Are you a sponge?

Many of the business owners I advise are sponges – and I encourage you all to mop up less.

How to give away shares in your business

You might want to give someone shares in your business because they’re going to invest money. You might want to give someone equity because you want them to work in your business, or to motivate someone who already works there. Getting an equity investment is a great way to get money into your business, because it helps cash flow.

How Can I Make My Company Eligible For EIS?

I’ve been doing quite a lot of work recently for clients who want to get some investment into their companies, and the question of EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) has come up with a couple of people, so I thought I’d share some practical advice with you.

Business jargon definitions – part 1

One of the charming commentators on my blog in the Argus said that I was jargon ridden. I looked over some of my blog posts and couldn’t see any, so I thought I’d put some in here to keep him happy. So here are some of the juicy words I’ve noticed myself recently, with what they mean in plain English for real people who happen to run businesses.

Business Jargon – The Next Instalment

I wrote recently about the business jargon I use regularly, and explained a few of my favourite terms. You guys seemed to like it, and I’ve been noticing a few more terms I use regularly, so here are some more.

How To Get An Extra 10 Hours Per Week

Many years ago I started doing my MBA course. I was working full time, setting up and running social enterprises in Edinburgh, and I had to work lots of evenings. I didn’t want to give up my friends and my social life, and I still wanted to go to the pub. I knew that I was going to have to study 10-12 hours per week, on top of the 50-60 I was already working. Something had to give.