Category: Starting a business

09:40:41 GMT • 11 November 2024

How To Grow Your Gym Business

16 March 2023

•

6 mins read

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Gyms are as popular across the country right now as they’ve ever been. This has led to a huge rise in the number of gym businesses, and much greater diversity in the types of gyms available. Whether it’s bodybuilding and weightlifting, general fitness, on-trend lifestyle gyms or anything in between, there are gyms out there to serve every demand.

All this interest can be a curse as much as it can be a blessing. If you’re already running a gym in a saturated marketplace, it can be difficult to know how to take your enterprise to the next level and increase your membership and profitability. This guide gives you seven great tips on how to grow your gym business.

Our tips on how to grow gym business

Naturally, some of these tips will be more suitable than others to your specific needs. Some of these may be ideas that you’re already pursuing, but could perhaps do with a refresh or change of approach. In any case, these are the seven tips we’ve picked out that should help the broadest possible range of gym business owners:

Giveaways and competitions

Never underestimate just how much people enjoy a competition or a freebie. Holding regular giveaways is a great way of encouraging engagement through your existing membership, as well as grabbing attention from prospective new members, too. This doesn’t have to be a grand affair with a huge jackpot prize: it can be small, targeted incentives such as gym-related accessories, free months on memberships, or one-day gym passes. Adding welcome gifts to new memberships can also act as a powerful incentive, too.

Referrals and repeat custom discounts

Some of the most useful tools in generating more business and members are working out just outside your office door right now. Your existing customers are already positively engaged with your business, so getting them to work spreading the word is one of the simplest ways to expand your customer base. You can do this through a referral system, which gives membership discounts and offers to those who recommend a friend or relative that then takes out their own membership. Similarly, giving discounts for long-term membership will make your most loyal members feel even more positive about your brand.

Encourage email engagement

It may seem a little old-fashioned now, but emails can still be highly effective in reaching out to people with your message. Generating a regular flow of news and communications to send to people will make them feel that there’s a real buzz around your gym. This is especially the case if you can mix up your content flow with a variety of different emails: this could be your latest offers and discounts, tips on exercise and nutrition, community event details, general encouragement, or a combination of all of them in a newsletter-style email.

Maximise your website

Connected to the previous point, variety should be the spice of life on your website, too. After all, once prospective customers have gained an interest in what you have to offer, your website will almost certainly be their first port of call. They should be able to get all the information they need to know and explore lots of different types of content that shows your gym in the best possible light. Video content is especially important: creating some short promotional and longer instruction videos is a great way to connect with people: these can easily be hosted on YouTube and embedded into your web pages.

Develop your social media presence

No doubt you’ll already have a presence on a number of social media channels, but are you making the most of the opportunity? It’s your platform to share stories of satisfied customers, build a strong community, and even create workout groups that can then come together at your gym. If you employ personal trainers directly, then you may also want to explore software that allows customers to book sessions via social media, to maximise ease of experience.

Join forces with other professionals

Just because there are other gyms in your area doesn’t have to mean that they’re automatically your competitors. You may want to consider joining forces with another gym that has different facilities to yours: offering a common membership or special offers that encourage crossover between the two gyms and give customers access to more amenities and equipment. And don’t forget to keep in touch with the personal training community: they’ll have insights on what’s going on among local gym-goers, and how you can adjust your business model to take advantage of new opportunities.

Foster a positive community

The community and culture within a gym can be critical to its success. For example, if a gym has a more macho, masculine feel to it (especially around the free weights area), then it’s easy for other members to feel intimidated and end their memberships. If you’re trying to appeal to a wide range of gym-goers, then a positive and inclusive atmosphere is a must. This can be encouraged by holding social and community events, expanding group exercise opportunities, or perhaps even opening a cafe/restaurant area where people can unwind.

Get gym insurance with Protectivity

However, you choose to grow your gym or personal trainer business, you’ll need good insurance to protect your financial standing and business assets. This is especially the case if you employ staff, as you’ll need to have employer’s liability insurance in place.

For more than 25 years, Protectivity has been providing gym insurance policies to businesses just like yours. Our cover includes Public Liability, Business Interruption Cover, Employers’ Liability and Buildings & Contents Cover, so however big and successful your business becomes, you can operate with confidence that you’re protected against the unforeseen. Our policies can also cover gyms that are open 24 hours a day.

Find out more on our affordable gym insurance, including flexible payment plans.

