Forum

Top 10 SME business mistakes

Interesting reading....certainly I can relate to a number of these mistakes. The mistakes are in numerical order with the most common mistake made by owner of small and medium enterprises is taking on the wrong person for the job...oops..been there,

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Who inspires you in business ?

Who do you look up to in the business world as a role model, as a business that you appreciate or displays an innovative approach?

I think it easy to forgot all those close to you, that give daily support, inspiration, the chance to bounce ideas or j

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Tax implications for part time working?

Hi guys

This is my first year as full time self employed, last winter I got a job with my local council as a casual worker that turned into 40 hours per week for all of last winter.

I have been asked back again this year and plan on working 2 or 3 days

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Insurance.....the good,the bad and the ugly

Having spent the afternoon(rained off)trawling the net for public liability insurance was wondering if anyone has had the misfortune to have to claim and if so how were they treated.We are looking for £5 million cover which seems excessive but contra

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"O2 customers having signal issues due to adverse weather"

Dateline 03.10.2013 : "O2 customers having signal issues due to adverse weather"

O2's excuse must rank up there with the old 'leaves on the railway line' excuse:-)

I've been one of the many with dropped calls and very limited connectivity. Still it's

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Well, do you promise?

Do you make estimates or do you make promises ?

If you make estimates, why is the business not able to quote ? Lack of client clarity, experience, business tools etc?

If you make promises (..ok, quotes :-), how do you do it ? Experience, structured

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Gas Networks

Hi all, I am a new member, although I have been following LJN for a while. It is only now that I have a problem that I have joined, with the hope that I can receive some sound advise from the group.

I recently put up a fence in a customers garden, tak

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working abroad

basically as the title says im looking into working abroad prefer europe but any where will do
i have 10 years experience and nc horticulture and my chainsaw tickets i currently run my own business but work has gone dead looking for subcontract work

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Non Paying Client & Equipment Faults

Hello

I'm hoping someone can help me with a bit of help / advice / guidance with a bit of a problem I have. (Sorry if this ends up being a bit of a lengthy post)

We secured a new client back in May, part of which was for the regular cutting of a very l

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How do you Organise your working week ?

It's a Monday morning and a busy week ahead looms.

Just how do you organise you day(s) and workloads ?

Any tips, processes/procedures you find useful ?

Any software you use to help organise your admin and 'real' work ?

Given most of us are in a 'Serv

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Purchasing postage online from Royal Mail

Oh how things have moved on!

I bet the franking machine companies are cursing this internet thingy.
We used a franking machine for all of our mail. From memory we had to buy, or lease, a franking machine and then had to pre-purchase blocks of postage

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Working for friends

Do you offer a discount to your friends for your services or offer any sort of 'mates' rate?

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Is this the end of ;'Regular Customers'???

Hi all,

I am thinking about changing the way I work next year and doing away with 'regular' customers all together. By this I mean customers on a weekly or fought nightly basis who are billed on an hourly rate.

This would then leave me completely free

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Turfing as a stand alone company

Most of my work is lawn weed and feeding, however we get asked to do turfing on a regular basis.
On trolling the web I find loads of company's advertising turf for sale and you get landscapers & gardeners advertising that they put lawns down as part

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Man days and outputs for landscaping projects

Hi all

I was wondering if anyone can help with working out man days for certain tasks such as turfing, topsoiling, prepping etc. Any assistance would be gratefully recieved.

Thanks
Lee

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Here's to the crazy ones.....

Those 5 words....what do they mean.....are they relevant to us as businesses or a business person ?

Some 'Commentators' in our landscape industry strive for status quo...they prefer the security of what has gone before even though we are in a differe

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Do I need planning permission for garden landscape construction?

We are all aware (or at least should be) that when building works take place - either by building a new house, or garage, or adding to an existing dwelling, that the appropriate permissions should be sought from the local planning authority.

In terms

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Budget 2013: 'A tax off jobs' as small businesses given Employment Allowance boost

I was reminded of this from the recent Budget - worth remembering for 2014/2015 if you are making plans...

"Up to 2.5 million employers will benefit, while 450,000 of the country's smallest businesses will no longer pay any employer NICs

The Chancell

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Nightmare Client?!!!

HI All

I'm new to the network but hope someone out there has had the same or similar problem with a customer.....

I created a written quote for my client that included large patio 75m2 lawn and raised beds etc.

The quote was agreed and start dates confi

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Looking for a Pond Installer for my Chingford client (London E4)

Hello all,

I hope your summer season is going well.. we've gone from strength to strength in our third year of business.. I am now focusing on my garden design work and am currently working with clients on a garden development project in Chingford, No

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