Business

have merged three into one to sort out

Plan

• https://www.gov.uk/write-business-plan
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2943252.stm
• http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/need_help/enterprise_programme/help_with_your_business_plan.aspx
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/small-business-network/2012/jul/06/business-plan-writing-tips

• Writing a Business Plan : Startup Ideas - Sequoia Capital

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_proposition
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unique_selling_proposition

Setup

• Gov.uk: Choose a legal structure for a new business

• https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/registration/newbusiness

• http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/tm.htm - trademark

Sole Trader

• https://www.gov.uk/set-up-sole-trader

• http://www.smarta.com/advice/starting-up/starting-your-own-business/what-is-a-sole-trader

• http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/contractors_rarely_operate_sole_traders.aspx

Limited Company

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_formation
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law

• http://www.contractoruk.com/limited_companies/

• https://www.gov.uk/limited-company-formation/overview
• How to: register a company in the UK

• Companies House
  • http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/gbhtml/gbf1.shtml
  • Company Registration

You must set up the company with Companies House and let HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) know when the company starts business activities.

Every financial year, the company must:

• put together statutory accounts
• send Companies House an annual return
• send HMRC a Company Tax Return

The company must register for VAT if you expect its takings to be more than £77,000 a year.

If you’re a director of a limited company, you must:

• fill in a Self Assessment tax return every year
• pay tax and National Insurance through the PAYE system if the company pays you a salary

Social Enterprise

• http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/
• http://www.socialenterprisescotland.org.uk/

• http://www.senscot.net/

Corporate

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_title

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_partnership

Legal

• Business Insider: Startup Document Center - american

Contracts

• docracy - open legal contract collection and advice
  • http://www.docracy.com/topic/0qw8furvljv/top-legal-documents-for-freelancers?startPdfDownload=false

• https://www.docracy.com/649dkpe7g9/contract-killer-3
• http://www.docracy.com/0rgkbvacolg/independent-contractor-agreement-template?startOnComments=false
• https://www.docracy.com/5598/website-identity-design-contract

• http://www.docracy.com/9jsoij4itk/retainer-agreement

• https://www.docracy.com/4753/form-of-independent-contractor-agreement
• https://www.docracy.com/49/consulting-agreement
• https://www.docracy.com/367/consulting-agreement-for-hourly-work
• https://www.docracy.com/7380/independent-contractor-consultant-agreement

• https://www.docracy.com/3884/contract-of-works-for-web-design
• https://www.docracy.com/0ybo2bbkzaf/web-design-contract
• https://www.docracy.com/0yoo0svlhca/web-design-contract-dsundy-com
• https://www.docracy.com/71l7wi9w3a/web-design-branding-and-web-development-contract-

• https://www.docracy.com/topic/0ys7pdj8ble/designer-contracts?startPdfDownload=false
• https://www.docracy.com/3152/designer-sample-contract
• https://www.docracy.com/5152/short-form-design-contract
• http://www.docracy.com/0y3nkjcmkks/development-agreement-for-hourly-work

• Just pay me.
• http://vimeo.com/22053820

Data Protection

• A summary of the Data Protection Act 1998
• ICO: Need to notify under the Data Protection Act?

Licencing

• TL;DRLegal (Beta) - Lookup any software license shortly summarized in plain English.

• http://www.billthelizard.com/2012/05/which-open-source-license.html

• http://tos-dr.info/

Examples

• http://www.inigo.net/ - edinburgh web design

Business cards

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_card

(UK)
Bleed size: 91 × 61 mm (3.58 × 2.40 in) - 6mm
Standard cut size: 85 × 55 mm (3.35 × 2.17 in)

(US)
Bleed size: 95.25 × 57.15 mm (3.75 × 2.25 in) (1⁄8 in bleeds)
Standard cut size: 89 × 51 mm (3.5 × 2 in)

• Battle of the Business Cards - Vistaprint, moo, PsPring, PrintRunner, OvernightPrints

online;

• http://uk.moo.com/partner/flickr-business-cards/
  • 50 for £10.99, 100 for £21.98
• http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/
  • Cheap price, cheap quality
• http://www.surfprint.com/ - 100 for £5
• http://www.puttyprint.co.uk/categories.php?cat=Business+Cards
• http://www.optimalprint.co.uk/business/business-cards

local;

