Talent and technology are often quoted as the two main drivers of growth. Without effective leadership, companies face an uncertain future. For smaller companies who do not have corporate leadership development programmes, the problem of how to secure additional leadership capacity can be more acute especially in an increasingly knowledge driven economy. 

There is always the ‘buy it in’ option – hire someone with a proven track record elsewhere who is already ‘developed’.  But this doesn’t always give the right cultural fit or send the right message to the rest of your team.

You do want to improve your sales, profits, cash flow, don’t you?

Being able to plan for success would be great, wouldn’t it?

Seeing your numbers in a clearer light would help you sleep better at night, I’m sure.

In essence Plan, Do, Review and Change or Carry on

The process of innovation has changed - it is much quicker than it used to be and it is more likely to rely on significant data.

Instead of spending several years considering how a new technology performs under research conditions before starting to develop it, today’s entrepreneurs work to much shorter product development cycles. They are more likely to be testing several ideas simultaneously and refining them as they go.

While data-based inventions are still relatively few and far between, this is rapidly gaining traction as an important area of innovation activity.

Social media has changed the recruitment business because now recruiters can identify and connect more easily with “potential passive” candidates and discuss new opportunities.

In order to avoid people being lured away it is important to ensure that the entire benefits package and working environment are competitive and attractive.

It is becoming more prevalent that candidates are not only motivated to move jobs by the financial rewards of a higher basic salary or a lucrative bonus, or commission payments, but by the intrinsic factors on offer as well.

The threat from fraudsters continues to grow as criminals find ever more inventive ways to try and con people out of their money.

Figures from a recent report, the Annual Fraud Indicator, show that fraud now costs the UK more than £190 billion a year.

According to Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK), fraudsters are using tactics such as scam emails and fake adverts on social media or internet searches which offer substantial discounts on goods and services to trick people into visiting fake websites and handing over their card details.

Funding for growth is a continuous journey, but one that is particularly onerous for those businesses in the early stages of development.

Many small businesses are started with overdrafts or credit cards or with help from family or friends, or by putting up the family home as security. At some point, the business has to stand on its own two feet if it is to remain viable.

Carrying out supplier due diligence is an essential part of any outsourcing process.

It allows both parties to understand exactly what is required under the outsourcing arrangement, evaluate the costs and practical aspects of service delivery, and establish whether the two parties will be able to work well together at a cultural and organisational level.      

Succession planning can be tricky for family businesses at the best of times and constant changes to the family tree as individuals get divorced and re-marry can affect future plans.

For family business owners planning for retirement, there is nothing worse than finding out that their preferred choice of successor has decided to take a step back or has changed their mind.

A Business Plan should be the 'Bible' of your business, if you are starting out it should be where you jot every idea, this document will show you your business journey, the errors in which you need to resolve. It is also to show other people (that don't know you or the business) what the purpose(s) of the business is. There are many templates out there that you can use for guidance. Here are the main areas of a business plan.

The Owner(s)?

Branding is a topic close to our hearts and rather on our minds here, having recently rebranded from Quorum People to QPLtalent. But what do we really mean by ‘employer branding’ and why does it really matter?