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Fermat and Problem Solving
We are equipped with the basic theoretical tools and common sense to tackle even problems that are legitimately considered to be quite difficult. For instance, it is possible for us to make a fair amount of headway to proving that x3+ y3 = z3 has no integer solutions. The general case of this problem (Fermat Last Theorem) where the power can be any integer was only solved by Andrew Wiles recently. This article hopes to encourage everyone not to be daunted by problems – they are more within reach than one might expect. Click to see more
Accounting Specifics July 2021
Currently we are expecting Covid restrictions to be lifted within a week and business activity is set to pick up, especially for sectors where footfall-related income is sizeable. Businesses will have to increase their marketing, restock and revitalise their premises to attract clients. But cash flow will have been tight for businesses over the last 18 months and reserves depleted despite government support, so working capital management will be important. In this blog we list some accounting and financial considerations to bear in mind. Click to see more
Bridging the capability gap
Building a firm's capabilities is something that all businesses give high priority. Bigger firms may have resources to allocate to long term development and to pursue long term, strategic development using formal and arm's length training channels but the avenues for pursuing development as a small business can be different and social learning and risk-aware problem solving tactics may predominate. This blog discusses these in more detail. Click to see more
A quali-/quanti- tative look at FP&A cost
Like vegetables in a diet, some overhead is essential but how much is too much? Data is not widely available for how to assess the returns delivered from increasing FP&A overhead, but perhaps this subject can be explored with some of the tools of the trade - models and logic. Click to see more
The Plastics Circular Economy
A circular economy is one where economic growth is decoupled from processes that generate waste and pollution from resources. It is inherently clean and sustainable and many of the initiatives for dealing with climate change will reposition our economy to align with a circular economy. We can expect similar initiatives - and opportunities - as the circular economy expands to include plastic pollution. Click to see more
UK BUDGET 2021- 3 March 2021
Many businesses that were closed in the COVID winter will soon reopen and all businesses are going to have to apply their constrained resources with utmost ingenuity to regain momentum without overreaching. In this budget the chancellor has had to gauge how to extend the existing COVID reliefs to support the resurgence of hard-hit businesses as lockdown eases and yet also to taper them and bring in measures that will restore public finances as the recovery takes hold. Click to see more
Constrained resources - how to do a lot with very little
Entrepreneurs are people how take on big challenges but often have very few resources to work with. In the course of working with many people pursuing business ventures of one sort or another, we have seen that personal resourcefulness and initiative count for a lot in determining success, but that these attributes can be submerged by a fog of unknowns and urgent tasks. A lot can be done to change this and to free your initiative so that you can execute well and make the best of what you have. Click to see more
A simple model for blockchain
Along with AI and automation, blockchain is one of the key technologies that are being pursued to deliver big advances over the next few years. Blockchain underpins cryptocurrencies, and with Elon Musk's recent investment in this asset class, I thought I would try my hand at developing a simple Excel model that captures some key features of the technology that underpins bitcoins. Click to see more
Working Capital Game
Managing working capital is not always easy - this blog and video demonstrate how difficult it is to manage by guesstimation. Excel financial models provide a good way to augment your management of this process, and if you are not using this type of tool, ask yourself why not. Click to see more
Keep prospecting throughout the value chain
As your business grows, suppliers will become an important part of realising its potential. You can help it perform better by continually looking for performance improvement opportunities, including regularly reviewing how your suppliers might do better. Click to see more
Another big step for eCommerce
eCommerce proved the primary sales channel for many small businesses in the 2020 pandemic, and this has not gone unnoticed, either by small businesses not the eCommerce platform providers. Intensity of competition has mounted in this space both for small businesses and tech giants. This blog describes some of the recent developments. Click to see more
Asimov's Market
The last few decades and perhaps the next few decades to come have and will see the ever-increasing integration of algorithms, machines and human activity. Increasingly, there is speculation that autonomous machine consciousness (artifical intelligence or AI) may be developed and that this will transform how the world operates. This blog asks what this might mean for today's economic markets. Click to see more
Making Tax Digital
From April 2019 HMRC will require accounting records to be held in applications that comply with its electronic record-keeping and VAT submission requirements. Click to see more
Website Design and Maintenance – Concepts and Terms
We know how easy it is for businesses encounter problems with skilled resource or high fees when building or maintaining their websites. This blog sets out some concepts and terms which should be useful with understanding what site design entails. Click to see more