• http://www.edinburghcopyshop.co.uk/
  • 250 for £30 (£40 d/s), 24 hours
• http://www.dupliquick.com/letterhead-business-card.php
  • 250 for £25, 1 day service - single sided, double is double price
• http://www.greenprint.co.uk/business-card.html
  • 250 for £32 (colour front) or £49 (colour both) no b/w offering
• http://www.mbe.co.uk/edinburghsouthbridge/order_print_online.aspx
  • £35/250 (300g) for colour and b/w, £40 for colour/colour, send away £68.36 (400g)
• http://www.printing.com/uk/business-cards
  • 250 from £35

• Print Vision Ltd - print_vision aatt btconnect.com - 0131 661 8855
  • 100 for £18 (£15+vat), (£20+vat laminated)
  • 250 for £30 (£25+vat), (£37+vat laminated)
  • Double sided, double colour
  • PDF w/ 3mm bleed, 85*55, 99*55, 3min, press ready pdf, 300dpi CYMK

Roles

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_design
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_administrator
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sysop
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_operations
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DevOps

Freelancing

• Everything I wish someone had told me (about freelancing)
• First month freelancing.
• Freelancing: A 6-Month Retrospective
• The other side of working for yourself
• My first year freelancing [1]

• Ask HN: How do you sell yourself as a new freelancer to clients?
• Ask HN: How do you find clients?

• How To Become a Successful Freelance Web Developer (and Not Kill Your Career) [2]

• career.fork() - How To Thrive As A Freelance Developer, book

• How to Freelance and Travel the World: Part 1

• Ask HN: My wife needs something to do from home to make money...
• Ask HN: Your best passive income sources?

• Ramit Sethi and Patrick McKenzie on Getting Your First Consulting Client

Contracting

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_contractor
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbrella_company

• http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ir35/index.htm
• http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/contractors_ir35_compliant_contracts.aspx

• Contractor UK - home to the UK's IT contracting community
• http://www.contracteye.co.uk/

• http://www.contractoruk.com/first_timers/setting_up_your_contractor_company.html
• https://www.cloud9umbrella.com/Comparisons.aspx

• http://www.differencebetween.net/business/difference-between-freelance-and-contract/
• http://www.freelanceadvisor.co.uk/go-freelance-guide/who-am-i-freelancer-contractor-or-small-business/
• http://www.contractoruk.com/first_timers/why_companies_employ_contractors_a_contractor_s_view.html

• PCG (Professional Contractors Group)

• Public Contracts Scotland
• https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

Consulting

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consultant

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_consultant

• http://www.sjdaccountancy.com/about/ourservices/difference_between_contractor_and_consultant.html

• http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/project-management/10-mistakes-that-rookie-it-consultants-make/2693

Proposals

• http://www.freelancer.co.uk/jobs/proposal-bid-writing/

• http://www.attendly.com/freelance-how-to-write-a-proposal/
• http://freelanceswitch.com/the-business-of-freelancing/writing-proposals/
• http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2012/02/9-elements-of-a-great-writing-proposal/

Presentations

• Designing Presentations
• How to Give a Great Presentation: Timeless Advice from a Legendary Adman, 1981

CV

• Resumonk - cv creation service

• Why won’t anyone talk to me? What recruiters look for in a resume

Income

Articles

• http://matthewpaulmoore.com/post/50662524038/do-customers-pay-for-your-b2b-product-in-a-cost-center

• http://doubleyourfreelancingrate.com/
  • https://training.kalzumeus.com/newsletters/archive/consulting_1

• http://makaluinc.com/blog/2012/11/how-to-calculate-an-hourly-rate.html

• https://planscope.io/blog/the-freelancers-guide-to-recurring-revenue/ [3]

• http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/
• http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/charging_clients_retainer_how_they_work.aspx

Price plans

Cloud Web Design

• Business Card, Articles, Blogging, Image Galleries, etc.
• WordPress.com, Tumblr.com, etc.
• From £400.
• Plus costs (£40/yr for theme & ad-free, plus domain).

Web Site Design and Build

• Self-hosted Drupal site with bespoke configuration and theme
• Using process estimation tools vs. budget
• From £650 (5 days), at £130 a day

Hosting and maintenance

• £15/mth for hosting, plus security upgrades

Support, Training, Consultancy £25/hr for additional backend or administration support, or £100 for a full day consultation.

