The cyber maturity gap is no longer technical. It’s operational

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the threat landscape. It is making attacks faster to develop, easier to scale and harder to distinguish from legitimate activity. For small and medium-sized businesses, this matters because the pace of change is accelerating faster than many can strengthen the governance, visibility and operational discipline needed to keep up. That’s … [Read more…]

The hidden hours behind late payments

Late payments have long been a challenge for UK small businesses, affecting everything from cash flow and growth plans to day-to-day financial stability. But the true cost often extends beyond the invoice itself. At Accountex 2026, Small Business Commissioner Emma Jones and AAT President Lucy Cohen highlighted a less visible impact: the time spent managing … [Read more…]

What is e-invoicing? Advantages and disadvantages

For business owners and finance leaders, improving efficiency and reducing manual work are top priorities. One way to streamline your operations is through electronic invoicing (e-invoicing)—a digital alternative to traditional paper invoicing. Many governments now mandate e-invoicing for compliance, but beyond that, it can help businesses save time and money. So, what is e-invoicing, and … [Read more…]

Accounts Payable Automation: Key Benefits

Finance teams can take nearly three months per year to close the books—time that you could better spend on strategic decision-making. AP automation eliminates manual workloads, optimises cash flow, and minimises financial risk, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: driving business growth. By automating the financial close, our Close the Books research says … [Read more…]

How to start a business

Want to start a business? You’re not alone. Around 832,000 new companies were set up in the UK in 2025, according to the NatWest and Beauhurst New Startup Index—part of a wave of activity that has pushed the total number of active companies to a record 5.66 million. If you want to join their numbers, … [Read more…]

A business owner’s guide to borrowing money

When running a business, it’s essential to have enough cash to cover your working capital—paying suppliers, employees, and tax—as well as to invest in equipment and fund your growth. There are many ways to borrow money, and more options today than there have ever been. Borrowing is also more expensive than it was even five … [Read more…]

10 steps to grow your customer base

Customers are the lifeblood of any business, so it’s vital you can keep generating leads and retaining your existing customers. But doing so is often a concern for businesses, with more than one in three companies saying that generating new business is their biggest worry. We spoke to two small business owners and asked them … [Read more…]

How to identify useful growth opportunities for your business

Growth is a tricky business. Companies must continuously strive to identify new growth opportunities to achieve long-term business success. That’s why it is essential for your business to develop fresh insights that will ultimately help to generate ideas that the competition has failed to see. This fascinating subject is what we cover in this article, … [Read more…]