Akona Business Practical insight for UK SMEs

Akona Business

Practical insight for UK SMEs

Latest Articles

Closing the Premises, Not the Business: A Festive Risk Register for UK SMEs
Finance & Cash Flow

Closing the Premises, Not the Business: A Festive Risk Register for UK SMEs

A festive shutdown is a cash and control event, not just a calendar one. This risk register helps UK owner-managers document payment timing, payroll and VAT obligations, insurance cover, access and customer communications before the door is locked.

The Notice-Period Playbook: Capturing Critical Knowledge Before a Key Employee Leaves
Leadership & Advisory

The Notice-Period Playbook: Capturing Critical Knowledge Before a Key Employee Leaves

A resignation is a knowledge loss event with a fixed deadline. This 30-day protocol helps UK SMEs map critical tasks, record customer and supplier context, assign backup owners and test access before the leaving date.

The Hidden Monopoly in Your Supply Chain: A Dependency Review for UK SMEs
Leadership & Advisory

The Hidden Monopoly in Your Supply Chain: A Dependency Review for UK SMEs

Single-vendor dependency rarely announces itself until the day the supplier stops answering. This review sets out how UK SME owners can map exposure, price the true cost of switching and negotiate terms that preserve optionality.

The Largest Name on the Invoice: Stress-Testing Customer Concentration
Finance & Cash Flow

The Largest Name on the Invoice: Stress-Testing Customer Concentration

When a handful of customers dominate turnover, the business is only as stable as its largest relationship. This stress test shows UK SME owners how to model the loss of a key client, read the warning signs and build a realistic diversification plan.

The 90-Minute Operational MOT: A Practical Audit for UK SME Owners
Leadership & Advisory

The 90-Minute Operational MOT: A Practical Audit for UK SME Owners

Most operational reviews expand to fill the time available. This focused 90-minute audit gives SME owners a practical checklist, common bottleneck patterns and a simple scoring method, so they leave with three prioritised fixes rather than another report.

Commission Without the Creep: How UK SMEs Can Buy Advice That Pays Its Way
Finance & Cash Flow

Commission Without the Creep: How UK SMEs Can Buy Advice That Pays Its Way

Consultancy can be a sound investment or an open-ended cost. This opinionated guide shows UK SME leaders how to write outcome-based briefs, choose fixed fees, set success measures and exit clauses, and the questions to ask before signing.

Raising Prices Without Raising Hackles: A Six-Week Communication Plan for UK SMEs
Finance & Cash Flow

Raising Prices Without Raising Hackles: A Six-Week Communication Plan for UK SMEs

Most January price rises fail on sequencing and communication, not on the number. This six-week playbook helps UK SMEs announce 2027 increases to customers with clarity, consistency, and minimal account attrition.

Beyond the Founder's Reach: Three Structural Changes That Unlock the Next Stage of SME Growth
Leadership & Advisory

Beyond the Founder's Reach: Three Structural Changes That Unlock the Next Stage of SME Growth

The £1m–£3m turnover plateau is rarely a sales problem. It is a design problem: unclear decision rights, accumulated process debt, and a missing management layer. This diagnostic guide sets out three structural fixes UK SME leaders can apply before the next growth push.

Thirty Days to Year-End: A November Cash Discipline Playbook for UK SMEs
Finance & Cash Flow

Thirty Days to Year-End: A November Cash Discipline Playbook for UK SMEs

With the final quarter of 2026 underway, cash discipline matters more than another round of generic advice. This week-by-week plan sets out the specific actions SME owners should take between now and the first Monday of December, from debtor triage to VAT timing and a workable 13-week forecast.

Beyond the Bookkeeper: When an Established SME Needs a Fractional Finance Director
Leadership & Advisory

Beyond the Bookkeeper: When an Established SME Needs a Fractional Finance Director

A fractional finance director is no longer a stopgap for early-stage companies. For established UK SMEs facing tighter margins, refinancing or succession questions, the role can provide board-level rigour without a six-figure salary, provided the engagement is defined properly.