There are more than 310,000 retail businesses in the UK, which is 5.7% of all businesses, with SMEs accounting for more than 99% of them. Many UK retail businesses, especially those in the high street, have had a very tough time in recent years, having battled Covid and a record inflation-fuelled cost-of-living crisis that’s left consumers much more careful when it comes to spending their cash. So, is it still worth starting a small retail business and if so where do the best opportunities lie? Should you take on premises or stay strictly online? How do you set yourself apart and create a winning brand? Answering these and many other key questions is Catherine Erdly, a small-business independent retail expert with more than 21 years’ experience, 17 of them spent working for high street names. She now works exclusively with start-ups, independent brands and retailers, helping them to grow their profits.This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Square. Whether you're a small business or a multi-location retailer, Square's retail POS system includes all the tools your retail business needs including payments, inventory management and ecommerce. Find out more about Square's retail POS systems at square.com.Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.

Creating a great customer experience is crucial, especially for new and established businesses operating in retail and hospitality. If you don’t create a great experience, many customers will avoid your business or head for the exit not long after entering your premises. There are many ways to encourage a great customer experience, but the potential for using music to create the right mood cannot be overstated. Music really can boost your profitability, as expert Liam Wood of the New World Trading Company explains.This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of PPL PRS. TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS provides a streamlined music licensing service, with a single point of contact, to make it easier to legally play and perform music in public. Visit themusiclicence.co.uk to find out more.Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.

Dawn White battled eczema while growing up and when her own struggles showed just how sensitive human skin can be to normal detergents, she decided to do something about it. Dawn set out to create a detergent that was kinder to skin and contained no nasty chemicals. Soon she invented her own pioneering, eco-friendly detergent pellets, but they also needed a container so that they could be placed directly into washing machine drums, which is why her game-changing reusable Laundry Egg was also developed. In this new Start-Up Story, Dawn explains how she developed her products, started her business and found a way to truly set it apart.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.

If you don’t have a well researched business plan, you may still be able to start and grow a successful business – but it may never achieve its full potential. To do that, you need goals and a successful strategy that enables you to achieve them. Essentially, that’s what a sound business plan offers you. So, what are the key components of a successful business plan, how do you use it to grow your business and what are the classic business plan mistakes you need to avoid? Nicola McKenzie, co-founder of AI-enabled business plan platform Venture Planner, provides the answers to these and other key business plan questions.Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Find more help and advice on starting a business at Start Up Donut.This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Venture Planner. Designed to assist start-ups and small businesses, Venture Planner utilises the power of AI-driven technology for tasks such as market research, financial projections, and document generation, aiming to streamline the business planning process. Get a free trial and 10% off when you sign up with code DONUT.

What does the future hold for small businesses in the UK in the next five to ten years? Which businesses are most likely to survive and succeed? How will customer wants and needs change and how might small businesses market their products and services to them? Will online sales continue to grow and is that likely to bring about the demise of the high street? What about managing, and, could AI actually be a good thing for small-business owners? Applied futurist, speaker, writer and consultant Tom Cheesewright, explains how the small-business world is likely to change in the next five to ten years. Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Find more help and advice on starting a business at Start Up Donut.This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Mediahawk. Mediahawk is a leading call-tracking and marketing analytics solution. Their software helps businesses big and small to quickly and easily pinpoint their most profitable marketing activities, cut wasted spend and drive more leads and sales. Founded in 2002, Mediahawk pioneered call-tracking technology, and have remained at the forefront of the industry ever since.

Many new small independent retailers buy their stock wholesale, often from small suppliers, makers and craft businesses. It can really set you apart by providing you with high quality, exclusive stock that’s superior to the mass-produced options sold by others. But where do you find such suppliers and how do you negotiate good deals? Consultant and wholesale and retail expert Therese Oertenblad answers these key questions, while also providing tips for micro makers that want to sell their wares to small retail businesses.    Show notes for the episode can be found on the Start Your Own Business podcast website. Find more help and advice on starting a business at Start Up Donut.This episode is brought to you thanks to the support of Faire. Faire is a global marketplace for local retailers to discover the best emerging and established brands to stock their stores risk-free. Faire enables independent retailers to grow their business with the advantages of big players and empowers makers to seamlessly build and run their wholesale business. Faire was founded in 2017 and is powered by the idea that the future is local.

Starting your own business is challenging. If you haven’t done it before, you’ll inevitably lack know-how, while there are common pitfalls to avoid. So, what key tasks do you need to complete when setting up your own business, if you’re to get off to the best possible start? Start-up and small-business content expert, journalist Mark Williams, answers this and other key questions. Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.

While some businesses grow steadily over many years, others achieve significant growth in a far shorter time and are started with that key aim. This episode looks at what types of start-ups are most scalable and in which sectors they’re usually to be found. The guest expert is Guy Rigby – AKA The Entrepreneurs’ Adviser – SME mentor and author. He explains how to start a scale-up and how to overcome key scale-up challenges.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Email marketing can be a highly cost-effective way to attract and retain customers, but your email marketing strategy and content have to be right if you are to get the open rates and click-throughs that lead to sales. Email marketing expert Laura Hanlon of Birmingham-based agency Pink Leopard reveals the secrets of building good email marketing lists, sending marketing emails in the right volume at the right time, getting your content and subject lines spot-on and the all-important business of measuring your success so you can improve your results.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

