Columns, blogs and opinion from some of the UKs leading business opinion makers and entrepreneurs and small business owners
Television dramas have long had a fascination with the legal world. From Rumpole of the Bailey and Kavanagh QC to Silk, The Split, and perhaps most memorably This Life, the profession is often portrayed as a chaotic cocktail of high-stakes cases, late nights, tortured personal relationships, and constant ethical dilemmas.
When a 27-year-old volunteer with autism was shown the door after his family asked if he could be paid, Waitrose didn’t just lose a helper—it lost a chance to prove that inclusion means more than a press release.
When loyalty no longer pays: Richard Alvin uncovers how his stepfather’s 64 years of faithful AA membership was rewarded with a renewal quote nearly three times higher than that for a brand-new customer, a telling symptom of Britain’s warped service culture
Autumn marks the start of festive corporate event season – that time of year when work calendars often up with the usual ‘team building’ rituals: pub lunches, karaoke nights and overly facilitated icebreakers.
In this sharp and witty column, entrepreneur and broadcaster Richard Alvin argues that business isn’t an Olympic sport — there’s no level playing field or drug testing — so small firms must seize their own performance-enhanced edge through AI. Forget fair play: it’s time to fuel up, think faster, and “blow the bloody doors off.”
As a member of Generation X, I grew up in the workplace with a simple rule: if your boss asked you to do something, you said “yes” and got on with it.
There have been long-standing concerns about the use of Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), particularly relating to sexual harassment allegations. Those concerns have grown with the momentum of the MeToo movement.
Rumour has it that Rachel Reeves is limbering up for November with a Budget that will make the taxman’s quill squeak like a stuck pig. Property, pensions, profits, pasties — all grist to the Exchequer’s mill.
In today’s fast-moving business world, inclusivity is often spoken about but less often practiced in meaningful ways. True inclusivity goes far beyond ticking boxes, it’s about creating spaces where every voice is heard, respected, and valued.
For many SMEs, growth often hinges on one big question: hire from outside your organisation or invest in who you already have?
In today’s fast-paced, hyper-connected world, meeting new people has never been easier.
Schemes like Access to Work can help cover the cost of providing support to help disabled people get into work or remain in work.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, not the Conservatives, is the real opposition to Keir Starmer’s Labour. Here’s why Kemi Badenoch has it wrong.
I spent fourteen years in the financial services sector, navigating an industry where long hours were simply part of the landscape. Twelve-hour days felt normal, weekend work was expected, and the relentless pace was just how business was done.
On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I saw first-hand the devastation of the Altadena wildfires. In the face of such loss, the politics of climate denial — from Westminster to Washington — feels not just out of touch, but dangerous.
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