Cloud site setup and custom theme, from £400, or a full site with bespoke backend and custom theme, starting at £650.

Budgeting

• Spreadsheet skills: no time series problems – period!
• Example Cash Flow Forecast

• Allocated Spending Plan FAQ

• Wikipedia:4–4–5 calendar
• How many weeks in a month?
• Calendar for year 2013 (United Kingdom)

5 fridays (or 5 mondays?)

Services

• Google Docs Template Gallery: budget
• Google Docs Template Gallery: timesheet

• PocketSmith - The personal finance app with cashflow forecasting

Invoicing

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invoice

Templates

• http://www.contractoruk.com/limited_companies/free_invoice_template.html

Open source systems

• http://www.siwapp.org/

• http://www.jbilling.com/community

Services

• http://www.bookkeepy.co.uk/ - nice and clean

• https://www.invoicejournal.com/ - popped up via hn

Credit notes

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credit_note

• http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/vat/managing/special-situations/returned-goods.htm

Tax

See also Credits

Self-assessment

• https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns
• https://www.gov.uk/register-for-self-assessment
• https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns/deadlines

• http://www.gateway.gov.uk/

etc

• http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/incometax/codes-basics.htm

• Class 2 National Insurance contributions

• http://www.besttaxback.com/calculator/taxcalc.aspx
• http://www.easyaccountancy.co.uk/about/freelancer_sole_trader_take_home_calculator.html

• http://www.smallbusinesspro.co.uk/tax/sole-trader-tax.html
• http://www.easyaccountancy.co.uk/faqcentre/self_employed_faq.html

Sole traders’ tax responsibilities:

• send a Self Assessment tax return every year
• pay Income Tax on the profits your business makes
• pay National Insurance
• register for VAT if you expect your business’ takings to be more than £77,000 a year.

Limited Company: Any profit it makes is owned by the company, after it pays Corporation Tax. The company can then share its profits.

• http://www.revenuebenefits.org.uk/tax-credits/guidance/how-do-tax-credits-work/self-employed/

• https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/registration/newbusiness

• http://www.contractoruk.com/limited_companies/contractor_taxes.html

Tools

• http://www.easyaccountancy.co.uk/about/freelancer_sole_trader_take_home_calculator.html

• http://www.besttaxback.com/calculator/taxcalc.aspx

• http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/tools/sa-ready-reckoner/index.htm - ni calc

other

• http://www.launchside.com/blog/llc-vs-s-corp-vs-c-corp/ - usa startup taxes

VAT

• VATLive

Banks

Tridos

• http://triodos.co.uk

"We do not provide counter banking services from our Edinburgh office (or indeed any of our UK offices) but are pleased to meet with business customers who have a pre-arranged appointment."

Co-operative

• http://co-operativebank.co.uk

Online service, no real-life access?

• http://www.smile.co.uk/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile_(bank)

Has branches under the name Britannia. One on George Street.

• http://www.britannia.co.uk/

Accounting

• http://static.steve.org.uk/expenses

Software

• http://www.gnucash.org/

Services

• http://www.freeagent.com/?referrer=33dgfkb0 - rachel's code

Trading

• Trading Standards - Fair Trading advice for businesses

eCommerce

• http://ecommerce.shopify.com/

Payment gateways

• http://elliotjaystocks.com/blog/good-riddance-paypal/ - don't use paypal
• http://www.binkd.com/general/why-we-no-longer-accept-paypal/

• https://gocardless.com/ - 1% per transaction up to a maximum of £2.00
• http://simplifiedecommerce.com/

• Authorize.Net - Payment Gateway

• Google Checkout

• https://www.gittip.com/

• http://jamesmaskell.co.uk/2013/online-payments-in-2013/ [4]

Funding

• Funding Scotland - Signposting funding opportunities for Charities, Community Groups and Businesses around Scotland.

• Independent Students' Bursary (ISB)

• http://www.sdi.co.uk/

• http://techcrunch.com/2013/02/26/venture-assistance-a-philosophical-view-of-what-boards-should-and-should-not-do/

• http://www.royalsoced.org.uk/180_FundingAwards.html

• http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/support/16879

Markets

• http://www.quantstart.com/articles/Quantitative-Finance-Reading-List