Throughout the year, small businesses have shown true resilience against Covid, the tight restrictions put in place and with the imminent outcome of Brexit. Now with news of new Covid strain and the restrictions put in place set to continue into the new year, short-term prospects for UK SMEs may look bleak. But, with the vaccines rollout likely by the new year and some form of normality on the horizon, we could see a real resurgence for UK SMEs in the medium-term.

Despite the current climate, throughout the year UK SMEs have shown resilience and have adapted quickly to the pandemic and the changes it has ushered in. Any outcome in the new year will represent another opportunity to adapt and grow – something that SMEs have shown they can do this year. In addition to this, the number of online job advertisements has reached 1.4million for the first time this year, further highlighting business growth across the country which is sure to extend into the new year.

Equity investment is a vital catalyst for wider economic growth – with the UK’s high net worth community providing essential early indicators for the direction of wealth at a time where the distribution of capital is key. With a 12% increase in new businesses starting up during 2020 compared to 2019, the new year is set to create some exciting investment opportunities for investors throughout the country and some that are sure to boost the wider British economy.

CEO of IW Capital, Luke Davis:

“Each period of disruption offers opportunity for companies to adapt quickly to the changing times and although there has been a lot of worry and negativity surrounding the new restrictions, we have to look to the positives with one of them being the roll out of the Covid vaccines. This is sure to have a huge impact on not only our economy but our workforce and will be a vital catalyst in the resurgence of our economy. 

“Working with both entrepreneurs and investors, there is a clear desire from the small business community for growth investment and to take a big step growth-wise in 2021. Small businesses grow by hiring and this sector will be key not only to growing the economy but also combating unemployment. Each problem or crisis will have winners and losers but those that are adaptable and in position to take advantage of the situation could see a big increase for business in 2021.

“Making growth investment more easily available to small businesses that are looking to grow should be a priority. The last time that the Government-backed EIS was extended, it resulted in a significant jump in private investment into small businesses. Replicating this effect with new, or increased, incentives would provide a much needed boost to a section of the economy that is most in need, and so we hope this will be addressed in the near future.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Looking To The Future: What The New Year could Bring For UK SMEs appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

B-North, the Manchester-based firm building an SME lending bank for the UK, has secured in excess of £2m of fund raising from new and existing investors through equity crowdfunding platform Crowdcube and Growthfunders, adding to the £4.2 million it has raised in previous rounds.

The news follows the announcement in December that B-North has selected Newcastle Strategic Solutions Limited to provide its deposit-taking solution as it moves towards scheduled launch in the first half of 2020.

The fundraise will allow B-North to continue the planned expansion of its workforce and infrastructure, in line with launch. Essential lending solutions for SMEs will be initiated through the establishment of its regional ‘Lending Pods’, the first of which is expected to open in Manchester in Q2 2020. B-North’s proposed regional pod model and cloud banking technology will allow it to lend up to ten times faster than other banks in order to help SMEs grow and develop.

Jonathan Thompson, Co-founder & CEO of B-North, said: “The strength of investor response is testament to the B-North offering and the quality and efficiency of lending that we can deliver to help SMEs fulfil their potential, thereby driving the UK economy forward.”

Throughout 2019, B-North has consistently delivered on its goal to build a bank for SMEs’ specific lending needs. In September, it announced that its cloud-based system would be jointly run by nCino and Mambu, the first time that both providers have integrated their solutions for business lending. This first-of-its-kind platform will provide a highly efficient “minimum hassle” service to B-North’s SME customers.

In Q3 2019, B-North was invited by the Regulator to submit its application for a Banking Licence, following positive feedback on its business model.

B-North also appointed Ron Emerson, first Chair of the British Business Bank, as its Chair. As head of the UK government’s economic development bank, Ron was responsible for improving access to finance for the small and mid-sized business sector. During his three years at the helm of BBB, the bank mobilised around £7 billion of new money  for the sector, funded more than 40,000 new start-ups and delivered the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine funds totalling in excess of £600 million.

The B-North proposition is important to the future prosperity of the UK as there are 5.6 million small businesses currently operating, comprising 61% of the UK workforce. This is expected to increase as the UK’s relationship with the EU evolves and it becomes more reliant on “home-grown” enterprise.

Jonathan Thompson added: “There has never been a more pressing time to deliver fast, efficient funding to SMEs. They have been the backbone of the UK economy for a very long time, yet they suffer lending issues as big banks focus on big corporations or the man on the street. We cannot have UK businesses abandoned by the banking industry because – now, more than ever, they need our support. It is the B-North team’s intention to serve the UK SME lending market with the utmost efficiency and understanding, delivering lending funds in as quick as ten working days.” 

