Baubles, Be Rescued and Brexit
- Business Rescue Business Growth
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Christmas is just around the corner and preparations for the big day are in full swing. In December, I always reflect on the past year. For Be Rescued, 2018 has been busy and productive, helping clients resolve financial issues and providing growth planning for start-ups and established businesses. In the wider world, UK headlines have been dominated by one word, Brexit, with businesses and financial markets assessing its likely impact. This blog is about looking back as well as looking forward. So, how has 2018 been for your business? Here is our story…
A year in the life of Be Rescued
The things that mattered in 2018
1. The power of connections
How do you build business relationships? What works for you?
For me, this year has confirmed the value of getting out there and meeting people face to face. Networking helps small business owners make valuable connections but beyond that you can establish your expertise and crucially learn from others. A networking session is the ideal platform to meet likeminded professionals and share knowledge, I learn something at most meetings.
Like many small business owners, I have good intentions but most of us tend to focus on client work and set aside other things that could benefit our business. When you are busy tasks like updating your website can fall by the wayside. A recent networking event during which Sophie Allen, The Marketing Copywriter, spoke about the benefits of writing a blog for your website and the power of storytelling for businesses, gave me real food for thought.
It reminded me that I need to follow the advice I regularly give to clients, that it really pays to step back and realign your efforts. Yes, customers must be the priority, but you should make time to look at your business as a whole and focus on crucial aspects such as how you market your products and services. Step back and look at your website, find the time to tell your story. Your actions will help you connect with customers and reap rewards.
2. Embracing new technology
Working smarter and meeting the challenge of Making Tax Digital
For us, 2018 has also been a year of embracing, playing with and investing in new technology, which is now becoming more accessible and available to small businesses, making work a lot smarter. By adopting new systems and processes you can make your life much easier, saving you time to focus on other aspects of your business.
A major challenge next year for businesses will be Making Tax Digital (MTD). From April 2019, the majority of VAT registered businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold will be mandated to keep digital VAT records and submit their returns using MTD compatible software (MTD information from gov.uk website). This shouldn’t be intimidating for SMEs, it’s about adapting to changes and gradually migrating to and embracing a more digitally oriented accounting, finance and budget planning system within your business.
There is help out there, it is however vital that you find the supplier best suited to your business who can provide the right level of support and help with training. Don’t know who to turn to? Please get in touch and we will do our best to guide you.
3. Powerful stories
The tale of Be Rescued and the headlines that affected us all in 2018
Here at Be Rescued, our mission is to solve your business financial and strategic issues and help you achieve growth to bring about a sustainable profit increase. Think of us as stress busters who strive to help you overcome challenges and also map out the steps to success for your business.
2018 has been a fruitful year for Be Rescued, helping clients with establishing better structure and processes as well as helping them achieve significant milestones in their business life, which we look forward to building on as we enter 2019.
The biggest story of 2018 has been Brexit, whatever your stance on this controversial subject, it is likely that you are waiting to find out what it means for your business. Many of our clients have asked us about how they will be affected as they look towards 2019.
At the time of writing, we still cannot answer the much debated question of the year ‘What Brexit will really mean to my business?’ There is much speculation, with the possibility of a no deal or a second referendum being cited. In the article ‘How Brexit will influence your company’ (European Union, United Kingdom, November 22 2018, PARALEGAL, Lexology.com), Leo Peeters and Alain De Jonge, Peeters Advocaten state:
“One thing is for sure however! Whatever happens, Brexit will inevitably have great short and long-term consequences for both European civilians living and working in the UK, and for companies with economic activities to and/or from the UK.”
For sure, we will all know more in 2019.
Future blogs and resolutions …
This is a taste of blogs to come. In the meantime, I would like to wish all Be Rescued clients past, present and future a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
P.S. My New Year’s Resolution is to keep up my blogs!
If you have any business or financial issues that you need help with or you would like to discuss this article, please contact us on 01366 387 672.