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Growing your business

Use our selection of guides, links, books and articles to find more information on growing your business.
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Latest on business growth

Read our latest features and articles on growing your business.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
Boost investment with stable industrial strategy, ICAEW urges
  • Article
  • 29 Nov 2024
ICAEW’s response to the consultation on the government’s modern industrial strategy includes calls for long-term policies to boost growth, a focus on skills and a security strategy to inject resilience into the economy.
Group of people around a table having a meeting
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.
A female sitting at her desk with laptop open while writing on a piece of paper
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.
A team of people at their desks working on their laptops
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.
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.
Two people looking at the laptop having a conversation
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?
A hand holding a magnifying glass looking at some papers
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.
National Wealth Fund to unlock green and growth investment
  • Article
  • 15 Jul 2024
Fund will bring together UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank to unlock billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s green and growth industries, government says.
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Advice and reports

ICAEW BAS
  • Promotional material
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
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
This report is primarily aimed at smaller businesses seeking to grow and develop and to achieve their full potential through practical guidance and advice.
More reports

Webinars

Marta Pacheco
Scale-up series: Build a positive culture and team
  • Webinar
  • 24 Jan 2025
Understand the importance of building a healthy culture and attracting the right people.
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.
Factory
How a board should maintain the right culture during periods of fast growth
  • Podcast
  • 21 Nov 2022
  • ICAEW Insights
In the first of two Insights In Focus special episodes an experienced panel discuss a dilemma facing a fictional software company.
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 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 Grow by focusing on what matters: competitive strategy in 3 circles
  • eBook
  • 2011
  • James H. Davis, Joel E. Urbany
  • Business Expert Press
Guide to business growth from a US perspective.
Exclusive Growing business handbook: inspiration and advice from successful entrepreneurs and fast growing UK companies, The
  • eBook
  • 2009
  • Adam Jolly
  • Kogan Page
A guide to maximising growth and controlling risk.
Exclusive Growing your business: making human resources work for you
  • eBook
  • 2008
  • Robert A. Baron, Scott Shane
  • Business Expert Press
This book provides the information needed by an entrepreneur starting a new venture to choose your initial team of cofounders and employees. It gives detail of selecting, recruiting and retaining high-performing talent and motivating employees.
Exclusive Numbers business: how to grow a successful cloud accountancy practice
  • eBook
  • 2018
  • Della Hudson
  • SRA Books
This book is a road map that will help a qualified professional to start and grow a successful business from scratch.
Exclusive Unwritten rules of M&A: mergers and acquisitions that deliver growth- learning from private equity
  • eBook
  • 2024
  • John Colley
  • Palgrave Macmillan
This book helps to navigate the difficult terrain faced by boards wishing to grow through acquisition. It identifies which strategies are more likely to be effective and how the chosen strategy largely determines the form of integration.
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 Getting fit for growth: the leadership mindsets and behaviours that matter
  • Article
  • 13 Jan 2025
  • Andy West, et al.
This article explores how aligning leadership mindsets with actions fosters sustainable growth. It highlights key traits of high-performing leaders, such as bold decision-making, customer focus, talent development, and disciplined execution.
Exclusive Maintaining a startup culture while scaling
  • Article
  • 01 Jan 2025
  • Tarang Amin
Tarang Amin, CEO of e.l.f. Beauty, discusses how the company has continued to operate like a start-up, even as it has become a major player in the beauty industry.
Exclusive The biggest mistakes that startups make
  • Article
  • 01 Jan 2025
  • Nir Zicherman
Nir Zicherman, CEO of Oboe, sets out 50 hard-won lessons that start-ups ought to take heed of in order to avoid common pitfalls.
Exclusive Scaling up transformational innovations
  • Article
  • 01 Nov 2024
  • Peter Koen, et al.
This article examines how companies can drive growth through transformational innovation, using Procter & Gamble's Oral-B iO and Always Infinity as case studies.
Exclusive Employee ownership trusts: An emerging strategy for HR leaders
  • Article
  • 29 Jul 2024
  • Derek Razo
Employee ownership has emerged as an effective strategy for attracting, engaging and retaining top talent. The author discusses the use of employee ownership trusts in the US and how they can provide opportunities to increase employee satisfaction, foster collaborative cultures and drive consistent business growth.
Exclusive Is your family business on the path to growth?
  • Article
  • 15 Mar 2024
  • Hans Latta, Andy Bahnfleth, Rob Lachenauer
This article points to the reinvestment rate as a key measure of owners' commitment to a family business’s growth. It offers guidance on how to determine the right reinvestment rate for a particular family business.
Read more

