Enterprise news and opinion from Cobweb

The results of a fascinating study published by the Kauffman Foundation look into the reasons why government intervention programmes to support entrepreneurship either consistently fail or don’t work…

Typically, small business owners spend considerably more time on process activities than they do on being enterprising, and this, in the majority of cases, is an issue that will need to be addressed…

Going into debt when starting up, in the majority of cases, increases the likelihood of early failure. In young people these figures will almost certainly be higher, due to their lack of experience and more crucially lack of financial acumen. Providing a loan to a business that otherwise would not get off the ground is, in essence, funding a business model that starts out requiring a sticking plaster or crutch…

The latest initiative to support small firms as part of the Government’s Business In You campaign has been announced by small business Minister, Mark Prisk. The announcement that the Government will provide support for two firms comes a day after it was reported that the UK had officially entered a double dip recession…

Starting up in business, or upon a new business project, is a challenging experience which will test every owner-manager’s enterprise aptitude and ability. And one factor which is certain to cause anxiety and stress is the reality of business mistakes ranging from regular awkward stumbles to falling into lethal potholes with no way out…

If a business funder is asked what makes a good business to invest in or lend to, they will invariable respond by saying “a business which is well managed”. While that may seem like stating the obvious it is worth qualifying that they mean a business which is financially well managed…

There is no point in starting in business or commencing on a new business project with a business plan in place unless you have something much more fundamental and important that goes with it – and you should not prepare a business plan without it. So what is it that you also need?…

According to the ever-increasing number of business start up campaigners, especially those associated with the preposterous Business In You initiative, everyone in the country has a business in them and starting a business is easy…

No matter what type of business you are in, you are unquestionably in the business of making money, and you’re only going to make sufficient money to pay both your business and personal bills if you have a product or service that is selling enough…

Earlier this week Cobweb attended the Business 2012 show at the London O2 as an exhibitor. Despite some difficulties with the venue’s location the event was well attended by prospective business start ups, business owners and professionals…