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Infrastructure

Heard of RTI? It might do you a lot of good

All good things come to those who wait: while the introduction of real-time information (RTI) seems inevitably destined to prompt one of those IT meltdowns for which our public sector is so renowned, there are plenty of reasons why businesses should welcome the overhaul.

Small Talk: Here's how Osborne can make a big difference to the SMEs

Almost exactly a year ago today, George Osborne arrived at the Federation of Small Businesses annual dinner with an inspiring message. "I know that with the energy, creativity, innovation and courage of Britain's small businesses we can take on the forces of stagnation and win," the Chancellor of the Exchequer told his audience, inviting small and medium-sized enterprises to take the lead in driving economic recovery.

Business Connections exclusive

Video highlights, June event, 'An Audience with Doug Richard, Kanya King and Oliver Peyton. '

View the highlights reel from our third Business Connections event.

From briefs to burritos, the former lawyer with hot talent

Growth Capital: A lot of X-Factor failures probably dream of wielding a machete on stage in front of Simon Cowell. Well, entrepreneur Ben Fordham has just done so. He was auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent, using the machete to build Britain’s biggest burrito. It was, Fordham says, a very long way from where he started his career — as a corporate tax lawyer.

Mentoring is vital to new wave of start-ups

Small Talk: Will George Osborne's Youth Investment Fund encourage a new generation of young entrepreneurs to start their own businesses?

Business Connections exclusive

Discover the benefits of cloud technology

Are you in the cloud? Probably not if you’re a typical small or medium-sized enterprise: new research shows just 8 per cent of SMEs are making extensive use of cloud computing, the technology that enables users to access software, hardware and data storage remotely. In theory, cloud computing ought to be a boon for SMEs, but, says one cloud provider, SMEs have been slow to adopt the technology...

Business Connections exclusive

Take time to find the right name for your business

Shakespeare asked 'what's in a name' some four hundred years ago, but nowadays for small business owners, the question is as important as ever. A cornucopia of legal, online and Companies House resources have to be cross-checked before deciding on a name. Here, Business Connections walks you through the crucial steps to take before naming your firm, including planning ahead for potential international opportunities and checking out domain names.

Where are the best places to cut the costs of our business?

Ask James Caan: We’re always looking for ways to cut costs. We have tried to make the workforce more efficient. But I am sure further savings are possible.