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Author: <span>James Cook</span>

Two saplings growing in soil

Where are the world’s top start-up ecosystems?

Start-up ecosystems are created by people, various organisations and start-up companies in different stages of growth, which interact with one another to create and scale new start-up companies. Where excellent start-up ecosystems are present, there are more opportunities for businesses to successfully scale. We took a closer look at the top start-up ecosystems around the...

James Cook

Meeting of businessmen from different parts of the world in a coworking space

Are meetings a waste of time or necessary for growth?

Earlier this month, Canadian eCommerce giant Shopify decided to significantly reduce the number of meetings taking place at the firm, raising questions about their importance when running a business. Are they a waste of time or necessary for growth, or does their importance depend on the stage of growth a business is in? We investigate....

James Cook

Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett endorsed sports drink launches in B&M

Body Fuel™, the sports drink endorsed by UFC star Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett and the latest release from UK-based Sports Nutrition manufacturer Applied Nutrition, has officially launched in B&M stores. To mark the launch of Body Fuel™ now being available in over 540 B&M Stores nationwide, Applied Nutrition ambassador Paddy ‘the Baddy’ Pimblett made an...

James Cook

Partial view of businessman with chess figures on table

A quarter of UK SMEs expect their business to shrink in 2023

Concerns around recession, inflation, and high operating costs are causing distress to UK small businesses as they enter this year, according to new SME Outlook 2023 research from iwoca – one of Europe’s largest small business lenders. Recession concerns widespread among SMEs, research finds As the UK economy shrinks, and high inflation coupled with increased...

James Cook

57% of UK’s small businesses at risk of closure in 2023

Small business insurance experts at Towergate Insurance surveyed 750 small business owners from across the UK to explore the threats they are facing in the wake of the cost of living crisis and the impact these are having on their businesses. The survey shows that 57% of small business owners feel their business is at...

James Cook

Leader in Focus: Huib Van Bockel, Founder of TENZING

Huib Van Bockel is the Founder of TENZING, a 100% natural energy drink. Founded in 2016, TENZING is now the third largest functional energy drink in UK Grocery, according to Nielsen, and is stocked in all major UK supermarkets. In this feature, Van Bockel tells Business Leader why he left his position as Red Bull’s...

James Cook

Paddy The Baddy Pimblett smiling during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 9, 2023 in Northampton, United Kingdom

Applied Nutrition launches new Paddy “the Baddy” endorsed sports drink

The UK-based Sports Nutrition manufacturer Applied Nutrition has launched ‘Body Fuel™’, its first electrolyte water sports drink. Applied Nutrition is no stranger to producing popular energy and nutrition products. The company sells its premium sports and lifestyle products, formulated and manufactured at its facility in Liverpool to more than 65 countries worldwide. Body Fuel™ is...

James Cook

60% of SMB’s 2023 marketing budgets to be slashed or remain static

New data from unified customer platform Klaviyo has revealed that UK SMBs will be focusing on acquisition, despite cuts to budgets. 67% of UK SMB’s main priority will be to acquire new customers in 2023, despite the cost of acquiring being up to five times more expensive than retaining existing customers. However, with almost 60%...

James Cook

Invisible orthodontics announces partnership with Georgina Rodríguez

Impress, a European invisible orthodontics company wants to emphasise the importance of oral healthcare and encourages all types of users to do so with professional help. The TV advert, which will feature on Channel 4 and 4OD until early December, features a new voice and image of the brand: Georgina Rodríguez, a model, businesswoman, and dancer....

James Cook

Research shows companies with female CEOs are more profitable

Recent research has revealed that companies with female CEOs are more profitable than others. Pulled together by Frank Recruitment Group – a global IT staffing firm – the data showed that 87% of 2021’s Fortune 500 companies with female CEOs reported above-average profits. In comparison, for those without a female CEO, this same statistic dropped...

James Cook

Claudia Thurner appointed new CCO for Ripjar

Ripjar, a provider for tackling financial crime, has today announced the appointment of Claudia Thurner to the role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Thurner will oversee all commercial operations at Ripjar, including partnerships and worldwide demand development, with an emphasis on enhancing the company’s internal operations to drive sustainable global growth and expansion. As CCO,...

James Cook

The Downing Street sign

Mini-budget to cost the treasury £37bn – where does it leave businesses?

New Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has delivered his first mini-budget, announcing a variety of tax-cutting measures that will cost the Treasury around £37bn in 2023-24. Corporation tax increase scrapped In last year’s Spring Budget, then Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged to raise corporation tax from 19% to 25%. However, Prime Minister Liz Truss has pledged to scrap...

James Cook

Leadership concept using origami ship

My Working Day – Abdullah Boulad – CEO of The Balance

As the leader of a company, you are there to set an example and to lead and inspire a team of individuals to achieve a series of business goals. But how do these business leaders go about their daily routine? We spoke to Abdullah Boulad, the Founder and CEO of The Balance, about his working...

James Cook

Edtech app Knowunity launches in the UK

Knowunity, the digital learning platform made for and by students, was recently launched in the UK. The Knowunity app, which allows students to share their own learning content, follow other students’ profiles and exchange ideas, is now available for free in app stores. After successfully establishing itself in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Poland, Knowunity...

James Cook

The highest paying countries for tech jobs

As the demand for cloud tech talent has grown, so too have the salaries that come with that talent. A recent survey by cloud training firm, Revolent shows that the salaries earned by cloud tech professionals do however differ by country. Of the 14 countries surveyed in the report, Switzerland topped the charts of countries...

James Cook

New study finds SMEs contribute more than £2trn in turnover to UK economy

New research reveals how important small and medium enterprises are for the British economy, as businesses that employ between one and 249 employees contribute more than £2 trillion in turnover and employ 44% of the British workforce. The study by marketing training hub School of Marketing analysed the latest ONS and government data on the...

James Cook

Who are the top metaverse companies?

In each edition of Business Leader magazine, we profile the top 32 companies in a specific sector. For our latest Top 32 list, we profiled the top companies that create technologies for use in the metaverse, the universal and immersive virtual world that is facilitated by using virtual reality and augmented reality technologies. How were...

James Cook

Who are the UK’s biggest exporters?

In each edition of Business Leader magazine, we profile the top 32 companies in a specific sector or field. For our latest Top 32 list, we profiled the largest exporters of goods and services in the UK along with the leading companies that rely on exports for a large portion of their business. We also...

James Cook

How to support an employee through a trauma

Grief, trauma or shock can affect any of us at any time. In this guest article, the online psychology and psychotherapy platform, My Therapy Assistant outlines how you can best support the well-being of staff members who are experiencing it. Trying to perform your job while dealing with a shock or something traumatic can be...

James Cook

A conversation with air up co-founder Lena Jüngst

Lena Jüngst is the co-founder, Chief Evangelist and inventor of air up, the world’s first drinking bottle that flavours water just by scent. After developing a prototype for air up® during her Bachelor Thesis, she launched the product to market in July 2019. Since then, Lena has featured within Forbes DACH 30 under 30, and...

James Cook

What are the biggest spin-off companies of all time?

At the beginning of the week, the US celebrated 246 years since it declared its independence from the UK. Since then, the US has grown to become the biggest economy in the world. We took a closer look at the biggest corporate spin-offs of all time. This list is in no particular order. eBay and...

James Cook

Bassim Haidar

A conversation with billionaire Bassim Haidar about how he built his fortune

Bassim Haidar is a Lebanese national, Nigerian-born self-made billionaire. Starting his first business at just 20 years old, Haidar has gone on to establish Optasia, a large telecoms provider which operates in 19 countries and plays a major role in infrastructure in Africa and the Middle East. He now has a stake in a variety...

James Cook

Convivia announced as new shirt sponsor of QPR Football Club

Property and tech investment firm, Convivia, has been announced as the new shirt sponsor of Queen’s Park Rangers (QPR) Football Club. As sole Principal Partner, Convivia has signed a three-year deal that will see its brand displayed on the front property of QPR’s home and away strips. Founded by lifelong QPR supporter, Roy Ledgister, Convivia...

James Cook

Grace Beverley attends the GRM Gala 2023 at Sky Garden on August 06, 2023 in London, England

Who are the top entrepreneurs aged 25 and under?

Although many entrepreneurs have gotten more successful the older they’ve gotten, for some entrepreneurs age has proved no barrier to success. We looked at the top entrepreneurs aged 25 and under. This list is in no particular order.  Luca Schnettler – CEO, Qumata After dropping out of Queen Mary University London in 2017, Schnettler founded...

James Cook