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post UK SMEs: B-North Cruises Through Latest Fundraising Round As It Closes In On Launch appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The BVA BDRC has published the SME Finance Monitor report for the year. It found that 80% of SMEs has reported profitability, however only 36% of all surveyed SMEs reported having grown in the last 12 months. At the same time, more SMEs were expecting future growth, widening the gap between actual and planned growth.

Nonetheless, not everything was good news in the report as 4 in 10 SMEs saw political uncertainty, the economic climate and/or legislation and red tape as a barrier with all three having increased as barriers since 2016. Innovation is no longer on the decline and international trade is stable, but those employing overseas staff were somewhat more concerned about changes to migration.

This independent report analyses current trends in access to finance for SMEs and the state of the vital sector. The SME Finance Monitor surveys 4,500 businesses every quarter in the largest such survey in the UK, to analyse finance needs and growth trends.

Luke Davis, CEO of IW Capital discussed the report and what it means for the SME economy: “This report serves as a barometer for the SME economy, which plays such a vital role in the UK, making up 98% of private sector businesses and 60% of employment. The ambition and growth potential of these businesses is almost unrivalled, and with almost a third having grown recently support for this must be seen as a key driver for the UK economy.”

Headline statistics

• 80% of SMEs reported profitability
• 36% of SMEs reported having grown in the last 12 months
• 35% of SMEs reported innovative activity in the last 12 months
• 40% have experienced sales growth
• 9% of SMEs are exporting
• 42% of SMEs use external finance

Further findings included that of the all SMEs interviewed, 11% of them have grown by over 20% in the last year, while reporting higher levels of innovation, international sales and desire to grow.

4% of SMEs are currently searching for finance, with 5.7million SMEs in the UK, this amounts to roughly 225,000 small businesses. Of these, around half are looking for growth finance leaving over 100,000 SMEs in the UK looking to access capital to facilitate growth.

“The significant growth seen by some SMEs seems to be driven by innovation and international scalability as well as confidence to take advantage of opportunities, which points to what the future of UK business could be; innovative, global and ambitious,” continued Luke Davis.

And the expert concluded with: “The UK is a world leader in technology and sector disruption and it is vitally important that entrepreneurs can gain access to growth finance to make their ideas a reality. Alternative finance such as the Enterprise Investment Scheme has supported these innovators for 25 years and will be a vital part of their growth in future.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post SME Finance Monitor: The State Of The UK’s SME Economy appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Government ministers have met to set out plans for a new Business Finance Council to be established to support SMEs through Brexit. Business, Treasury and Cabinet Office ministers met banking chiefs to encourage support for small businesses post-Brexit through an increased availability of finance.

The aim of this initiative is to give SMEs the best chance possible to succeed and seize opportunities that present themselves after the UK leaves the EU on October 31st. The success of growing small businesses will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the economy as a whole given that the SME sector makes up over 50% of jobs in Britain.

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “Lenders must empower their SME customers to seize the huge variety of opportunities that lie ahead as we leave the EU on 31 October. Our new Business Finance Council will bring together key players, ensuring that finance continues to flow to our brilliant British businesses so they can do just that.”

This support to British SMEs also was included in the review of the Spending Round, which was also announced by the Chancellor Sajid Javid. This will consist of an additional £2 billion set aside for no-deal preparedness, however is still unclear how it will reach those who need it most, not least the small firms that make-up 99 per cent of the UK economy. An extra £60 million for the GREAT initiative is helpful, but SMEs need to see the introduction of £3,000 Brexit vouchers alongside targeted support for exporters directly impacted by persistent uncertainty.

This new spending round also contemplates long standing issues that most SMEs face like crime -rising crime is a massive concern for the UK small business community, collectively costing small businesses billions of pounds a year-, the commitment to full fibre access for all by 2025, the stop-start approach to infrastructure and funding for further education institutions.

Talking about the issue, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chairman Mike Cherry, commented that it’s important to stress that what small firms really want is a return to an environment where they can plan for the long-term, and policymakers consistently tackle domestic challenges head on. With the latest UK economic data painting a bleak picture, small businesses urgently need tangible support on the ground.

Likewise, CEO of IW Capital Luke Davis added: “SMEs are vital to the UK economy both for the jobs they create and the innovation they encourage. Ensuring that this sector is in the best possible position to make the most of future growth opportunities will make a huge difference in years to come.”