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09:49:31 GMT • 14 November 2024

How Long Do You Need to Keep Business Insurance Policies?

8 March 2023

•

3 mins read

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Just because your business insurance policy has been renewed and the old one is no longer valid, it doesn’t mean your business should throw out those old documents. In fact, even if the documents are several years old and you’re no longer insured by the same provider, it’s important that you continue to hold on to that paperwork.

Below, we’ll answer some key questions about insurance documents, including how long to keep business insurance policies, the risks involved with not keeping them, and what you can do if yours are lost or destroyed.

How long should you keep records of a business insurance policy?

You should keep a copy of your business insurance paperwork for seven years after the end of the policy. You should also keep digital copies of your paperwork for an additional three years on top of this.

If you’ve ever made a claim on your business insurance, you should also retain any paperwork related to your claim for seven years. However, claims related to employers’ liability insurance, public liability insurance and subsidence insurance should be kept for ten years.

Benefits of keeping historic insurance documents

The biggest benefit of keeping historic business insurance documents is that you have them on file should you need to refer back to them. This can help with your business’s administrative tasks and help with any future planning.

According to Section 5 of the Limitation Act of 1980, following a legal issue, there is a deadline of six years for action to be taken. So, in the event that this happens and a claim is made against your business, you will need these documents to refer to.

However, by far the most important reason for keeping any documents related to your business’s finances is to ensure you don’t face fines from HMRC. You can face fines of up to £3,000 or be disqualified from being a company director if you’re unable to provide the relevant documents when asked.

It’s important to note that this only relates to business insurance documents. You don’t need to hold on to your personal insurance documents, and you can destroy these once they’re no longer valid.

What to do if you no longer have your documents

If your business insurance documents over the past seven years have been lost, stolen or destroyed, then it’s important to do what you can to replace them. Because you should always keep digital copies of these records, paper copies should be easily replaced. Digital documents, or printouts of these documents, should be enough should HMRC ever request them.

You may also want to alert HMRC that these documents have been lost. Alerting them means you’ve done everything in your power to stay on top of the situation should they request to see your documents in the future.

Insure your business with Protectivity

Looking to secure the future of your business? Protect your business with our small business insurance – get a free quote today.

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20:54:03 BST • 6 October 2025

5 Common Risks When Starting a Business

3 March 2023

•

8 mins read

Contributors

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Starting your own business is an exciting time as you chase your dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. Many entrepreneurs are risk-takers by nature, who have to embrace the unknown as they launch a new product or service into their industry.

When starting a new business, you should have plenty to look forward to, from being your own boss to trying new things. But there are several risks to be aware of that can impact your chances of success. Here, we’ll cover some of the risks when starting a business and how to minimise them.

Common risks associated with starting a new business

If you’re considering starting a business, it’s important that you prepare for potential risks that can threaten your business’ success. Of course, some risks are difficult to avoid, such as economic decline and market demand. But if you can find ways to mitigate potential risks, this can stand your business in good stead.

Here are some of the most common risks that affect new businesses and how to tackle them:

Financial risks when starting a new business

The excitement of starting a new business can make it easy to turn a blind eye to the financial risks associated with a startup. Being aware of these financial risks can help you make the best financial decisions for your company, and help you reap the rewards.

To increase your profitability, you’ll need a strategy to grow your sales and generate revenue. You may be relying on investors to get your business off the ground, and they’ll be expecting a return on their investment. So, it’s important that you have a plan in place to generate revenue and make a profit. Offering promotions to boost volumes of sales, and developing new products or service lines can be great ways to increase your profits and ensure you’re in a comfortable financial position.

To get your business up and running, you may choose to take out a small loan to tide you over until your profits start soaring. There are several types of loans and grants available to small businesses in the UK. In terms of grants, the government offers a variety of financial support options for new businesses that need financial aid.

Another risk to be aware of is sustaining your business over time. Making sure you have a financial plan in place that shows income projections, expected return for investors and how much cash you’ll need to break even can offer you peace of mind. Without planning ahead you could risk financial strain or even bankruptcy – so it’s vital that you have a roadmap in place to ensure financial security.

