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Welcome to Direction

As a business owner you need to keep up to speed with today’s pressing issues and understand how they may affect your business. Direction’s mix of news and comment from financial and business experts gives you a head start.

Big issues

The road ahead

The roadmap: OMB survey

Where does growth come from? What's your greatest asset? Should you cut costs or invest in new products and services? What's the biggest threat to your business?  The 2011 owner-managed business survey reveals how the UK's entrepreneurs view their prospects for the future.  We take you through the findings.
Geared up for growth

Geared up for growth?

It is usually easier for outsiders to see and help overcome the challenges facing SMEs.  Often management teams are too close to issues and may, in some cases, be the problem themselves. Seeking timely advice and acting on it can sometimes make the vital difference between growth and success or financial collapse.

Read more: wood from the trees       

Wood from the trees

With the UKs economic outlook continuing to be unclear, strategic planning is more important than ever for companies seeking a route to growth.

Read more: the next stage

The next stage

With M&A activity gaining momentum globally, how can businesses get their strategy right?

Ones to watch

The secret ingredients

Read more: the secret ingredients

Direction profiles three companies that have survived hard times to develop profitable, successful and growing businesses.

Twists and turns

Read more: Twists and turns

Leading an MBO of a recruitment agency shortly before the deepest recession in decades was a rollercoaster ride for Susanne Ramsay.  She tells Direction about her journey.

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In this issue we look at how to generate loyalty and keep employees on-side, strategies to manage risk in the age of uncertainty and the tax breaks that could give your business a boost.

Read our latest research

Optimism among SMEs has increased, 59% revealing they're very/quite positive about their business prospects over next 12mths.

Funding hub

We advise on funding options, where can you go to get help? What are the options? What do they cost?

5 minute briefing

Pension changes

From next year, employers will begin to be required to ensure that all their workers are automatically enrolled in a pension scheme. You will need to plan now for the changes and budget for the costs.