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 business growth. Use the links below to see what we have available to request in our Library catalogue (Libcat).
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; promotion and marketing; 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.
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.
Leading digital strategy: driving business growth through effective e-commerce
  • Library book
  • 2015
  • C. Bones, J. Hammersley
  • Kogan Page
A practical guide to building an effective e-commerce channel, in order to open up new markets and opportunities. The authors aim to help readers drive forward effective digital initiatives and realise rewarding opportunities for change.
Advising new businesses: a practical guide
  • Library book
  • 2003
  • A.Gutterman
  • Sweet & Maxwell
A book on starting and building successful new businesses, with particular emphasis on issues that arise with firms that are formed to exploit new technologies. Contains a sample ‘Manufacturing License and Product Purchase Agreement’.

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 - Information and guidance

British Library Business & IP Centre
  • Website
  • British Library
The British Library's Business and Intellectual Property (IP) Centre incorporates services and information aimed at entrepreneurs and small business owners, including expert advisers to talk through your ideas and a wide range of essential information to help you research your market and start your own business.
Business Growth Fund
  • Website
  • BGF
BGF is an investment partner for growing companies in every sector of the economy, providing tools businesses need to grow, from funding to expertise.
Growing your business
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
This guide can help you think about how to grow your business. It covers getting extra funding, increasing sales to existing customers, attracting new customers, improving your products and services, developing new products and services, hiring and training staff and working with a mentor.
Growth Business UK
  • Website
  • Bonhill Group plc
Practical tips and resources for established businesses undergoing rapid expansion.
Help to Grow
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT)'s new Help to Grow website aims to support the UK’s 5.5 million businesses in upskilling, business growth, and boosting profits. It provides guidance and support to take businesses from start-ups, to scaling-up and then exporting their goods and services globally. The website is targeted at helping businesses of all sizes but especially SMEs.
Startups.
  • Website
  • Startups.
Online resource for those starting or running a small business. The website includes start-up guides for over 50 different business sectors, business start-up news, success stories and advice on finding finance and recruiting and managing staff.
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 - Small business organisations

British Chambers of Commerce
  • Website
  • British Chambers of Commerce
The website of the network of Chambers of Commerce across the UK provides information on their activities and a tool to find your local Chamber of Commerce.
European Commission: Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
  • Website
  • European Commission
Portal for EC information and resources for SMEs, with business-related links and guides to EU legislation and financing programmes.
Family Business UK
  • Website
  • Family Business UK
A growing body of family businesses working to support the UK family-owned business sector (formerly named the Institute for Family Business, IFB). The organisation will work to promote the role of the family business model in the UK economy, and also support and advise family businesses to invest, grow and sustain for the long-term.
Family Business United
  • Website
  • Family Business United
Resources and useful features for family-run businesses, including upcoming events for the sector and The Family Business Top 100, a list showcasing some of the best family businesses across the UK.
Federation of Small Businesses
  • Website
  • Federation of Small Businesses
The FSB publish the quarterly Small Business Index which provides a picture of the UK economy from the point of view of the small business owner. The index looks at employment, revenues and the confidence of small firms and provides information on regional businesses with a breakdown by sector across the UK.
Forum of private business
  • Website
  • Forum of Private Business
Not-for-profit membership organisation which provides guidance and support for SMEs and aims to 'represent small businesses views and be their voice in government'.
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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The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.

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Winding road
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Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.