In 2019, tired of their daily commutes and living for weekends, Charlie Low, then head of analytics for an adventure travel company, and design consultancy engineer Dale Comely decided to leave the nine-to-five behind by converting an old DHL delivery van into an off-grid mobile home, so they could live a simpler life and travel around Europe. They wrote a best-selling guide to converting vans into campervans, and launched their award-winning business, Nohma (at the time of recording called Climbingvan), which helps others with their campervan builds and provides an off-grid electrical system design service. So, what key start-up lessons did they learn and how do they run a business from their van while traveling around Europe?Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Running a small business can leave you feeling isolated and lonely at times. Often you have no one to share your thoughts and feelings with. That’s when reaching out to other small-business owners can really help. Great value can be gained from seeking their independent opinions (and giving them yours). Many formal peer networking options are available, but even just occasionally meeting up for a coffee or something stronger with other business owners can be mutually beneficial. In this episode, award-winning business coach, mentor, adviser and peer board facilitator Jonathan O’Shea explains the business and personal benefits of seeking peer group support.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

There are more than 5m family businesses in the UK. They employ 14.2m people and generate a quarter of UK GDP. Many people who start a business do so with a family member, whether their spouse, partner, sibling, son or daughter or other relation. And although there can be many pros to going into business with family – there can be cons. So, what’s the key to getting it right so that the business is successful and family relationships are safeguarded? We ask Fiona Graham of the Institute of Family Business, who provides tips that could also help you if you’re thinking of going into business with a colleague or friend.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Matt Mahatme and Jordan Palmer were bartenders who spotted a gap in the market for mixers that combined big flavours with less sugar, fewer calories and nothing artificial. “We wanted to create a brand with a bit of an edge, with a contemporary feel, that looked as good as it tasted,” recalls Matt. Since launch in 2018, helped by a successful crowdfunding campaign, Lixir Drinks has grown into an award-winning mixer brand that’s proved highly popular in the UK and internationally. So, what key start-up lessons did they learn and what’s the recipe for their success?Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Some people ooze self-confidence. And while others aren’t very self-confident, most are probably somewhere in between. Often things happen to us in life and business that damages our self-confidence. Why do some people lack self-confidence while others are supremely confident? How can you boost your self-confidence? Self-confidence and human behaviour expert Jo Emerson answers these and other key questions.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Following a year of eye-watering inflation in 2022, especially energy prices, economic forecasts for the UK for 2023 make for pretty sobering reading. According to the Bank of England, the UK is facing its longest recession since records began, while the UK Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) expects the UK economy to shrink by 1.4% in 2023, leading to the biggest drop in living standards on record, with consumer spending set to plummet. So, with really challenging times ahead for many UK businesses, what can owners do to mitigate risk and make their business as recession proof as possible? Find out from Rory MccGwire, founder and chief executive of Atom Content Marketing, publisher of the Donut websites – and battle-scarred veteran of previous recessions.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money.This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Are you thinking of starting your own business in 2023? Maybe you've already taken the leap but are looking for reliable, free advice on the challenges you are facing.The popular Start your Own Business podcast is back. Packed with top tips and free advice, downloading the podcast could be one of the best business decisions you make this year.Find out what's coming up in series four by listening to the trailer now!Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Time is the one thing that small-business owners don’t have enough of, with many having to work long hours. Those starting a new business often must work even longer hours to get their business off the ground and into profit. So, what’s the key to making best use of every minute of every day? What role can technology play? Where can time be lost? How can people work less and get more done? How can listeners stay better organised and productive each day? These are some of the key questions covered in the penultimate episode of our third series. Sharing her insight is guest Clare Evans, leading time management expert and productivity coach. She is also the author of the bestseller, Time Management For Dummies.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

More than 640,000 new businesses are started each year in the UK and most don’t grow much, they pretty much stay as one person enterprises, which suits their owners. Others are more ambitious, they want to take on staff, win many more customers, expand their operation, grow their business and take it to new heights. But growth isn’t a given. You have to work hard to achieve it. You must make good decisions. You have to take risks. You need some luck. There are many new obstacles to overcome. In this episode we speak to Mark Hart, Professor of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at Aston Business School, who is also Associate Director of the Aston Centre for Growth and Deputy Director of the national Enterprise Research Centre. Mark explains why some owners are able to grow their businesses into much bigger enterprises – while others fail. He outlines the critical factors that affect growth and offers his advice to small-business owners who want to make it big.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

The best start-up advice usually comes from the best-placed experts of all – those who’ve actually been there and done it. In this Start-up Story episode, we speak to Surlender Pendress, co-founder of the Love Writing Company, which is based in the West Midlands. It sells innovative writing pencils, erasable colour pencils and washable crayons developed specifically for children’s hands, created to make it easier, quicker and more enjoyable for children to learn to write. Surlender started the business in 2019 with Mark Sherwood. She explains where the idea for her business came from and retraces her start-up steps, looking at key challenges she faced and how she overcame them.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com

Instagram is the world’s seventh most-visited website. Some 1.22bn people use Instagram each month, with 18 to 34 year olds making up the biggest share of Instagram’s audience. About 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business, and reportedly, half of its users have discovered new brands via Instagram. When you get it right, Instagram can be a superb, low-cost way to market your business to new and existing customers. In this episode, we speak to Lou Chudley of Bristol-based agency, Spark Social. She reveals her top tips on how to build a brand on Instagram and generate leads and sales. If you want to find out how to use Instagram to grow your business, this episode is packed with top tips, so don’t miss it.Visit Start Up Donut and sign up to the Donut newsletter for more free start-up news, advice and special offers to help you save time and money. This series is brought to you thanks to the support of Dell Technologies. Our partnership with Dell means you get top products at special prices and a personalised consultation from a dedicated tech adviser who will get to know the goals of your business. Find out more by emailing the Dell for Startup UK representative at UKSTARTUP@Dell.com