Regulatory risks for business owners to consider

When starting a business, it’s important that you meet the standards of your industry and any compliance requirements. Here are just some of the regulatory requirements for business owners to consider:

Industry regulations: Depending on the industry you work in, there may be industry-specific regulations that you must adhere to. For example, if you’re setting up a business in the finance sector, you will need to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who have strict guidelines you must follow.
Finance regulations: There are business compliance rules you must follow around tax, payroll, record-keeping and accounting, as well as dealing with HMRC. It’s important that you follow these regulations carefully to avoid being penalised.
Workers rights: There are several workers rights that you must follow, but the main three include national minimum wage (and being protected against unlawful deductions of pay), statutory minimum level of paid holiday and rest breaks, and protection against unlawful discrimination, unfair dismissal and unfair treatment for being a part-time worker.
Health and safety: There are several regulations around health and safety at work, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The act requires businesses to ensure staff have adequate health and safety training, a safe work environment that is properly maintained and adequate welfare provisions for staff at work.
GDPR: The General Data Protection Regulation came into effect in 2018 to provide a legal framework for companies to keep everyone’s personal data safe. This requires businesses to have strong data protection processes in place for handling and storing personal information.

Operational risks to consider

Another potential risk to be aware of when starting a business is what are known as operational risks. These include processes, systems or events that disrupt business operations. If not handled correctly, operational risks can threaten business success. Some examples of operational risks you need to be aware of include:

Fraud: Whether it be internal fraud where employees misappropriate company resources, or external fraud where independent parties outside your business attempt a cyberattack, bribery or theft – fraud can seriously affect your business’ livelihood.
Technology: Deficiencies or failures in your computer systems or software.
Safety: Violating or the risk of violating workplace safety measures, either physically or mentally.
Natural disasters: Harsh weather conditions, fire or other disasters that can put physical assets at risk, leaving it difficult for employees to perform their daily tasks.

Reputation management – how do I do it?

Your brand or company’s reputation can undoubtedly influence your customers’ decision to purchase. So having the unexpected strike can cause damage to your business’ reputation, leading to a decline in sales and profitability. Ensuring you have a plan in place to maintain your reputation can help mitigate the risk of a bad scenario occurring and your reputation being at stake.

Reputation management is a way for you to monitor how your customers perceive your business and take the necessary steps to improve your brand’s image. Often, this is centred around monitoring your company’s reputation in reviews and through social media like Instagram. But there are other steps you can take such as:

Understand your values: Know what your company stands for and make this clear to your employees, so they can ensure these standards are sustained. Make sure each member of staff knows what your company’s message is and how to reflect it to help maintain your brand’s reputation.
High customer service: Your customer service is the key to making a lasting impression on your customers, so ensure that it’s high quality. Great customer service increases customer loyalty, leads to referrals and helps maintain a good reputation of your brand and its values.
Plan for bad scenarios: Make sure you have a plan in place of how to deal with a potential bad scenario. Brainstorm potential scenarios that could damage the public’s perception of your business and how you would take action. For example, if a customer were to complain about the cleanliness of your premises, this would indicate that the standards need to improve.

Business protection – keep your business safe

You’ve put a lot of time, money and effort into bringing your business to life, so it’s only right that you’ll want to protect it. Here are some ways you can help to keep your business safe for long-term success:

Cybersecurity: Whether your business runs from just one computer or all members of staff work from individual devices, it’s important to ensure all technology is protected against cyberattacks. Not only do you need to secure your business’ data and financial information, you also need to adhere to GDPR by protecting your customers’ and employees’ data.
Outsourcing: If you need to outsource certain areas of your business to another company, you’ll need to ensure you aren’t liable for their misconduct.
Business insurance: While you may think you’ll never need to use it, business insurance is there to protect you against the unexpected. It will protect your business financially if you were to get sued by a third party, as well as additional extras you can add to your policy that are tailored to your industry. With the right cover, you can enjoy the day-to-day of your job with peace of mind, knowing you’ll have a helping hand available should disaster strike.

Get a quote for your small business with Protectivity

Here at Protectivity, we specialise in business insurance for small businesses across various industries. Our tailored business insurance can protect you against the unexpected, so you can embrace your new challenge to the fullest. Our affordable business cover can give you the peace of mind you need to open your new business with confidence. Get a quote for your small business insurance today.

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09:06:29 BST • 10 October 2025

Employers’ Liability Insurance vs Public Liability Insurance

2 March 2023

•

6 mins read

Contributors

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Both employers’ liability insurance and public liability insurance cover your business in the event an injury occurs and there’s a claim for compensation. However, there are certain key differences that mean your business may require one but not the other.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at employers’ liability insurance vs public liability insurance, including what each covers, why you might need it, and the risks involved by overlooking their importance.

