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Business start-up and finance

Our latest features, books, articles and guides on sources of business finance and support for business start-ups.
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Latest on business start-up and finance

Read our latest features and articles on business start-up and finance.
Industrial Strategy shines spotlight on professional services
  • Article
  • 16 Oct 2024
The government’s Industrial Strategy identifies the sector as having high growth potential, as Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds pledges to give business the confidence to plan for the long term.
Government seeks firms’ views on high-growth global markets
  • Article
  • 09 Oct 2024
The Department for Business and Trade wants input from businesses in the professional services sector on how to drive growth in international markets.
How should the UK foster a climate for smarter regulation?
  • Article
  • 30 Sep 2024
With global economic challenges mounting, ICAEW’s roundtable event brought together expert views on how the regulatory landscape should adapt to promote sustainable growth.
Counting the cost. How operational consolidation helps DB schemes achieve better outcomes.
  • Article
  • 03 Sep 2024
Keeping control of pension scheme running costs can be challenging for trustees and employers. The amount a defined benefit (DB) scheme pays will vary depending on its design and complexity – with some costs more obvious than others – so understanding what you are paying is the first step in keeping costs down. Trustees and their advisers, working together, can enable the schemes in their care to achieve better outcomes at lower costs.
Advisers must nurture thriving UK entrepreneurial spirit
  • Article
  • 29 Aug 2024
This year looks set to be a bumper year for business creation. How should advisers be gearing up for a rise in demand and what kind of advice do these fledgling businesses need to thrive?
The CFO Agenda: Unlocking growth without compromise
  • Article
  • 14 Aug 2024
Finance professionals must strike a delicate balance between maintaining a competitive edge and implementing cost-saving measures that don't negatively impact customer satisfaction or service quality. So, how can they help their businesses tackle these complex demands? Read the recent report by Payhawk and Raconteur to learn more.
What’s next for LEPs and growth hubs?
  • Article
  • 05 Aug 2024
Local enterprise partnerships’ functions were transferred to local authorities in April 2024. What role will they play now?
FRC points to improved standards to drive UK growth
  • Article
  • 25 Jul 2024
The FRC’s Annual Report focuses on continued progress in the improvement of the standards of audit, financial and corporate reporting as an enabler of corporate growth.
Read more

Topics in depth

Man in office
Business finance and grants
  • Hub page
Our latest features, books, articles and guides on sources of business finance and grants.
Woman working in flower shop
Business start-up
  • Hub page
Our latest features, books, articles and guides on all aspects of starting a business.
Teamwork groups inclusive
Community benefit societies and community interest companies
  • Hub page
Resources on community benefit societies (BenComs) and community interest companies (CICs).
Diverse office workers
Employee ownership
  • Hub page
Online articles, guides and books to help you identify best practice.
Female colleagues at desk
Family businesses
  • Hub page
Articles, books and online resources on issues specific to family-run businesses.
Hands holding plant
Growing your business
  • Hub page
Resources to help you grow and develop your business.
London skyline
Incorporation
  • Hub page
Resources offering guidance and background information on company incorporation.
Meeting with external colleagues
Limited liability partnerships
  • Hub page
Learn about limited liability partnerships (LLPs) with our selection of online resources and books.

ICAEW advice, guides and reports

Access to finance special
  • Hub page
  • 2023
ICAEW Insights examines the finance options and support available to businesses, as well as the challenges they face in obtaining it.
ICAEW BAS
  • Promotional material
  • 2020
ICAEW’s Business Advice Service puts small and medium business owners in touch with both ICAEW members or regulated ICAEW member firms who can provide a free initial consultation, without obligation, to discuss any business issues the owners are facing.
The Business Finance Guide
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2016
This independent guide draws on the expertise of partners from across the finance industry and business community to provide information on the financing options that may be available to entrepreneurs, startups and businesses at every stage of development.
Exclusive Special report - Growing your business
  • Report
  • 2014
This report is primarily aimed at smaller businesses seeking to grow and develop and to achieve their full potential through practical guidance and advice.
Starting your business
  • Article
  • 2014
You’ve taken the plunge and decided to start trading. The first few months spent getting the business up and running are likely to be very hectic. So before getting the business off the ground, it pays to get all the necessary administrative chores out the way.
How to find the right professional advice
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2011
The Business Advice Service connects small and medium businesses with trusted business advisors working in ICAEW regulated-firms.
More reports

