News on small businesses & start up business in Newcastle, Teesside and the North East

Taxi firm driving Chip & PIN revolution

THREE taxi drivers with more than 60 years' experience between them are taking cabs into the modern cashless society. Read

Benefits of online networking

EFFECTIVELY using all business tools at your disposal will give you an edge over competitors. So it’s worth considering if your business could reap the benefits of digital social media? Read

Open day for small enterprises

AN open day for small enterprises looking for funding to expand their businesses is being held in County Durham later this month. Read

We're living in a strange world now

WE live in strange times. Unprecedented political problems, global recession, local football teams relegated from the Premiership. However, you know that times are really strange when people start to find obscure and complicated legal points interesting! Read

Alan bites the bullet to become his own boss

A FINANCIAL expert who was made redundant and found himself struggling to find a job during the recession is going it alone with his own business. Read

Advice on offer from Apprentice winner

APPRENTICE winner Michelle Dewberry will be in Newcastle later this month to host a networking and advice session for small businesses. Read

Graduates face a tough time finding their dream jobs

New graduates from the region’s five universities are facing a daunting task this summer as they enter the crowded jobs market and try to get a foot on the career ladder. Karen Dent finds out about some of the schemes trying to help young talent. Read

Young start-ups ready to ride out recession

YOUNG entrepreneurs are refusing to allow the recession to destroy their plans to start their own business. Read

Single client reliance spells bad news for small firms

MANY small companies putting their survival on the line by relying on just one customer for the majority of their business. Read

Joint forces might help local funding

NICK Parsons, head of market strategy at National Australia Bank addressed an audience in Thornaby recently. Read

University teaches how to survive recession

SMALL and medium-sized businesses are being invited to find out how they can take advantage of a scheme put together by Newcastle University to help them to weather the economic storm. Read

Chief pledges changing services to business

THE East Durham Business Service (EDBS) has appointed a new leader to take the organisation forward. Read

Finding new customers

THE world of sales is forever moving and changing, and as a small business owner you will inevitability lose a percentage of your business, no matter how successful you are. This could be down to people moving away, sales lost to competitors or business closures but most significantly market trends and buyer behaviour changes. Read

Baby show neighbours were TV's apprentices

A BRUSH with a team from hit BBC show The Apprentice showed a Northumberland business just how tough the tasks set for Sir Alan Sugar’s candidates can be. Read

Advice to find the right recruit

WHEN a business is successfully up and running, expansion is often the next step. Before spending time, money and effort on employing new staff, as a new business owner you should weigh up your needs and decide whether taking on new staff is really the best option. Read