What is employers’ liability insurance?

If your business has at least one employee, whether part-time, full-time, or even work experience, then by law you’ll need to secure employers’ liability insurance. It helps to protect your business should an employee sustain an injury and claim compensation.

It doesn’t matter how that injury might have occurred, or how little you perceive the risk of injury to be. For example, your employees don’t need to be working in a high-risk environment, such as a factory – even slipping on a wet floor or tripping over a chair leg can cause an injury for which your business may be held liable.

It’s your responsibility as an employer to ensure your business has the appropriate level of cover should the unexpected happen. If your business employs at least one employee then it’s a legal requirement to have the relevant policy in place and cover you for a minimum of £5m.

You should have employer’s liability insurance if…

There are many reasons to ensure your business has employers’ liability insurance. If you’re self-employed and a sole trader, or work with bonafide subcontractors, then it isn’t necessary. However, if anyone who works with you could be considered an employee – including unpaid volunteers – you’re required to secure employers’ liability insurance. This even includes temporary employees and students doing work experience. You’ll also need it if you don’t technically have any employees, but have a limited company with more than one director.

An obvious example is you’re a software development agency with three full-time employees and one part-time employee. Due to the risk of injury being low, the risk of a compensation claim by an employee is also low – however, you can never guarantee that there is zero risk. Because of this, you’ll need employers’ liability insurance.

A less obvious example would involve a self-employed graphic designer who periodically works with local students to provide them with work experience. While not technically an employee, this would still require a policy. Similarly, an electrician who hires a labour-only subcontractor (ie, one that doesn’t have their own tools) will also need employers’ liability insurance.

What is public liability insurance?

Public liability insurance covers you should a customer, client or member of the public make a compensation claim against your business. This would usually be a result of your business being at fault for injury or damage to property. These claims can be expensive and time-consuming, and public liability insurance covers the costs involved with any legal action.

Unlike employers’ liability insurance, public liability insurance is not a legal requirement. However, it’s recommended should a claim ever be raised against you, regardless of how low the level of risk may seem. In many circumstances, clients will want you to prove you have cover before working with you. Certain trade associations also require you to have public liability insurance in order for you to become a member.

You should have public liability insurance if…

Most claims come as a result of perceived negligence, which is a fairly broad term. For example, if you’re a painter and decorator and accidentally drill through a water pipe, it can be hard to argue against this being negligence. However, if a customer enters your small clothing store and spills a drink, which another customer then slips on resulting in an injury, this could also be perceived as negligence.

As a result, if your business serves customers or can be accessed by the public in any way, it’s advisable that you secure public liability insurance. This includes:

Builders
Cleaners
Coffee shops and cafes
Contractors
Estate agents
Events companies
Leisure companies and tourist attractions
Restaurants
Retailers
Spas and salons
Therapists
Tradespeople

If your business is office-based and contact with your customers and the public is low, it may also be something you want to consider. For example, clients may periodically visit your business premises for meetings, you may hold job interviews on-site, or you simply receive deliveries from couriers.

Even if you work from home, securing the appropriate public liability insurance should be something you consider, particularly if you sometimes work away from home.

The risk of not having the correct insurance in place

As we’ve already highlighted, if you have employees (or even volunteers and certain types of subcontractors) then having sufficient employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement. By not having insurance, not only does your business risk facing astronomical costs in the event of a claim, but you also face fines of £2,500 per day until you have a policy in place.

Public liability insurance isn’t mandatory, however, if you choose not to have it then it’s important that you and your business understand the risk. Even if the risk to others is exceptionally low, accidents do happen. If you find yourself on the receiving end of a compensation claim as a result of injury or property damage, then without insurance the cost to your business is likely to be high. In many cases, the costs can climb into the millions, which may lead to bankruptcy.

With insurance, your insurer should pay any legal costs – including any compensation you may be required to pay – minus any excess you may have on your policy.

Summary

When it comes to employers’ liability insurance vs public liability insurance, it’s often more than simply a case of choosing one or the other. Depending on your business and who works for and with you, you may need one or the other – or even both.

Looking for new employers’ liability or public liability insurance? Protect your business with our small business insurance – get a free quote today.

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20:45:14 BST • 6 October 2025

5 of the Best Pet Business Ideas to Start from Home

24 February 2023

•

8 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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Working from home, working for yourself and working with pets are all dreams for many of us. But, what if we told you that you could easily combine all three of these dreams?

