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Top 3 business decisions 2014

I would like to know the top 3 business decisions of 2014 to make your business run smootherHere goes1) change waste practises2) slim down maintenance round to allow space for one off work3) join diesel link to help with paperworkAny views thanksHapp

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HMRC reveal top ten excuses for late tax returns

1. My pet goldfish died (self-employed builder).
2. I had a run-in with a cow (Midlands farmer).
3. After seeing a volcanic eruption on the news, I couldn’t concentrate on anything else (London woman).
4. My wife won’t give me my mail (self-employed trader).
5. My

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Business landline and mobile transfer

Just wondering if anybody knew of a simple, cost effective way to set-up a separate business phone line at a home address. And one that allows incoming calls to be routed through to a mobile number at little or no cost.

Previously I had a separate lan

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24/7 Online, Web Enabled, Social Media Shop Front - What expectations have you set?

We all participate in an 24/7 Online, Web enabled, Social Media controlled shop front by virtue of belonging to various online resources.

We feel comfortable posting updates on Facebook & LinkedIn, Tweeting our latest activity at any time that suits

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Simply Business - a manifesto we share

Simply Business is a Landscape Juice partner.

The company has enjoyed very rapid growth in the last couple of years and, it seems, has set out to disrupt the insurance market.

Have a read of SB's manifesto...recognise anything?

"Simply Business’s vis

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The hunt for new premises

We are outgrowing working from a shed in my garden and need to find premises in the New Year, just a large shed/portakabin and small yard would do.

As we are based in North London I realise that any suitable premises will a) not be cheap or b) easy to

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We're no different to a self-employed trader when it comes to tax... says Vodafone

"Vodafone is no different to any other UK business, whatever its size: if a self-employed trader buys a new computer or a large UK business borrows money to build a new warehouse, exactly the same rules apply."

The Vodaphone statement in full:

As we

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Leaf blowing law

Anyone know the law on leaf blowing ie if you blow leaves off a pavement into the kerb side is it legal ?Having been stopped by a council worker who said its a 40k fine, my reply was you haven't been here for ages and if my client slips up what happe

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So you want to move abroad and start a plant nursery?

I am often asked about setting up a landscape and horticulture related business in France.

Even after over nine years here I still find the bureaucracy difficult and fustrating.

However there are still many people with aspirations to move abroad for

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Quotes legally binding ?

Have made a huge mistake by quoting £150 day rate on a quote leaving off per man/operatorHaving turned up on site 2 operators working all day the customer is now saying you quoted £150 per dayHow do I stand ?

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SMEs in the grip of cash flow crisis

Almost half of more than 500 small business owners polled admitted having cash flow concerns

The UK’s small companies are experiencing a cash crisis, a report has found. Almost half of more than 500 small business owners polled by Everline, a short-t

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Increase your rates by thinking like Picasso

We've often talked on Landscape Juice about hourly rate versus price per job and how the latter is the most profitable.

Whilst I'm a great advocate of the essential of understanding what it costs to sell an hour of work, I am also a great believer in

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Autumn Budget - Does it affect you?

Just had the chance to review the Chancellor's Autumn Budget thanks to a supllied summary document. Have you seen the good news and bad news ?

1/ Scrapping of the need to display VED discs on all vehicles, but not the need to pay/have it :-(

2/ The f

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The fast disappearing income of the UK’s self-employed

I've just seen a Tweet come out of BALI exclaiming that 2014 will be a good year for landscaping. No explanation about why next year will be good (perhaps just wishful thinking?).

The data I'm collecting and reading suggests that 2014 will be far fro

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Anyone thinking of increasing hourly rate this year?

i been thinking of increasing hourly charge but i am not sure if it the right time or by how much . i not changed rates for the last couple of years

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The real cost of the economic downturn to Britain's 'squeezed middle' revealed

A couple of articles explain, perhaps, why landscaping is still yet to enter a sustained recovery.

Figures for the Office of National Statistics reveal that the average wage earner is now £5,000 a year worse off.

From the Independent

"Average earning

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What do you really think of insurance?

We reached out and asked small business owners like you what they really thought about insurance. Our research showed that most people find the industry out dated and the documentation unclear, well we want to change all of that.

What do you really th

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Just what are 'Unfair Terms' in relation to T&Cs

We are just renewing/being re-audited for our Buy With Confidence and have consequently had our T&C's reviewed last month.

For those doing the same, there are some excellent guidance notes from CAB/TS about this subject, enclosed here as a starter an

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Prices to charge in London?

Hi All,
I am looking to find out what price we should be charging for a labourer on site in London and for an experienced hard and soft landscaper? Can anyone help give me some ballpark figures?
I appreciate this is sensitive information so if you w

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How much information are we allowed to share with our competitors, for example, in a benchmarking study or through our trade association?

This is an extract from the Law Donut website - Cartels FAQ's

"A trade association or forum discussing new developments and best practice would not generally present a problem. Again, however, you need to ensure that this does not lead to anti-compet

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