“If this announcement is combined with extensions to the schemes that fund the SMEs left behind by banks, such as EIS, we could see a boom of growth. Investors want to support British businesses and firms want to grow, what we need to do is make this sentiment a reality”, he concluded.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post UK Government To Establish A New Business Finance Council To Support SMEs Through Brexit appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

More than one in four (26%) small businesses in the UK would have to immediately close if a key person died or became critically ill, according to the latest iteration of Legal & General’s research on the business protection market. The FTSE 100 financial services company’s State of Nation’s SMEs report found that 15% of businesses which had already suffered such an event had shut their doors. The research means that up 1.5 million SMEs could be at risk of immediate closure should the worst happen, while a further 26% of companies in the survey said they would cease trading within a year.  A key person is someone whose illness or death would directly cause a financial issue for a business, such as a fall in revenue, loss of clients or even a loss of efficiencies.

Legal & General’s survey, which was first launched in 2009, prompts concerns about the wider economic impact that could be caused by businesses not having a Key Person insurance policy. According to a recent Government paper, SMEs account for more than 99% of Britain’s 5.7m private sector businesses and they employ over 16 million people. Legal & General’s research suggests that up to nearly three million of these companies could be at risk of closing within a year of losing a key person. It also means that around 4.3 million employees have little or no protection against losing their jobs if their employer suffered from a critical event.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of the businesses Legal & General surveyed said they had more than one key person and SMEs were aware of the impact their loss could have on the firm’s operations. Across the more than 700 small companies surveyed, losing a key person was ranked as the number one concern. Of those SMEs which had already suffered from such an event, nearly a third (30%) said that a business owner or important employee dying or becoming critically ill had impacted their profits. Almost one in five (19%) said it had lost them the confidence of their customers.

However, though these businesses were aware of the potential effects of losing a key employee, 70% said that they had either never considered, or did not understand the need for business protection. In fact, just under half (48%) of those surveyed said they didn’t have cover in place for any of the key risks of key person, debt or share protection.

The research presents a clear opportunity for intermediaries to kickstart conversations with SME clients about Business Protection. Almost two-thirds of small business owners (63%) said they would be happy to be contacted by an adviser about this type of insurance.

Richard Kateley, Head of Intermediary Development at Legal & General, said: “Small and medium businesses are essential to Britain’s economy; they employ millions of people across the UK and make up more than 99% of the private sector. Yet our research shows that many of these companies could be a risk of closing their doors if a key person in their business died or became critically ill – more than a quarter would even have to cease trading immediately.

He went on saying that SMEs are acutely aware of the risk losing someone important to their business could have, but whilst many companies will insure their computer systems or buildings, they often don’t think about protecting their most important assets – their people. Without the relevant Business Protection, the impact of losing a key employee or business owner could threaten the ambitions and hard work of SMEs up and down the country.

“There is clearly still a significant lack of awareness about Business Protection. I firmly believe that financial advisers have a critical role to play changing this situation – nearly three-quarters of SMEs that took out business protection had sought advice beforehand. This shows the vital role intermediaries play in making sure businesses are protected. If they had not sort advice, they may have never considered cover in the first place. At Legal & General, we’re committed to working with intermediaries to ensure businesses, with the right knowledge, are better placed to make informed decisions and protect themselves against life’s unforeseen events,” the expert concluded.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post One In Four Of UK SMEs Would Close Immediately After Losing A Key Person appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

More than 1 in 4 UK SMEs are planning to raise finance just to keep their head above water, a new survey has revealed. Liquidity is essential for a business to grow, and that’s exactly the main reason why those 28% of the SMEs plan to apply for new business loans: to improve cash flow. Following shortly, a 27% of the respondents say they would use that extra money to acquire more equipment while a 10% said they would divert that finance to support a business acquisition.

This data have been found in a recent research carried out by Purbeck Insurance Services, a UK’s insurance provider. Precisely, Todd Davison, Director at Purbeck Insurance Services said about the findings: “Cash flow is the life blood of any small business.  But for a whole variety of reasons, not least the current economic uncertainty, an SME business owner may find themselves looking at unpaid customer invoices, bills from suppliers and wage rolls, and wonder where the money is going to come from.”

“Small businesses are owed billions in late payment and with major brands such as Jamie’s Italian going to the wall, whole supply chains are affected and end up borrowing to fill the gap while they wait to get paid,” Todd Davison continued. “However, using finance to improve cashflow can be a double-edged sword.  While turning to a finance provider will relieve the immediate stress of an uncertain cashflow, we believe it would be prudent for the business to take the time and review its financial situation as a whole. In doing so, the owner may find some changes can reduce the need for, or at least the amount of, additional finance.”

