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

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Franchising option to help firms struggling with finance

SMALL businesses struggling to find financial support to expand are being urged to consider franchising their businesses. Read

Improve your energy efficiency

WITH an early winter cold snap already turning up the dial on heating bills, now is the perfect time to improve your energy efficiency, increasing profit margins and helping the environment in the process. Read

Help for SMEs report 'does not go far enough'

A REVIEW of Government procurement calling for a fairer deal for small firms bidding for public sector contracts has received a cautious welcome from the Federation of Small Businesses. Read

One size fits all approach is no answer

I WAS recently out for dinner with a couple of friends and inevitably the conversation led on to a discussion about the effect the recession could have on the economy. The representatives from the private and public sector in the North East were far more optimistic than those from London about the chance of recovery within the North East marketplace and could see signs of the recovery starting in early 2009 in certain sectors. Read

No costume drama with fancy dress business

A FANCY dress fan is taking the risque route with her new business. Marion Topping saw a gap in the market to dress up young women for hen nights, parties and clubbing after working at a fancy dress hire shop in her home town of Horden, near Peterlee. Read

No point in waiting – get networking

IN recent years, networking has become a real buzzword in the business world. In the North East we are lucky to have many organisations that host successful networking events across the region, but how well prepared are you to attend? Read

It's still possible to start up

WITH tough market conditions facing the economy, it would seem to many that now is not the right time to set up a new business. However, with careful planning and tailored support, it is still possible to build an enterprise that can survive and thrive in these challenging times. Read

SMEs welcome move to confront 'twin problems'

SMALL businesses in the North East welcomed the Pre-Budget Report’s pledges to improve cashflow and access to finance for SMEs. Read

Julie launches mission to de-stress the region

A FORMER call centre manager is turning to ancient treatments to help her customers cope with the very modern trials of the credit crunch and the stresses they can bring. Read

National accolade for incubator company

ENTERPRISE company Tedco is celebrating after winning an award for showing the rest of the UK how to manage business incubator spaces. Read

Marriage woes and recession

BEING in the midst of an economic recession imposes great strains upon us all, but particularly if you are fighting to keep your business afloat. Read

Partners carving out success in hardwood

A TRIO of entrepreneurs are celebrating after their specialist hardwood business more than trebled its turnover in three years. Read

Small businesses present Chancellor with their wish-list

SMALL business organisations have set out a wish-list of what they want from today’s Pre-Budget Report. Read

Enhance skills for winning formula

ALL great teams have a relentless desire to improve and attain ever increasing standards in their quest for success. Read

Business leaders call for steps to ease cashflow crisis

BUSINESS leaders put pressure on the Prime Minister and the Chancellor yesterday to demand they take steps to ease the cashflow crisis engulfing thousands of small firms during the economic slowdown. Read

Leaders call for steps to ease cashflow

BUSINESS leaders put pressure on the Prime Minister and the Chancellor yesterday to demand they take steps to ease the cashflow crisis engulfing thousands of small firms. Read

Enterprise Week aims to create can-do culture

MORE than 400 events involving 60,500 people are taking place in the North East this week to encourage more entrepreneurial thinking across the region. Read

'Unpaid army' working in small businesses

UNPAID and unsung heroes are contributing £72bn worth of work every year to the UK’s small businesses – the equivalent of 230 million unpaid hours a month, according to a survey. Read

We must keep up confidence

IT IS impossible not to hear, see or read something truly depressing about the current state of the economy. The wording used to describe it has become interesting, this time last year the words used were that of a “credit crunch” but we are now talking about a recession. Read