New Business UK – Winter 2025

Summary

New Business UK Winter 2025 features Richard Tang of Zen Internet on the cover — thirty years of internet evolution in one man's story at page 8. The Centre for Ageing Better on creating an age-friendly culture. BFA awards recognise the best in British franchising. The Repair Cafe charitable movement says don't throw it, get it fixed. Isabella Wayte drives delivery innovation with YOVOY.

The cover story (p.8) profiles Zen Internet founder Richard Tang on three decades of building an independent ISP. Jane Gunn (p.14) on authority versus autonomy in business. Rory Crisp-Jones (p.16) on how SMEs are rethinking finance. Jamie Roberts (p.18) offers tips for a successful investor meeting. Will Painter (p.20) on turning visibility into credibility. The Centre for Ageing Better (p.22) on age-friendly culture. BFA awards (p.26) on British franchising excellence. The AA and low-carbon fleet management (p.34) on EV transition. F1R3FLY Cyber solutions launch in UK (p.37). The Repair Cafe (p.38) on the charitable movement.

Regular sections include Expert View, HR, Franchising, Vehicles, Cyber Security, Sustainability, Start Ups, Entrepreneurs, Intellectual Property, Inclusivity, Quest Q/A, On Their Way, Entrepreneur Insights and Downtime. Editor: Mark James.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story

p.8 · Richard Tang — Thirty Years of Internet Evolution in One Man's Story
Zen Internet's founder on building and sustaining an independent ISP through three decades of industry consolidation, regulatory change and technological revolution. Tang covers the specific decisions that kept Zen independent when competitors sold out, the culture he built and the financial discipline required. Apply his long-term ownership principles — especially the debt-to-equity ratio he maintained — to any business where you face pressure to sell.

▸ Expert View

p.14 · Jane Gunn — Authority Versus Autonomy
On the tension between maintaining control and empowering teams as a business grows. Gunn provides a framework for knowing when to step in and when to step back.

p.16 · Rory Crisp-Jones — How SMEs Are Rethinking Finance
Alternative financing options for SMEs in a high-interest environment. Covers revenue-based financing, invoice discounting and asset-based lending structures.

p.18 · Jamie Roberts — Tips for a Successful Investor Meeting
Practical preparation framework for founder-investor meetings, covering pitch structure, financial projections and handling difficult questions.

▸ HR

p.20 · Will Painter — Turning Visibility into Credibility
How small business owners can build personal and company credibility through strategic visibility, content creation and network building.

p.22 · The Centre for Ageing Better — How to Create an Age-Friendly Culture
Research-based recommendations for building a workplace that leverages the experience of older workers while integrating younger talent. Includes specific policy changes any SME can implement. Use the age-diversity audit here to identify gaps in your current HR policies.

▸ Franchising

p.26 · BFA Awards — Recognising the Best in British Franchising
Coverage of the British Franchise Association's annual awards, including category winners and the judging criteria. Use the winner list as a due diligence starting point for franchise opportunities.

▸ Sustainability

p.38 · The Repair Cafe Charitable Movement — Don't Throw It, Get It Fixed
Profile of the global Repair Cafe movement and its growth in the UK. Covers the community impact, waste reduction metrics and the business model behind a non-profit repair network. Consider partnering with or sponsoring a local Repair Cafe as a cost-effective community engagement strategy.

p.54 · Harsh Amin of Ivy Farm — What a Meat Alternative Can Look Like
Ivy Farm's approach to cultivated meat, the regulatory pathway in the UK and the go-to-market strategy. Includes specific production cost reduction targets.

▸ Entrepreneurs

p.44 · Isabella Wayte Drives Delivery Innovation — YOVOY Tech Shakes Up Same-Day Delivery
Profile of YOVOY's same-day delivery technology platform and how it is competing with established courier networks. Covers the proprietary dispatch algorithm and the specific time-saving metrics versus traditional courier allocation.

▸ Intellectual Property

p.50 · NOTHS Research on Design Theft — Small Creative Brands Need Protection
Research by Not On The High Street on the prevalence of design theft affecting small creative businesses. Includes specific data on the percentage of NOTHS sellers affected and the average revenue impact. Use the IP-protection checklist here to secure your designs before launching a product.

▸ Downtime

p.64 · Glice Skating — Ice Tech
Profile of Glice's synthetic ice technology that claims performance "as near to real ice as it gets." Covers the technology, target markets and installation cost data.

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Editor's Take

The Winter 2025 issue is a solid, well-rounded small-business magazine with genuine variety. The Richard Tang cover story is the highlight — a rare founder interview that actually reveals specific decisions and numbers rather than generic inspiration. The Centre for Ageing Better piece is the surprise best practical article; every SME owner should read it given demographic trends. Weakness: the Entrepreneur Insights section (p.60-61) profiles four businesses in two pages, which is too compressed for any of them to land. The Expert View pieces are competent but short. The Repair Cafe piece is heartwarming but light on business applicability. This issue suits UK small-business owners who want practical HR, finance and operations advice alongside founder stories.

Strengths
• Richard Tang interview delivers genuine long-term business lessons
• Age-friendly culture piece is research-backed and immediately actionable
• Good variety across HR, franchising, sustainability and IP topics

Weaknesses
• Entrepreneur Insights profiles four businesses in two pages — too compressed
• Expert View pieces are too short to develop their arguments fully

Verdict: Recommended — A well-balanced issue for UK SME owners; the Tang interview alone justifies the purchase.