By starting an at-home pet business, you can achieve all your life-long goals. But which pet business ideas are viable at the moment and which can you actually start from home? Here, we explain everything you need to know.

5 of the best pet business ideas

Selecting the right business idea can be difficult; particularly if you’ve never started a business before. To help you, here we’ve detailed five of the best pet business ideas you can start from home.

1) Dog walking

Dog walking is the perfect at-home pet business. You don’t need set qualifications to take on this new role and there are very few associated overheads.

Now life has returned to normal after the pandemic, many people need help walking their four-legged friend on days when they’re in the office. This is exactly where you come in.

As a professional dog walker, you’ll be responsible for arranging the best days and times to walk your clients’ dogs, organising walks where the dogs can get enough exercise, and ensuring all the dogs get enough socialisation. You can work from home and set a schedule that suits you.

2) Pet sitting

Pet sitting is another pet business idea that you can start from home. One of the great things about pet sitting is that the services you offer can be as narrow or as flexible as you like. For example, you could only board dogs at your own home on weekends, or you could relocate to a client’s home for a week so the pet can stay in their own surroundings.

Pet sitting is often viewed as a side hustle and many pet sitters only operate on weekends for this reason. But, as a general rule, the more options you can offer pet owners, the more bookings you’ll receive.

3) Pet photography

If you love taking photos and standing behind the camera, then why not start your own pet portrait business? Pets are important family members, and today many people use professional pet portraits for home decorations and for Christmas cards.

On top of this, many businesses also seek out professional pet photographers when they’re creating new marketing materials. Similarly, animal rehoming centres also enlist the help of pet photographers to help increase the chance of adoption.

Demand for pet photographers is high. So, if you have a spare space in the home you can convert into a photography studio, then this may be the right pet business idea for you.

4) Pet training

If you’re patient, have good communication skills and possess a way with animals, then starting your own dog training business could be the most rewarding option out there for you.

While people purchasing puppies often require help with basic obedience, it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. For this reason, many pet training professionals also offer courses to tackle behavioural issues or skills courses that keep active dogs occupied. No matter what type of training you’d like to deliver and who you’d like to help, you can create training courses that suit your skills and expertise. Plus, if you have the space, you can run your new business from home. Alternatively, you can go to a client’s house and deliver a one-on-one session.

5) Pet grooming

Professional groomers help keep pets looking their absolute best. To start your pet grooming business, you’ll need a bit of space. Something like a garage or a small room downstairs in the home is perfect.

As a pet groomer, you’ll be responsible for everything from giving baths to cutting nails and doing haircuts. So, you’ll need access to running water and electricity in your workspace.

Pet grooming can be lucrative; particularly if you become an expert at treating skin conditions or de-matting fur. Thankfully, apprenticeships and college courses are both available to help you train for a pet grooming qualification. So are specialist courses that are run by private organisations. These courses can be completed in as little as a month, so your at-home pet grooming business can start in next to no time.

Things to consider when starting a business

At this stage of the process, you have your pet business idea. But, what else do you need to know and consider? Let’s take a look…

Business insurance

Before you run with any of the above pet business ideas and turn your dreams into reality, you first need to make sure you have the correct Pet Business Insurance in place. This way, you’re covered in case something goes wrong.

Our Pet Business Insurance policy is perfect for the job. This is because it provides cover for up to 14 different pet business activities at no extra cost. Public Liability is included as standard, and you receive a host of other benefits, such as Care, Custody and Control cover.

With a Pet Business Insurance policy from Protectivity, you’ll receive all the following benefits as standard:

Public Liability: You can choose to include between £1 million and £10 million worth of cover to protect your business against claims arising from property damage or injury to a third party.
Care, Custody and Control: Up to £100,000 worth of cover is provided (up to £25,000 per animal) in the instance of accidental loss, injury, illness or death of an animal while in your care.
Non-Negligent Cover: Similar to the Care, Custody and Control benefit, you are also covered for accidental loss, injury, illness or death to an animal in your care during the course of service delivery through no fault of your business.
Key Cover: You are covered up to £10,000 for new keys and locks, as well as the cost of re-setting intruder alarms and associated call-out costs.
Equipment Cover: As standard, we provide £250 worth of cover for your equipment against theft, loss and accidental damage. You can increase the protection of your items up to the value of £30,000.
Close Family Extension: Your close family members are included under your policy as standard. This means that, if you employ your husband, wife, son, daughter or any other close family, you do not need to take out Employers’ Liability

Tax

Once you have sorted your insurance and your business structure, you then need to consider the tax implications of starting a new business. This is particularly important if you’ve never started a business before, or if you’re running your pet business as a side hustle.