Webinars

Marta Pacheco
Scale-up series: Financial planning and raising finance
  • Webinar
  • 03 Dec 2024
Understand the importance of financial planning and the options available to raise finance.
Marta Pacheco
Scale-up series: Building solid foundations to drive performance
  • Webinar
  • 21 Nov 2024
Understand the importance of solid foundations across your business to drive performance.
Marta Pacheco
Exclusive Scale-up series: An introduction to scaling up
  • Webinar
  • 25 Sep 2024
Understand what scaling up means, how to identify when a business is ready and first steps to take.
ep 80 women start up funding
Why are female-led startups so underfunded?
  • Podcast
  • 02 Aug 2024
In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we discuss gender inequality in investment.
ep 49 podcast
Getting SME investment back on track
  • Podcast
  • 28 Apr 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss the obstacles and incentives to SME investment.
Factory
How a board should maintain the right culture during periods of fast growth
  • Podcast
  • 21 Nov 2022
In the first of two Insights In Focus special episodes an experienced panel discuss a dilemma facing a fictional software company.
Exclusive Risk management considerations for SMEs in challenging market conditions
  • Webinar
  • 14 Oct 2022
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar providing an in-depth overview of the SME market, the current economic conditions and challenges being faced and the specific risks SMEs are facing when starting up.
Exclusive Top tips on growing a business
  • Webinar
  • 21 Sep 2022
Hear from our speakers about the different financing options available as you grow, what investors look for in a business and what should be included in your pitch deck. A ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar.
More webinars

eBooks

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides full text access to a selection of key business and reference eBooks from leading publishers. eBooks are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. If you are unable to access an eBook, please see our Help and support advice or contact library@icaew.com.

Exclusive Business start up bundle for dummies
  • eBook
  • 2020
  • Colin Barrow
  • John Wiley & Sons
A one stop shop to all your business start-up needs! Covers everything budding entrepreneurs need to know to get their business up and running. Whether readers are just starting out, planning a new venture, setting up at home or extending a current business online, this book is all they need to succeed.
Exclusive Digital finance: big data, start-ups, and the future of financial services
  • eBook
  • 2019
  • Perry H. Beaumont
  • Routledge
This book takes a thoughtful look at how the digital finance industry is evolving. It explains how to integrate digital finance concepts into existing traditional finance platforms and explores what successful companies are doing to maximize their opportunities in this context.
Exclusive Financial Times guide to business start up 2017/18
  • eBook
  • 2016
  • Sara Williams
  • FT Publishing International
Startup guide for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Exclusive Starting a successful business
  • eBook
  • 2011
  • M. J. Morris
  • Kogan Page
Step-by-step guide to starting and running a small business.
Exclusive Consultant's quick start guide: an action plan for your first year in business, The
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Elaine Blech
  • Pfeiffer
A guide to working as a consultant from a US perspective.
Exclusive Essential business finance: a complete guide to starting, expanding and selling your business
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Paul Barrow
  • Kogan Page
An introduction to finance aimed at the average business manager.
Exclusive Good small business guide: how to start and grow your own business
  • eBook
  • 2006
  • Meredith Belbin
  • Bloomsbury
A practical guide for anyone interested in starting a business.
Terms of use

You are permitted to access, download, copy, or print out content from eBooks for your own research or study only, subject to the terms of use set by our suppliers and any restrictions imposed by individual publishers. Please see individual supplier pages for full terms of use.

More eBooks

Business press

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive Transfer pricing considerations for start-ups in Egypt
  • Article
  • May 2024
  • Nouran Ibrahim and Maureen Guirguis
With transfer pricing principles becoming increasingly important as start-ups expand, Nouran Ibrahim and Maureen Guirguis of Saleh, Barsoum & Abdel Aziz – Grant Thornton Egypt explain the salient points and how to meet the challenges.
Exclusive The language of crowd-funding
  • Article
  • Sep 2023
  • Daniela Blei
Do crowdfunders seeking donations see different results depending on the phrasing they use? A new paper to be published in the Journal of Consumer Research investigates the language of crowdfunding appeals by mining some ten years of data from crowdfunding platforms GoFundMe and Kickstarter. Daniela Blei reports on the outcomes.
Exclusive Think big: Frontaal invests in a new brewery
  • Article
  • Jun 2023
  • Rebecca Szkutak
Netherlands brewery company Frontaal discusses their growth through crowdfunding, which has generated EUR 5m in capital, with around 5,500 beer-lovers now counting themselves among the co-owners of the brewery. The company sees this community of shareholders as being one of the advantages of raising money by crowdfunding. The economics of running a microbrewery and the logistical challenges of installing a new brewery operation are also discussed.
Exclusive Startups stung by UK delay in awarding tax credits to innovators
  • Article
  • Apr 2023
  • Aisha S Gani
Some UK startup businesses have been waiting upwards of six months to receive research and development tax credits from HMRC, forcing some to take out loans to plug the gap in funds. The Fintech trade body Innovate Finance said it has member firms worried about lengthy delays that make it difficult to predict their cash flows. HMRC has acknowledged that it had extended processing times.
Exclusive When best to scale up
  • Article
  • Mar 2023
  • Hamdi Ulukaya
A new study sheds light on the debate into how fast a high-growth company should scale up. From examining job postings from 38,000 start-ups, the researchers found those start-ups that had scaled up in the first year were 20-40% more likely than others to have failed. They also found that using A/B testing software significantly raised a start-up's odds of success.
Exclusive Feature: the pros of the Hybrid Start-Up
  • Article
  • Mar 2023
  • Nathan Furr, Kate O'Keeffe
How established companies can create a 'Hybrid Start-Up' - a new model that combines the best of people, processes, and resources from both inside and outside the company. Evidence suggests that it is two or three times as likely as an independent start-up to succeed.
More articles

