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Helping you prepare for GDPR

This week sees many businesses returning from the festive break eager to clear down the backlog of emails and achieve ‘inbox zero’. While some businesses are commencing new financial years, others are busy preparing themselves for upcoming year-ends as well as completing tax returns for the 31st January deadline. But looming on the horizon is another important deadline, one which a significant number of businesses have yet to realise; this will be one of the most significant pieces of legisl...

Main Causes of Stress for Business Owners & How to Conquer Them

Many entrepreneurs believe that hard work and dogged determination are all it takes to build and sustain a successful business. But when you consider the pressures of running a company, it seems wise to add effective stress-management to the list. Left unchecked, stress can erode your passion and undermine performance – not to mention, take a serious toll on your health. Research compiled by Office Vibe reveals that over 70% of professionals regularly experience the physical and ment...

How to write subject lines that zing

Email marketing is one of the best ways to develop a relationship with your customers. It’s also a proven way to increase sales with subscribers who are interested, qualified buyers.The key to maintaining high open rates with your email campaigns is to craft catchy subject lines for every email you send out to your customers.These ten proven tips will show you how to quickly grab attention with compelling subject lines that get results....

Tax tips for new business owners

Do you want to avoid paying more than you should come tax time? Or a frantic last minute search for missing financial records?New business owners have a lot on their plate, and can easily lose track of an approaching tax deadline or financial data needed to submit their return.Being well organised is key when preparing for tax time. As is taking advantage of the many tools and resources out there to support new entrepreneurs.Set yourself up for success by following these four pillars of painless...

8 Ways to Engage People Better

Great people management comes through experience. Courses will teach you all of the theory, but there is no substitute for day ­to­ day managing staff within your business. Giving yourself a head start with a common­ sense approach and a healthy respect for everyone you come into contact with can help to develop a happy and productive workforce. We were fortunate enough as a practice to be part of a 2,000 + crowd at Xerocon 2017 in London recently, where amongst the many amazing keynote speak...

HMRC stops use of personal credit cards to pay tax bills

Back in November 2017, we posted an update regarding HMRC and its decision to withdraw the option for payments to be made via a personal credit card.With the submission deadline of 31st January fast approaching, what options do you have for making your tax payments online?...

Budget 2017 Update

Yesterday, the Chancellor announced the Autumn Budget 2017. Whilst there has been mixed reactions by the wider media, with some feeling that the Chancellor “delivered a shrewd but optimistic budget” this year and others suggesting little to lift the gloom of further uncertainty...

Xerocon 2017 – A Valued Perspective

Back in 2012, we were among the few firms that attended the very first Xerocon in the UK held at ICAEW’s Chartered Accountants Hall or as was described on the day the ‘Hogwarts of Accountancy’.We say few, but back in 2012, the first Xerocon in London was maxed out at around 230 delegates and a handful of add-on partners, some of which are still very much active in the space today....

3 ways an accountant can save you money

Many small business owners think they’re saving money by handling their financials themselves. While it’s a real asset to learn bookkeeping basics, cash flow management and your tax obligations, hiring an accountant to oversee your finances has many benefits. Leaving your books to a pro will free up time so you can focus on serving your clients and implementing plans for growth. Here are a few ways an accounting professional can help you save money that you can reinvest back in your business...

Tips for proofreading your business writing

For small businesses, nothing reduces credibility faster than careless typos and sloppy spelling, we know, we’ve made a few in our time.The trouble is, business owners are often so busy they neglect to notice the errors that can creep into their work, in spite of the latest word processing spelling and grammar tools.Taking the time to carefully edit your newsletters, reports, emails, blog posts and marketing collateral – following these simple tips – will make all the difference.Here’s h...

Mastering tone for business emails

Research suggests that as much as 93% of communication is non-verbal, so it’s not surprising that the tone and meaning of emails are misinterpreted as much as half the time. For small businesses, email is frequently the preferred way to communicate with new leads, customers and employees – but if haven’t mastered your tone, the meaning of your message may be lost. In the worst case scenario, you may even unintentionally offend your audience. Follow these tips to improve your...

Avoid these 5 costly accounting mistakes

A Canadian bank recently surveyed over 500 small business owners about what they love and hate most about owning their own business. Unsurprisingly, flexibility and feeling in control ranked first in the “love” category. Meanwhile, almost 60% said bookkeeping was hands-down their most hated task. Most business owners understand that effective financial management is key to their success. But lack of knowledge, frustration, and even avoidance can add up to accounting mistakes that derail futu...

HM Revenue and Customs Update

Here at Valued, we thought we would share some important updates with you regarding HM Revenue and Customs, especially with the tax return deadline approaching rapidly....

The Valued team goes from strength to strength

We’re super excited to welcome Darren Glanville to the Valued team!...

Geoff Ramm encourages North East businesses to ‘punch above their weight’

Back in his native North East for the first time in four years, multi-award winning customer service and marketing speaker Geoff Ramm inspired an audience of business owners and entrepreneurs with his techniques for creating a customer experience this week....

7 tips for more productive meetings

Increasing efficiency and minimizing costs are essential to running a profitable business. Yet many small business owners waste countless hours on meetings that lack focus, run on too long, and pull staff away from more productive tasks.Follow these seven tips to make your meetings more efficient and cost-effective....

How to create good habits in business

If you’re like most small business owners, there are never enough hours in the day to complete every task on your list.Often you’re faced with prioritising what you need to do right now – deal with a customer, meet a deadline, attend an event – and the things you know you should do for the ongoing growth of your business.Scheduling time to attend to these business activities on a regular basis is a great way to get on track for greater success....

Valued team up with world beating HR software BreatheHR

We all know that our team is the most important thing in our business and is critical in how we deal with customers and clients, but how many business owners enjoy the red tape that goes along with employing staff....

Update your business plan for a new year

As another year winds down, it’s a good time to reflect on your recent business successes – and consider what you’d like to achieve in the coming twelve to fifteen months. These tips can help you with the process of making a business plan for the new year to help guide your business to greater success....

Autumn statement 2016

As with all things connected to the budget and Autumn Statement there is some winners and losers depending on everyone's personal circumstances, we would be delighted to talk you through how this impacts you....

7 ways to improve workplace productivity

The success of any business, large or small, depends largely on nurturing an efficient, productive workplace. While improving employee productivity should be always be a priority when the ultimate goal is a sustainable and profitable business, the process is easier said than done. Below are some of the most effective methods of managing a productive, happy workplace while increasing output....

Getting the work–life balance right

As a small business owner it’s hard to juggle your work and outside responsibilities. It’s important to run your business effectively and still have a life outside the office.You need a good balance between work and play for your health and well-being. Small business owners often fall into the trap of working too hard, ending up exhausted from the constant work demands associated with self-employment....

Are your staff your greatest asset?

During a recent discussion with one of our clients Sally Brown it became apparent that she had a wealth of knowledge regarding work life balance, stress and the huge impact it can have on your life. We are delighted that Sally is sharing her experience on the Valued blog.Whilst it will take you no more than five minutes to read this, the impact on you, your staff and your business could be life long....

Spotting problem employees ahead of time

Your employees are the blood of your entrepreneurial life. No start-up will survive without a good set of people making sure that things run perfectly. The problem for you and any other entrepreneur is making sure that the people on your team are trustworthy and reliable. Some people have a sixth sense when it comes to reading people, but if you’re not that lucky you can simply keep an eye out for a few warning signs....

Running a company car scheme

A company car is something that can benefit both employers and employees, provided you plan accordingly. ...