If you’re in the early stages of starting a business, knowing where to turn for help and advice can feel overwhelming, particularly if you’re doing it all on your own.
How do you know what’s best for your particular business? And, when time is limited and you’re the one wearing all the hats, what should you focus on first?
The Help to Grow: Management Essentials Course offers practical, bite-sized information to help you navigate those early years of setting up and running a business.
In this article, part of a series where we chat to industry experts, we talk to former Small Business Commissioner and co-founder of Business111.com Liz Barclay to get her thoughts on the things every micro business owner needs to know.
Could you tell us a bit more about your background and the idea behind Business111.com?
I've spent many years as a journalist and broadcaster specialising in consumer affairs, personal finance and small business. Alongside that, I've worked with small businesses as a consultant and held a range of board and advisory roles.
I was Small Business Commissioner from 2021 to 2025 and am now Special Adviser on Small and Micro Businesses and Entrepreneurship to the Institute of Directors.
Throughout my career, I've seen how difficult it can be for micro business owners to find reliable information and advice. Business111.com was created to solve that problem. It's a database of trusted sources that cuts through the noise and helps people find support tailored to the challenges they're facing.
What unique challenges do micro businesses face compared to SMEs in general and are these often overlooked?
There are 4.8 million micro businesses in the UK, and they’re not a homogenous group. Their needs vary depending on their sector, the founder’s experience and circumstances.
What they do have in common is that they face similar pressures to larger businesses, but without the buffers. They don't have HR teams, finance departments, spare staff or significant cash reserves. The impact of a late payment, a staff absence or a lost customer can have a catastrophic impact.
And, yes, they are routinely overlooked. Policy is frequently designed with larger organisations in mind rather than the sole trader working from a kitchen table or a small team trying to stay afloat.
Micro businesses are crucial to the economy, local communities and wider society, but they're hard to reach and engage, which means their voices aren't always heard directly in policy discussions.
How can micro businesses balance day-to-day survival with longer-term growth planning?
Many people start businesses because they're passionate about what they do, not because they have years of business experience.
The challenge is that if you're constantly firefighting, it's impossible to think strategically. That's why it's important to carve out time to work on the business, not just in it.
The priority is getting the basics under control: cashflow, pricing and operations. Once those foundations are in place, business owners can create small "growth moments" by setting aside time for planning, tracking what drives revenue, automating repetitive tasks and focusing on one priority at a time.
Growth planning doesn't need a 40-page strategy document. It needs clarity, consistency and a little breathing space.
I also think the word "growth" can put some people off. Not every micro business wants to become a large company. Many owners simply want to earn a living and support their family. But even then, you're still running a business. You still need customers, marketing, good financial management and a plan for rising costs. In today's environment, with cost continually rising, some level of growth is often necessary just to stand still.
Where do the biggest opportunities lie for micro businesses right now?
Things are very difficult for many small businesses at the moment, particularly micro businesses, and I’d be doing them a disservice if I said otherwise, but there are three things that stand out to me in the current climate.
Digital adoption – particularly tools that save time, automate admin and improve customer experience. AI and initiatives like Making Tax Digital can feel daunting at first, but they can ultimately free up valuable time and provide better visibility of business performance.
Local loyalty and community-driven commerce – customers increasingly want to buy from businesses they trust. Micro businesses can compete through authenticity, personal service and strong community connections.
Niche specialisation – the most successful firms aren't trying to be everything to everyone. They're becoming known for solving a specific problem exceptionally well.
Longer term, we need a better understanding of the contribution micro businesses make to the economy and policies that recognise their unique needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting a business today, what would it be and why?
Build your support network before you need it.
Most businesses don't fail because founders lack talent or ideas. They fail because the founder becomes isolated and overwhelmed.
Find a mentor, join local business groups, and explore free support schemes. Organisations such as Chambers of Commerce, Enterprise Agencies, and Digital Boost can all be useful sources of advice.
The earlier you build those relationships, the more valuable they'll be when challenges arise.
Why is it so important for micro business owners to seek support and external advice rather than going it alone?
Because the mistakes you don't see coming are often the ones that cause the most damage.
External advice can help founders avoid costly errors, understand regulations, manage risk, access funding and make better decisions.
Support isn't a luxury. For many micro businesses, it's a vital part of survival and growth.
How important is community, whether in person or online, for growth and resilience?
Community is everything.
You can become very isolated when you're running a micro business, and if you're not careful, it really weighs on your welfare. If you're struggling at 10 o'clock at night to come up with a solution for a problem and you think you haven't got anybody to talk to, you're going to stay awake all night. That doesn't help your productivity, and it doesn't help your mental health and wellbeing.
You don't need to know all the answers; you need to talk to other people and listen to what it is they say to you. Having people around you who understand the challenges can make a huge difference, both professionally and personally.
When you're struggling with a problem, talking it through with others often leads to solutions you wouldn't have found on your own. Community provides encouragement, practical advice and opportunities for collaboration.
What makes initiatives like Help to Grow: Management Essentials so valuable for small business leaders?
Help to Grow: Management Essentials is great because it’s practical, accessible and designed for real-world business owners rather than large corporate teams.
The online course focuses on useful, actionable information delivered in a flexible format that fits around the demands of running a business. It also helps build confidence by reminding people that they don't need to know everything from day one and that no question is a silly question.
That's what makes bite-sized learning so effective for busy founders. It works around the reality of running a business rather than adding to the pressure.
If you’re a micro business looking for help and support, you can find out more at Business111.com