If you’re not a tax expert, then we recommend speaking to an accountant about the tax implications of starting a new business. They will provide you with tailored advice based on your employment situation. They will also inform you of any reporting requirements.

Business structure

Leading on from the above, before you register and start your business, you must also think about how you will structure the business. For example, will you be a sole trader, work in a partnership with someone else, form a limited liability partnership or form a limited company?

There are pros and cons to each of these approaches and the right structure for you will depend on factors such as:

The type of business you’re creating
Who you’re going into business with (if anyone)
Your overheads, costs and expenses
Your personal liability for the business
Your expected profits

Remember, the structure you choose will have significant implications on the amount of tax you pay, the degree of your personal liability, the amount of administrative work involved and your ability to raise finance. As a result, you should speak to a qualified accountant before you make a decision and ensure you understand the implications and responsibilities of each structure.

Get your Pet Business Insurance

Planning on starting your new pet business? Get a quote for Pet Business Insurance today and ensure you’re fully protected.

Our Pet Business Insurance covers 14 different activities under the same policy. It also covers liability, vets bills and equipment. Getting a quote only takes a couple of minutes and we can arrange instant cover. So, get started online today.

Get Pet Business Insurance from Protectivity

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21:10:29 BST • 8 October 2025

What to Ask for at the Barber

12 February 2023

•

5 mins read

Contributors

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If you’re a man and you have hair, then you’re probably used to that sinking feeling you get at the barber when you’re looking back at yourself in the mirror. You know what you wanted your barber to do, but for one reason or another, he’s cutting and shaping your hair into something else. And short of shaving it all off, there’s not really much you can do about it.

It’s easy to blame the ability of the barber in this situation, but a lot of the time, it just comes down to miscommunication between barber and customer. Often this is because customers don’t know how to explain what they want, and barbers struggle to understand exactly what to do based on vague ideas and descriptions.

Solving this issue can be beneficial for both parties: customers who get the cut they want, and barbers who get satisfied customers and repeat business. This guide gives you five tips on what to ask for at the barber, to get the best results every time.

Research what you want in advance

If you’re reading this guide, then you’re already part of the way through step one. Research is everything in communicating to a barber what it is that a customer has in mind. And this goes much deeper than just finding the name of a particular style.

That’s because every customer and every head of hair is different. Some men have hair that’s longer than others, thicker than others or darker than others, for example. Then there’s the shape of the head to take into account, and where there might be any crowns. And on top of that, the current popularity for beards and facial hair add a new dimension to the conversation. Exploring ideas that work for personal characteristics is therefore the ideal starting point.

Know the lingo

You wouldn’t go into a garage to get your car fixed and ask them to take a look at ‘the thingy next to the engine’. So why would you go into a barber and ask them to take ‘just a bit off here and there’?

There is a surprising amount of terminology involved in barbering, but it isn’t a secret code: all the right vocabulary is out there for everyone to find if they look hard enough. Knowing the right phrases for what you want can break down many of the barriers in communication. Start by looking at guard numbers, types of fade and tapers, as these will form the foundation of most common men’s hairstyles.

Work out the best way to describe your style

Armed with research and terminology from the first two points, you’re now much better-equipped to work out a concise description of the haircut you’re looking for. If you can boil down all your preferences into a few short sentences, then you can deliver this to your barber as soon as you hit the chair, and start everything off on the front foot.

However, it’s important to be flexible to a certain extent, and not to stick too rigidly to your description. A good barber will be able to offer some advice on how your idea can be tweaked here and there to deliver an even better end result.

Back up your description with photos

During the research stage, it’s highly likely that you’ll have searched through photos of different styles, and found some that closely resemble what you’re looking for. If you’re struggling to translate that visual style into a verbal description, then there’s no reason that you can’t take the photo with you and show it to the barber.

Many barbers use design and style like Pinterest themselves, so that they can keep up-to-date with trends and be able to offer advice and suggestions. Using the same apps to find your style inspiration, and showing your findings to the barber on the day, can help make sure that nothing gets lost in translation.

Ask for advice if you need it

Don’t forget that barbers will have cut thousands of heads of hair over the years, and will have a wealth of experience and expertise that you can take full advantage of. And at the same time, they want you to get out of their chair feeling happy with the cut you’ve received.

