Build a minimum viable product (MVP)
Create the simplest version of your product or service to test whether customers will pay for it before you invest significant time and money.
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Growth & Strategy
Business planning, marketing, and scaling
Business Planning
Business planning checklist
Checklist covering all the pre-trading planning steps from validating your idea through to registering your business.
Read guideChoose a business model
Understand the main business models and choose the right one for your skills, market, and financial situation.
Read guideConduct business research
How to research a business opportunity, market, or acquisition target using free and paid sources to make informed decisions before committing capital.
Read guideDefine your business proposition
How to articulate what your business does, who it serves, and why it is different from competitors.
Read guideExport market research and selection
How to research overseas markets, assess demand, understand competition, and evaluate market entry costs.
Read guideStart a product-based business
Sector-agnostic guide to starting a product business covering sourcing, stock management, storage, packaging, labelling, product safety, and pricing.
Read guideStart a service-based business
Sector-agnostic guide to starting a service business covering qualifications, insurance, client contracts, pricing models, and capacity planning.
Read guideTest your business idea
Validate your business concept through market research, competitor analysis, and customer testing before you invest time and money.
Read guideUnderstand your competition
Learn how to research and analyse your competitors to identify market opportunities, set competitive prices, and position your business effectively.
Read guideWrite a business plan
Step-by-step guide to writing a business plan that will help you secure funding and stay focused.
Read guideMarketing
Develop your brand identity
How to create a professional brand identity that builds customer trust and business value. Includes guidance on core brand elements, working with designers, copyright ownership, and protecting your brand.
Read guideElectronic marketing rules (PECR)
How to comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 when sending marketing emails, texts, and making marketing calls. Covers consent requirements, the soft opt-in exception for existing customers, telephone preference screening, and ICO enforcement powers.
Read guideEmail marketing: PECR and UK GDPR requirements
How to send compliant marketing emails under PECR and UK GDPR. Covers consent requirements, the soft opt-in exception for existing customers, unsubscribe mechanisms, B2B marketing rules, and the increased penalties from June 2025.
Read guideIdentify your intellectual property
Discover what intellectual property your business owns, from brand names and creative content to inventions and designs. Understanding your IP assets is the first step to protecting them.
Read guideSecure web domains for your business
How to choose, register, and protect your business domain names. Includes guidance on domain extensions, defensive registrations, dispute resolution, and connecting domains to trademark protection.
Read guideInnovation
Apply for innovation funding
Access Innovate UK grants and competitions for research, development, and game-changing technologies.
Read guideProtect your intellectual property
How to identify, protect, and enforce your intellectual property rights. Includes guidance on trademarks, patents, copyright, and design rights.
Read guideBusiness Change
Competition law compliance for UK businesses
How to comply with UK competition law and avoid breaches of the Competition Act 1998. Covers the Chapter I and Chapter II prohibitions, cartel offences, CMA enforcement powers, penalties of up to 10% of worldwide turnover, director disqualification, and the leniency programme for whistleblowers.
Read guideFinancial Difficulties
Check before appointing company directors
How to verify a person is eligible to be a company director before you appoint them. Covers the disqualified directors register, bankruptcy restrictions, sanctions checks, and other legal eligibility requirements.
Read guideDirector disqualification - what you need to know
How company directors can be disqualified under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, the grounds for disqualification (sections 2-10), disqualification periods from 2 to 15 years, and the serious consequences of acting while disqualified.
Read guideExit & Succession
Close a solvent company using Members' Voluntary Liquidation
How to close a profitable limited company using Members' Voluntary Liquidation (MVL) to distribute remaining assets to shareholders with tax-efficient capital treatment. Covers the declaration of solvency, liquidator appointment, tax implications, and when MVL is better than strike-off.
Read guideKeep business records after closing
Record retention requirements that continue after your business closes. Covers how long to keep tax records, employment documents, contracts, and company accounts after ceasing trade, with penalties for non-compliance.
Read guidePublic Sector Contracting
Fair Work First in public procurement
How Fair Work First applies when bidding for Scottish public sector contracts, including the sustainable procurement duty and scored criteria.
Read guideJoin framework agreements and approved supplier lists
How to become an approved supplier on government framework agreements.
Read guidePrepare a winning tender response
How to write compelling bid documents that score well in public sector evaluations.
Read guideWin public sector contracts
How to find and bid for government and public sector contracts as an SME.
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