Online magazines

Some online journal titles are available only to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. To view the full range of titles available to you, please log in.
Corporate Financier
  • ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty
Analysis and insight from ICAEW's Corporate Finance Faculty.
SME Finance Monitor
  • BVA BDRC
Provides data on access to finance amongst SMEs.
Disclaimer

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

Articles and books in the ICAEW Library collection

The collection of the ICAEW Library & Information Service includes a range of articles, books and reports on starting a business. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
Tax saving business structures: how to set up your business to get the most from the tax system
  • Library book
  • 2024
  • Indicator FL Memo
  • Indicator FL Memo
A special report comparing the pros and cons of different types of business structure, from a taxation perspective. The authors consider how the nature and status of the business in question might influence one's choice of structure, and provide tips on how to choose the right structure for your business at the right time.
Small business tax saving tactics: tax planning for sole traders and partnerships, 11th ed.
  • Library book
  • 2023
  • C. Bayley, N. Braun
  • Taxcafe UK
A practical guide to tax saving techniques that can help self-employed business owners (sole traders and partnerships) to pay less tax on their profits. Includes numerous easy-to-follow examples.
The business start up guide
  • Library book
  • 2021
  • A.Pink
  • Tunbridge Wells
A practical and jargon free guide to the essential things every entrepreneur needs to know when setting up a business. Chapters include: the business plan; raising business finance; structuring a business tax efficiently; controlling overheads; common mistakes in business.
Growing by numbers: how to scale up your small business with confidence
  • Library book
  • 2020
  • D. Hudson
  • SRA Books
This authoritative, motivating and highly practical guide will take you step-by-step through everything you need to think about, know and do to get your business into the best possible shape for growth.
Incorporating and disincorporating a business, 3rd ed.
  • Library book
  • 2019
  • M. McLaughlin, J. Anderson
  • Bloomsbury Professional
A guide to the tax issues and pitfalls one may encounter when incorporating a sole trader or partnership business. Includes numerous worked examples to illustrate complex points.
Financial management for technology start-ups: a handbook for growth
  • Library book
  • 2017
  • A.Bhimani
  • Kogan Page
A book to help you with the specific know-how required to successfully manage costs, track profit opportunities and monetize your tech start-up.

To find out how you can borrow books from the Library please see our guide to borrowing books.

You can obtain copies of articles or extracts of books and reports through our document supply service.

External resources - Funding sources

Alternative Business Funding
  • Website
  • Alternative Business Funding
A matchmaking service for small businesses and alternative finance providers.
British Business Bank
  • Website
  • British Business Bank
An economic development bank launched in 2013 to create more effective finance markets for smaller businesses in the UK.
ByteStart - Finance
  • Website
  • Bytestart Limited
The Finance section of the ByteStart website has a range of articles outlining the different types of funding businesses can call on, such as bank loans, business angels and crowdfunding.
Enterprise Europe Network
  • Website
  • Enterprise Europe Network
The Enterprise Europe Network helps small businesses develop into new markets, source or license new technologies and access EU finance and funding.
European Investment Fund
  • Website
  • European Investment Fund
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is involved in a number of initiatives to promote regional business development.
Finance and support for your business
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
List of publicly-backed finance or business support schemes. With hundreds of schemes available, this is a good starting point to find out which ones you are eligible for and which suit your needs.
Good Finance
  • Website
  • Good Finance
A UK website aimed at charities and social enterprises. It provides information and advice on locating socially responsible sources of finance.
Start-up loans
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
A government funded scheme to provide loans and mentors for entrepreneurs. As well as start-up finance the scheme offers coaching to applicants to prepare for the pitch for the loan, help prepare a business plan and mentoring for a period after the loan has been received.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

External resources - Business guides

Creating a valuable business
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
A LawDonut guide to making strategic decisions that can help create and maintain a valuable business. Running a business often involves reacting to circumstances, making minor decisions that have a limited, short-term impact. In contrast, creating a valuable business is about taking strategic decisions that have a lasting effect.
Essential guide to financing your start-up business
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
The right start-up financing gives your new business a solid financial base. It makes sure you have the funding to cover your short-term needs and to make the most of opportunities to grow.
Essential guide to valuing a business
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Understanding how much a business is worth - and how it can be made more valuable - is of vital importance to anyone buying, selling or simply running a business.
Increasing productivity
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Building long-term profitability allows you to grow your business and your own personal rewards from it. Creating and increasing profitability depends on doing many little things better than the competition.
Role of the company secretary
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
An outline of the role and responsibilities of the company secretary from the Law Donut
Source green suppliers and equipment
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
Opportunities to source your business supplies, raw materials or finished goods from environmentally-friendly suppliers are increasing. Benefits can include getting the edge on the competition, cost savings and tax breaks, better prospects with lenders and investors, and a boost to your firm’s marketing.
Strategic acquisitions
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
An acquisition could increase the size and profitability of your business overnight. But an acquisition can also bring problems, draining financial and management resources from your original business.
Your money and your business
  • Website
  • Atom Content Marketing
As the owner-manager of a small or medium enterprise, your own financial affairs are likely to be closely entwined with the way you run your business.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

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