Getting Finance Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on getting finance for uk businesses.

What Is a Bounce Back Loan in the UK? BBLS, Repayments and Risks
If you borrowed under the UK’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) during COVID-19, you’re not alone. Thousands of small companies and sole traders took out quick, low-interest funding to keep the lights...

Examples Of Franchises: Popular Brands And Sectors
Franchising can be a smart way to start or grow a small business in the UK. You’re buying into a proven brand and playbook, which means fewer unknowns than starting from scratch...

How IP Finance Works in the UK
If your business is built on a brand, software, content, designs or data, then a big part of your value is intangible - your intellectual property (IP). The good news is that...

Shadow Equity in the UK: Reward Talent Without Giving Away Shares
If you want to attract and retain great people but you’re not ready to hand out actual shares, shadow equity can be a smart middle ground. It lets you mirror the value...

Franchise Investment in the UK: Key Legal Considerations
Thinking about franchise investment as your pathway to business ownership? It’s a proven model: you’re buying into an established brand, a tested system, and ongoing support. That can dramatically reduce startup risk...

Partnership Vs Limited Company: Which Structure Should You Choose?
Choosing between a partnership and a limited company is one of those early decisions that can shape your business for years to come. It affects your risk, your tax, your admin burden...
How To Calculate Your Company’s Valuation
Whether you’re raising investment, buying out a co-founder or planning an exit, knowing how to calculate a company’s valuation is essential. It influences how much equity you sell, the price you accept...

Should You Incorporate as a Limited Company in the UK?
Thinking about moving from sole trader to limited company? Or starting a new venture and deciding which structure is best? Incorporation can feel like a big step - but for many UK...

How To Issue New Shares In A UK Company
Thinking about issuing new shares to raise cash, bring in a co-founder, reward a key employee, or tidy up your cap table? Great move - done properly, issuing shares can fuel growth...

How To Set Up A Limited Company To Buy Property In The UK
Thinking about buying investment property through a company? You’re not alone. Many small business owners are setting up a limited company (often called an SPV) to hold buy‑to‑let properties, reduce personal exposure...

Buying a Restaurant in the UK: Legal Checklist
Buying a restaurant can be a faster, lower-risk way to enter hospitality than starting from scratch. You’re potentially acquiring a brand, a location that already works, trained staff and established suppliers. But...

Due Diligence Made Simple: What Founders Need to Prepare Legally
Most founders meet due diligence the same way: in the middle of a fast-moving raise, when an investor says they’re keen and then - almost immediately - asks for a data room....

Raising Capital? Here’s What Investors Actually Look For
Fundraising often feels like it’s won in the room. You deliver the pitch, answer the questions, send the deck, and wait for the follow-up. But the truth is that the biggest decisions...

Are your legal foundations truly investor-ready?
Fundraising has a strange rhythm. One week you’re refining your pitch and chasing intros. The next, an investor is interested, momentum builds, and then an email lands that changes the tone of...

Seller Financing a Business in the UK: How To Structure and Protect
Seller financing (also called “vendor finance” or “owner financing”) can be a practical way to get a business sale across the line when a buyer can’t or won’t pay 100% of the...

Bank Covenants: What They Are And How They Work
If you’re taking out a business loan or looking at growth finance, you’ll quickly come across “bank covenants”. They can look intimidating at first glance, but once you know how they work,...
Legal Leverage Strategies for UK Small Businesses
“Leverage” gets thrown around a lot in startup circles, but what does it actually look like for a small business in the UK? In simple terms, leverage is about getting more output...

Lead Investor: What To Know Before Raising A Round
Securing a lead investor can be a tipping point for your fundraising round. The right lead doesn’t just bring capital - they set the terms, attract other investors, and often become a...

Bounce Back Loan Repayment in the UK: What You Need To Know
If your business took out a Bounce Back Loan (BBL) during COVID-19, you’re not alone in wondering how repayment works now that trading conditions have shifted. Don’t stress - there are clear...

Understanding Preference Share Capital In The UK
Thinking about raising money without giving away day-to-day control? Preference share capital can be a smart way for UK small businesses to bring in investment while keeping decision-making with the founders. In...

Risks Of Starting A New Business In The UK And How To Reduce Them
Starting a new venture is exciting - but every startup comes with risk. The trick isn’t to avoid risk entirely (that’s impossible), it’s to understand where the risks lie and put sensible...

Term Sheet: What It Is And How To Use One
If you’re raising investment for your UK small business or startup, a term sheet is usually the first formal step that sets the deal’s commercial roadmap. It isn’t the final contract, but...

How To Take Over A Business In The UK
Buying an existing business can be a faster, less risky way to grow than starting from scratch. You get customers, cashflow, suppliers and systems on day one - but only if you...

Convertible Loan Stock: How It Works for Raising Investment
Looking to raise capital without fixing a valuation too early? Convertible loan stock (often called “convertible loan notes”) could be a smart route for UK startups and growing SMEs. In simple terms,...
Need help with your business legals?
Speak with Sprintlaw to get practical legal support and fixed-fee options tailored to your business.