Changes may for instance, involve a restructuring of the finances, reviewing credit terms to suppliers, outsourcing the late payment debt, better managing stock control or looking at other additional sources of income such as renting out office or warehouse space.

As well as improving cashflow, the survey found acquiring new equipment (27% respondents) was high on the list for obtaining additional finance followed by supporting a business acquisition (10%), moving premises (9%), R&D (9%), and increasing headcount (7%).

“While many businesses are using finance to keep their business operating, it is heartening to see around the same number are using it to acquire new equipment, suggesting many businesses are flourishing and are possibly looking to expand,” continues Todd Davison.

And he added: “In a lot of circumstances, the only way for a business to raise additional finance is in the form of a Personal Guarantee backed loan taken out by the owners or directors of the business. If putting personal assets such as the family home or life savings on the line for the business really is the only way to raise the finance, directors need to look at ways they can protect those assets; such as Personal Guarantee insurance.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post SMEs: More Than 1 In 4 Businesses Seek To Raise Finance To Stay Afloat appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

While the Brexit draft of agreement still raises some controversy about whether or not it will finally take place, and as the country looks upon the disarray in Westminster, small businesses are looking at their future and what the deal will mean for them in the long term. Non-dilutive MME fund provider Capital Step has commented on the deal and what it will mean for family-run and regional enterprises across the country. If yesterday we focused on the changes in the household’s electric bills, today is the turn of another yet vulnerable sector: the UK SMEs industry.

Jonathan Schneider, Executive Chairman of Capital Step, commented on the Brexit deal. “The outlines for a deal offers some stability for corporate businesses and for the economies across Europe. However, officials and politicians must keep regional and family-run businesses in their minds when voting on a final deal, especially as they make up such an important part of the economy.” 

On October 14, the British PM Theresa May announced that a draft of agreement for Brexit was reached on a late announcement, and that deal was backed up by the cabinet. However, an array of resignations followed up the next day, highly compromising the hard-fought deal. What Mr Schneider asks is to not let aside within the 585 pages of the agreement the small businesses, one of the engines of the UK economy. He reminds, “The British Government and negotiators in Europe to consider the wider implications of the deal and how it will affect the UK’s entrepreneurial economy, including regional investment and FDI. The transition period will make the process of leaving the European Union smoother for many of these enterprises, but support and assistance needs to be there for these business owners to help them with this journey.”
 
And he concluded with, “Particularly when it comes to funding and investment, only time will tell to see how much of an effect Brexit will have on enterprises in the regions. The private sector can step in to ensure that these enterprises are supported and encouraged to grow post-Brexit, and we are confident that we can support many of these regional and family-run businesses in the long term.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Brexit Deal: Has the SMEs Sector Been Forgotten in the Draft of Agreement? appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The golden quarter (October – December) is fast approaching, but many retail businesses are not actually ready for the onset of increased website traffic this usually brings, according to new research.

A survey of 1,021 UK workers carried out by leading digital marketing agency, MarketingSignals, revealed that more than 1 in 3 retail businesses (39%) admit their website is not yet ready for the uplift in golden quarter website traffic.

In fact, more than 1 in 7 (16%) say they are still unsure as to when they are likely to start preparing for this key period.

When quizzed on the specific ways in which retail businesses were not ready for the golden quarter, 37% said that their website was not yet fully device responsive.

In addition, a further 31% revealed they hadn’t performed any load testing on their website, ahead of the onset of golden quarter traffic, meaning some retailers could potentially see their website crashing as a result.

More than 1 in 4 (27%) also revealed that they hadn’t started to prepare or plan their PPC campaigns for this busy period of business.

This was followed by a further 22% who say they didn’t have analytics for their website set up correctly, meaning that performance over this period can’t be measured accurately.

Not fully optimising the navigation of the website for UX (14%) completed the list of the top five ways many retail businesses aren’t yet prepared for the start of the golden quarter.

Gareth Hoyle, managing director at MarketingSignals comments: “The research shows there are many ways that online retail businesses are not ready for one of the busiest times of the year for online shopping – the golden quarter. With events such as Black Friday and Christmas contained within this period, it is vital that retail businesses have their website fully prepared for the increase in online shoppers, so they can reap the rewards of this busy trading period.

“To maximise sales turnover during this period, businesses need an integrated approach to e-commerce so that all customer demands are understood.  It is for this reason that it is so important that businesses plan well in advance, as knowing whether your site can cope with some of the busiest shopping periods of the year can make the difference between a bumper earning period or a company wide disaster.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post 1 in 3 Retail Businesses Still Need to Get Ready For Golden Quarter Traffic, Finds New Survey appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.