Intellectual Property covers things like patents, trade marks, registered designs and copyright. The Intellectual Property Office has a free online tool called IP Healthcheck that you can use to help decide whether your brand or product needs legal protection. The Intellectual Property Office used to be known as the Patent Office, and is the main - – - read more >

A major upgrade to the Resources section of this website means you now have access to over 1,700 pages of up-to-date, high- quality content about things like tax, marketing and accounting. The upgrade means you no longer have to login or register, so can go straight to the stuff you are interested in. But please note that if you have - – - read more >

Setting up a web site is a high priority by most new businesses. But not everyone has the experience to do it for themselves from scratch – or the money to buy in the expertise from somewhere else. This is where simple Do-It-Yourself solutions come in. This post updates previous discussion on this topic (see - – - read more >

Getting British Business Online, the governmnent backed-scheme that offers UK small businesses a free web site, is now live. Partners include Google, Enterprise UK and Paypal. You get: A free web address: Choose from any available ‘.co.uk’ domain name. A free web site: You build your site using an easy Wizard-type tool provided by Google, - – - read more >

John asks: My colleague and I were both made redundant last year, with 25 years experience as Engineering Recruitment Consultants in London. Over the years we have both either project-managed or hands-on built/extended residential property on at least six new builds/extension projects. We have now decided to establish a business based on this and enter - – - read more >

Kim asks:Stocks and Shares – is there any help with start up in this area e.g. advice, training, mentoring, please?     Robert replies: In my experience, the most successful start-up businesses are those that add value to the life or experience of others. Most products and services can be said to do this in - – - read more >

Tony asks:I have patented a compact exercise machine at considerable cost that has enormous commercial potential but I need someone with the finances and expertise to have it manufactured in bulk and take this machine to market to see its full potential.  I have a working prototype to demonstrate its worthiness to any interested party. - – - read more >

Russell asks:I and some colleagues are in the process of starting a business. We are at the very early stages and would like to know what the expert views are on Partnerships (with limited liability) and Co-operatives. We all want the same from the company and we all want to have an equal input. Which - – - read more >

Monday 9th November 2009 Time: 14:00 – 19:30 Venue: Business and IP Centre, The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB Have you got news for us? The British Library is putting on a practical and interactive workshop to unlock the world of the media to new and small businesses. Daily Express Small Business - – - read more >

Jackson asks: I have researched a business idea and got an outline plan for a totally new business with no competition at all and with a mass of potential. However, to go forward I need full financial backing up to £120,000. As I was bankrupted last year due to personal reasons what do you think - – - read more >

Mapangie50 asks: Is there any advice and funding aimed specifically at women over 50 who want to become self employed? I will only receive contributions-based Job Seekers Allowance for another four weeks, and the Jobentre advises that they can’t give any advice apart from access to their job search programmes. I trained in 2008 as - – - read more >

Here’s a list of some common questions you are likely to be asked when the time comes to sell your business. You really need to start considering these questions long before the sales process starts – sometimes years in advance, so you have fixed the problems as far as possible. That way the sale will - – - read more >

Gill from Wigan asks: Are there any tax incentives to run a business from home?     Emma Jones replies: Hi Gill There are many incentives to run a business from home! If you’re already doing so, you’ll be feeling the benefits of low overheads and no commute. But yes, on top of that and - – - read more >

Elizabeth from Doncaster asks: I would love to start up my own little business in horticulture and/or gardening. Where can I get the best possible training? Dick Stroud replies: It is not clear if the training you require is about horticulture/gardening or how to establish a small business. I will give you some advice about the latter. - – - read more >

Expect the fear of a pandemic and measures taken to combat it to have an impact well in advance of the disease itself, if or when it arrives. Most of the advice so far seems to be aimed at large businesses, but many of the principles still apply. Have everyone’s mobile phone numbers to hand, - – - read more >