Opinion
-
Why small businesses struggle to adopt AI — and how to move forward
AI has become accessible to small businesses almost overnight. Yet as Kelly Salter, Commercial Director at names.co.uk (part of team.blue), explains, many still struggle with skills gaps, confidence, and trust. Bridging this divide requires practical guidance and mindset change — helping small businesses see AI as a partner, not a threat.
-
Fast-growth UK companies face heightened HMRC scrutiny: it’s time to act
HMRC is intensifying its scrutiny of fast growing UK companies. Francesca Titus, barrister and white-collar crime partner at McGuireWoods, warns that expanding enforcement powers, AI-led investigations, and new criminal offences are raising the stakes. For scale-ups, proactive compliance is now essential — before HMRC comes knocking.
-
The future of the financial industry in a digital age
Customer engagement in the financial sector is evolving at speed. Jon Burghart, Chief Revenue Officer at AnywhereNow, examines how legacy systems, fragmented data, and overstretched teams are redefining how banks serve their customers. The winners will be those who unify people, technology, and data into one strategy.
-
Amidst all the uncertainty, has the Budget offered a new dawn for SMEs to invest?
UK SMEs may finally have reason for cautious optimism. Rory Crisp-Jones of Jones & Co Finance argues that the Autumn Budget has provided long-awaited stability and renewed incentives to invest — from full expensing and a new 40% First-Year Allowance to a steady 25% corporation tax rate — shifting the balance towards growth.
-
How tech is supercharging the North East’s regeneration
Technology is redefining regeneration across the UK’s North East region. James Hunnybourne, Executive Chairman at Cybit, explores how AI, digital twins, and sustainable construction are reshaping the region’s economy. With a new AI Growth Zone and major investment underway, the North East is building a smarter, stronger future.
-
The real reason your marketing strategy isn’t delivering results
Modern marketing failure isn’t about effort, but alignment. Julia Payne, Founder of CMO Fractional Services, explores how organisational silos between marketing, sales, and operations quietly erode growth. True success, she argues, comes from unified teams, shared metrics, and a RevOps mindset that places marketing at the business’s core.
-
Your first PE meeting: Chemistry matters as much as numbers
First meetings with investors are less performance, more partnership. Jamie Roberts, Managing Partner at YFM, explains why chemistry can make or break an initial PE meeting — and how founders who treat it as a conversation, not a pitch, set the tone for lasting collaboration.
-
EV salary sacrifice should be a force for good in the autumn Budget
EV salary sacrifice delivers measurable benefits for both employees and employers. Thom Groot, CEO of The Electric Car Scheme, argues that the upcoming autumn Budget must preserve this crucial incentive — one that is helping middle-income families access affordable electric transport and driving real progress towards net zero.
-
Supporting employees with addictions in the workplace
Addiction is already in the workplace, often hiding in plain sight. As Professor Marcantonio Spada of Onebright writes, silence and stigma prevent many from seeking help until crisis strikes. Creating open, supportive cultures where employees can talk about addiction is both compassionate and critical for business health.
-
The ‘infinite workday’ putting workers’ psychological safety at risk
Technology has blurred the boundaries of the workday. Bryan Stallings, Chief Evangelist at Lucid, warns that constant connectivity has created an ‘infinite workday’ — one where interruptions, late-night meetings, and reactive communication are eroding psychological safety. A cultural reset is needed to restore focus, clarity, and humane productivity.