Take a look at these intriguing business opportunities from Ubops.com, the Online Business Opportunities Marketplace.

Safari Tour Operator Service
Business to buy: Specialists in tailor-made safaris to northern Tanzania circuits, with extensions to Zanzibar. Established for four years.

International Online Lottery Business
€1,500 investment required to market this online lottery game worldwide. Earn introduction bonuses and team commissions.

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By Tim Berry at Entrepreneur.com: As we roll into 2008, I believe it's time to adapt a new kind of business planning that I want to call plan-as-you-go business planning.

The idea is to integrate the concept of the business plan with the flexibility and power today's business tools offer.

At the same time, you'll focus on management, tracking and accountability and concern yourself more with function than with form.  

From Businessweek: Web services are now so cheap and plentiful you may never buy software again.

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By Laura Mitchell at Clarion Solicitors: The government recently revealed that more than half of the new jobs created under Labour since 1997 have gone to foreign workers, and for months now, the debate on immigration has rarely left the front pages of the British press.

Much of the press coverage has focused on whether there should be tighter control on migrant workers, whether British jobs should be kept for British nationals, or whether we should actually be encouraging foreign nationals to fill gaps in the labour market to provide a boost to an often fragile UK economy.

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From the Edmonton Journal: But entrepreneurs shouldn't be frivolous with family loans.

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From the Financial Times: It is not yet a break-up, but things will never be the same again.

The relationship between British business and Gordon Brown's Labour government - always fragile - has been seriously weakened by last year's decision to raise capital gains tax sharply for entrepreneurs.

Last week, the outcry from business forced the government to announce an "entrepreneurs' relief" that keeps the tax unchanged for the first £1m ($2m, €1.3m) of lifetime gains.

But the inept way in which the original proposal was announced and the delay in offering a concession still seen by most as inadequate has undermined Mr Brown's claim to be pro-enterprise.

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Lenders are predicting a massive hike in the number of companies performing credit checks on their suppliers and business contacts in 2008.

Over 25 million credit checks are performed on UK companies every year, but this number is set to rise 100%, according to Bridging Finance Ltd.

The eonomic slowdown and spectre of recession means firms are protecting themselves from unforeseen credit traps.

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From Businessweek: Author Scott Shane seeks to dispel popular illusions about startups — starting with the myth that founders earn more than they would as employees.

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By Martin Turner, managing director at www.FreeIndex.co.uk.

1. Seek free advice or funding from business development organisations, such as ‘Business Link’. See if you are eligible for grants or funding.

2. Draft a two-year tactical business strategy, outlining your investors, potential revenue channels, current business relations, research into market and competitors and, not forgetting, your contingency plan.

3. Research the best New Year lending deals with first-tier lenders, organise a meeting with the bank manager, present your business plan and secure a reasonable and affordable business loan.

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From the Independent: Just over a year ago, the future of the nation's independent bookshops looked grim.

Competition from internet sites, supermarkets and discount-offering chain stores appeared to be eliminating the lone operators from town high streets.

But a year is a long time in the bookshop trade. Latest statistics reveal that in 2007 the "indies" made a remarkable comeback.

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From the BBC: The government has announced changes to capital gains tax (CGT), confirming that it will set a single 18% rate and cease taper relief from 1 April.

But Chancellor Alistair Darling also said there would be a 10% rate on gains of up to £1m, to help entrepreneurs.

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From The Times: Alistair Darling will try today to rescue Labour’s business reputation with a £200 million climbdown on capital gains tax designed to help owners of small companies.

Three months after announcing in his first Pre-Budget Report a new flat rate of capital gains tax at 18 per cent, the Chancellor will rewrite his own rules before they have even come into effect."

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"Venture capital definitely needed a kick in the pants," says 35-year-old New Yorker Adeo Ressi.

BusinessWeek reports on the entrepreneur whose "buzzy website brings scrutiny to the previously secretive world of VC investing".

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Never a truer word was spoken in the latest edition of BusinessWeek.

When it comes to running a restaurant, Kerry Miller writes:

Passion isn't enough. You'll need a sound concept and management experience, and you should know that some of the most popular assumptions about restaurant failure are wrong

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From the BBC: Starting a new small business is an exciting time, but it also brings with it a lot of paperwork.

For any new venture to succeed, it cannot simply focus on selling its product or services - it must also meet all current business regulations.

Here, Russell Lawson, of the Federation of Small Businesses, takes a closer look at what red tape small firms face, and how best they can cope.

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The following eight myths are the distillation of a research paper written by Gordon Allinson, Paul Braidford, Maxine Houston and Ian Stone in 2005 for Durham University.

Myth No.1: About the same number of people buy an existing business as start one from scratch.

Reality: In fact, three times as many people start a business from scratch as those who buy them.

Myth No.2: Starting a business takes several years.

Reality: Most businesses are actually established within six months.

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From The Times: Markets worldwide are waiting eagerly for Wall Street to open as shares in London recover from early morning jitters.

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Why “Once upon a time…” has become a powerful tool in business.

When imagining a storyteller, visions of colourful classrooms and captivated children spring to mind.  But far from the world of shining knights and beautiful princesses, storytelling has become a growing phenomenon in a very different arena – that of the business world. 

In a demanding and challenging business climate, phrases such as “Once upon a time” are helping to shape the way forward for leaders in resolving some of the most crucial issues. 

Sue Hollingsworth is a storytelling consultant.  A unique occupation with a befittingly unique title, Sue was one of the first people in the UK to use stories in the business environment.  Sue works alongside The Chaos Game, a company which delivers a range of development programmes for organisational leaders, in association with The NTL Institute for Applied Behavioural Science. 

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The UK’s oldest surviving business is Aberdeen Harbour, according to Guinness World Records.

The first reference to the north-east Scotland port was in 1136, when King David I of Scotland granted the Bishops of Aberdeen the right to levy a tithe on all ships trading there.

The next oldest surviving businesses are the Shore Porters Society, a removals firm founded in 1498, Trinity House, the UK lighthouse authority founded in 1514, and John Brooke and Sons Ltd, founded in 1541 as a wool cloth manufacturer, but now a heritage office park.

Ubops.com The Business Opportunities Marketplace

On April 6th, 2008, the tax system in the UK will undergo a number of radical changes. Businesses and individuals have been given prior warning, but is the message getting through?

Simon Clarke, Finance and Technical Director of TaxAssist Accountants has the following advice to offer.

If you are in business, have complex personal tax affairs, or have a low income, you will be affected by a number of changes next year.

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