattening their profit margins. “Our prices have...

Patricia Cullen

Businessman hand protect chess king figure

Takeover immunity: Can it ever be truly achieved?

For some company owners, an acquisition is the perfect exit strategy. But for the leaders who want to continue growing, a takeover is likely to be the last thing on their minds. With the BBC recently reporting that Danish pharmaceutical giant, Novo Nordisk is “virtually immune to a takeover bid”, we investigated whether it was...

James Cook

Magnifying glass looking over employees

How employee ownership is shaping long-term business strategy

The number of employee-owned businesses in the UK increased by 37% between June 2022 and June 2023, according to the Employee Ownership Association (EOA). With the figure standing at 1,418 and looking set to grow further, we investigated the conduciveness of this ownership model to a successful long-term business strategy. Its rise in UK popularity...

James Cook

Two hands on a desk about to interlock two puzzle pieces

Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition: On the rise but no cause for concern

“Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) is a fast-growing trend in M&A and we’re beginning to see the pipeline of work building in this area considerably,” says David Baverstock, corporate partner at law firm Marriott Harrison. With ETA on the rise, we investigated how it could affect the wider M&A market. ETA emerged from Stanford Business School...

James Cook

Two hands with male and female symbols

How close are we to gender parity in 2024?

Imagine Sarah and John, both nearing retirement. Sarah faces a daunting 19-year extension to her career just to reach the same pension savings John has amassed. The Pensions Policy Institute’s recent findings underscore the significant gender gap in pension wealth. Fear not though, the gender gap is on course to close… in 52 years. Analysis...

Patricia Cullen

Two hands on a mouse

The business of love: Managing workplace relationships

Richard and Judy, the duo who co-hosted “This Morning” between October 1988 and July 2001, met while working together at Granada TV in the North West of England. Their professional relationship evolved into something more, leading to 35 years of marriage. This phenomenon is not uncommon as Forbes (2024) reports that over 60% of adults...

Patricia Cullen

Eight people sitting around a table in a meeting

Should UK companies have employees on their boards?

Workers should be placed on company boards to “inject some much-needed common sense into boardrooms,” says Paul Nowak, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Nowak’s comments were featured in an article by The Guardian reporting that FTSE100 chiefs were paid more in the first three days of this year than the average worker...

James Cook

Understudy Wisdom

Understudy wisdom: Leadership lessons from renowned business duos

For every big name in business, there are understudies that act as sounding boards, confidants, and trusted ears. The world was reminded of the influence that a number two can have in life and business when Charlie Munger passed away just shy of his 100th birthday. We break down a few notable number twos and...

Josh Dornbrack

Chāmpo beauty products

How Chāmpo became the UK’s fastest-growing beauty company

Ranked eighth on The Sunday Times Hundred 2023, making it the UK’s fastest-growing beauty company, Chāmpo has achieved a compound annual growth rate of 217% over the past three years and sold more than one million products since its 2019 launch. The company, which provides clinically proven formulas for a new generation of haircare consumers,...

James Cook

Advertising avenues 2024

Advertising avenues to consider for business growth in 2024

Brand visibility is critical and in a digital age, there are hundreds of ways to choose from to get your message in front of a potential consumer. As we welcome a brand-spanking new year, we highlight some advertising avenues to think about in 2024. Podcast advertising With over 4 million podcast shows available and 53,000...

Josh Dornbrack

The pros and cons of taking venture capital funding for your startup

In 2022, venture capital (VC) firms raised a record-breaking $162.6 billion. Venture capital investment can be an especially attractive way of obtaining significant capital for your startup and taking it to the next level. But what is venture capital? VC is a type of funding that involves private equity financing that is provided by several...

How hotels can reduce their carbon footprint

Hotels play a significant role in the hospitality industry, but their operations often have a substantial environmental impact. Reducing the carbon footprint of hotels is not only beneficial for the environment, but also for the reputation and bottom line of the business. In the context of the UK, where sustainability is gaining increasing importance, hotels...

Introducing The BoxCo: Transforming self-storage with tech

In an era dominated by instant deliveries and digital convenience, The BoxCo. emerges as a game-changer in the self-storage industry. With a vision to revolutionise the way we store our personal items, The BoxCo. is a breath of fresh air in a sector that’s ripe for a tech makeover. Founders’ vision: Streamlining storage The journey...

Navigating economic uncertainty: The role of fractional CFOs in risk management

Economic uncertainty inevitably challenges small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which commonly cannot afford full-time, high-level finance executives. In such turbulent times, a fractional chief financial officer (CFO) plays a vital role, especially in risk management. This article explores how fractional CFO services equip SMEs with essential expertise to effectively steer through economic uncertainties, delivering strategic...

What measures can UK companies take to reduce cyber attacks?

In an increasingly digital world, the threat of cyber attacks looms large over businesses, with UK companies being no exception.  According to recent statistics, cybercrime costs the UK economy billions of pounds each year, with the average cost of a cyber attack for a small or medium-sized enterprise standing at around £8,460 per incident.  In...

How UK landlords can get ahead on their rent

In the complex world of UK property management, landlords often encounter situations where immediate access to cash is necessary to address maintenance issues, cover expenses or pursue investment opportunities. To meet these financial needs, landlords have several options available, including cash advances on rent, landlord finance, factoring and secured loans. Landlords seeking quick access to...

What an accountant can offer the self-employed

As a self-employed individual in the UK, managing your finances can be a daunting task amid the responsibilities of running your own business. This is where an accountant becomes an invaluable asset, providing expert guidance and support to ensure financial stability and compliance with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) regulations. One of the key roles...