Startups Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on startups for uk businesses.

Director Selling Shares To Another Director: Key UK Legal Steps And Documents
If you run a UK company with more than one director, it’s pretty common for the ownership to shift over time. One director might want to exit, reduce their stake, or tidy...

Capacity To Contract In UK Contract Law: Key Rules For Businesses
If you run a small business, you’re probably signing contracts more often than you realise - onboarding clients, appointing suppliers, hiring staff, partnering with freelancers, or taking on new premises. Most of...
Loan Note Meaning: What Loan Notes Are And How They Work
If you’re raising money for your startup or SME, you’ll quickly run into a lot of funding jargon. One term that often pops up (especially in early-stage deals) is the “loan note”....

How To Start A Carpenter Business In The UK: Legal Steps And Compliance
Starting a carpenter business can be a brilliant move if you’ve got strong trade skills and you’re ready to build something of your own (no pun intended). But once you step into...

Debt Facility Explained: How It Works And What Businesses Should Watch For
If you’re running a growing business, it’s normal to hit a point where cash flow (not ambition) becomes the limiting factor. Maybe you need to buy stock ahead of a busy season,...

Can I Loan My Business Money? Director Loans And Tax Risks In The UK
If you run a small limited company, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a point where cash flow feels tight (even if the business is doing well on paper). Maybe you’re waiting...

Gifting Shares In The UK: How It Works For SMEs And Startups
If you run a UK limited company, there’ll often come a point where you want to bring someone into the cap table without doing a full investment round. Maybe you want to...

How To Trademark A Logo And Business Name In the UK
Your name and logo are often the first things customers remember about your business. They’re also the easiest things for competitors (or copycats) to imitate if you don’t protect them properly. If...

Equity vs Debt Investment: Key Differences for UK Startups and SMEs
Raising money is exciting - but it can also feel like a fork in the road for your business. Do you take on an investor, give away a slice of ownership, and...

PLC vs Ltd: Key Differences For Growing Businesses
If your business is starting to scale, it’s normal to wonder whether your company structure is still the right fit. One of the most common “next stage” questions we hear is the...

Can a Trust Own a Company in the UK? Key Rules for Business Owners
If you’re building a business you want to protect for the long term, it’s normal to start thinking beyond the day-to-day operations. Maybe you’re planning for succession, trying to protect family wealth,...

Vested Stock Options: Key UK Rules for Startups and SMEs
If you’re building a UK startup or scaling an SME, you’ve probably heard that “equity incentives” can help you hire, retain and motivate great people when cash is tight. But once you...

Sweet Equity Shares In The UK: A Startup And SME Guide
If you’re building a startup or growing an SME, you’ll probably hit the same question sooner rather than later: how do we reward the people who are helping us grow, when cash...

Fully Diluted Shares: What UK Startup Founders and Investors Need to Know
If you’re building (or investing in) a UK startup, there’s a good chance you’ve heard someone say, “What does that look like on a fully diluted basis?” It sounds like finance jargon,...

Is A Partnership A Company In The UK? Key Legal Differences
If you’re setting up a small business with someone else, a partnership can sound like the obvious (and simplest) choice. But many business owners quickly run into a common question when opening...

UK Brewery Setup: Legal Requirements, Licences And Contracts
Setting up a brewery is one of those business ideas that’s equal parts exciting and intimidating. You’ve got the creative side (recipes, branding, taproom vibes) and the operational side (equipment, suppliers, distribution)....

LLC Company in the UK: Can You Set One Up and What Are the Alternatives?
If you’ve been Googling “llc company uk”, you’re not alone. A lot of small business owners see “LLC” mentioned in podcasts, on US-based websites, or in supplier paperwork and think: Should I...

UK Board Meeting Agenda: What Directors Should Discuss & Record
If you run a limited company, holding regular board meetings can feel like yet another admin task in an already packed week. But done properly, board meetings are one of the simplest...

LLP vs Partnership: Key Differences And Liability In The UK
If you’re starting (or growing) a business with one or more co-owners, choosing the right structure isn’t just a “paperwork” decision. It affects your tax position, how you take decisions, what happens...

Company Constitutional Documents: Articles, Shareholders’ Agreements & Governance
If you run a UK limited company (or you’re about to set one up), your company’s constitutional documents are the backbone of how the business is owned, controlled and kept accountable. They’re...

Redeemable Preference Shares: How They Work And When To Use Them
If you’re raising money for your UK startup (or planning ahead for the next round), you’ll quickly run into the question of shares. Not just “ordinary” shares, but different classes of shares...

Legal Essentials For Running A Limited Company In The UK
Running a limited company can be a brilliant move for small businesses and startups - but it also comes with a different set of legal responsibilities compared to operating as a sole...

What Is a Close Company? Definition and Key Rules in the UK
If you run a UK limited company with a small number of owners (especially if you and a few co-founders control most of the shares), you might come across the term “close...

Legal Essentials For Setting Up A Personal Training Business In The UK
Setting up a personal training business can be an exciting move - you’re building something that genuinely improves customers’ lives, and you’ve got plenty of ways to grow (1:1 coaching, small group...
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