Never feel afraid to ask for their opinion as they’ll be more than happy to help. Whether you’re not sure if your idea is right for you, or they want an expert view on a new style, remember that there’s a professional ready and waiting to assist.

Get your barber business insurance from Protectivity

If you’re a barber reading this, then you’ll already have plenty of experience of customers that struggle to get their preferences across. This guide can act as a business aid in helping them – and you – get the results you want.

Another important business aid for barbers is insurance, so that you don’t suffer financially should anything unforeseen occur. Protectivity offers specialist barber business insurance policies, including public liability, personal accident cover, equipment cover, and employers’ liability insurance (if you employ other barbers).

Our cover can give you peace of mind, help you grow your business with confidence, and starts at less than £4 a month. Take a closer look at all our options for barbers insurance.

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09:40:41 GMT • 11 November 2024

How to Organise a Charity Event

10 February 2023

•

6 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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If you run or are involved in a charity that needs to raise more money, then organising an event can deliver a real boost. It can give a focal point to your overall fundraising strategy, bring your community together, and help you give the public enjoyable experiences that makes them feel that they’re getting something in return for their donation.

However, putting on any event with success can be much easier said than done. There are plenty of things to take care of to ensure everything runs without a hitch, and that any problems don’t impact your ability to raise money. In this guide, we’ll look at seven vital steps around how to organise a charity event, covering all the big tasks before and after the big day, so that you can maximise the potential of your fundraising.

Work out your objective

It’s very easy for event organisers to lose focus of what they’re trying to do as their event plans get increasingly complex. So before you make any other plans, start by working out what your ultimate goal for the event would be. This could be a particular target figure for fundraising, a more general aim to increase awareness, or to sell a certain number of tickets and reach a desired level of attendance. Whatever the objective is, setting it out at the start and keeping it front-of-mind throughout can ensure you always stay on the right track.

Decide your theme and budget

With this objective set out, you can start to address some of the specifics of event organisation. Working out an appropriate budget is critical: after all, there’s no point spending £20,000 on putting together an event that’s only going to raise £10,000. If you have a theme in mind, then now is the time to commit to it, so that you can put your budget considerations into that context. But when it comes to money, the next two points are especially important:

Find a suitable venue

Location, location, location: it might be a well-worn phrase, but when it comes to a charity event, it’s absolutely critical. There’s a delicate balance to be struck between the accessibility of a venue and how much it might cost to hire. If looking at an indoor event, then church halls or school halls (if at weekends or during the holidays) are normally good, cost-effective options. For outdoor occasions, consider football, rugby and cricket clubs, many of which have associated bar and parking facilities, and are generally more than happy to earn extra funds for their own means.

Search for sponsors

Depending on the type of event, attracting event sponsorship from local businesses can be a major revenue generator. Many businesses may well be interested because being involved with a charity event can help them raise their community profile. However, they will naturally expect a return on their investment: this could be signage at the event, featuring in the programme, mentions on the website or social media, for example. And don’t necessarily think of sponsorship purely in cash terms: doing a deal in exchange for exposure (for example, venue hire or extra assistance with the event) can help you make substantial budgetary savings.

Market the event to your audience

Once you’ve got everything in place, you can then fire up your marketing operation, so that as many people as possible know what you’re doing, where you’re doing it, when it’s happening and what you’re raising money for. You have many different media and advertising channels open to you, but which ones to prioritise depends on your target audience. For example, for younger demographics, then a greater emphasis on social media is preferable; for older people, local papers and newsletters may have a better effect; and for families, try and get your event mentioned in communications from local schools.

Put management and volunteers in place

As the big day approaches, attention will turn to the nuts and bolts of the event, and making sure all the necessary arrangements are in place. You’ll need to cover every possible eventuality of who is doing, what, where and when, from the arrival of anyone taking part, through the public-facing core of the event, to tidying up at the end. You may also need to recruit some volunteers to help with all the jobs that often go overlooked, like admission, parking and refreshments. Along the way, you’ll also need to put the right insurance cover in place, especially Public Liability Insurance in case an attendee suffers an accident or injury.

Maximise fundraising post-event

Just because your event has finished doesn’t mean that your opportunities for fundraising are finished, too. There will be plenty of opportunities for follow-up activity that can help generate more donations from the public, especially in the first few days immediately afterwards. Consider getting in touch with local media, and hitting the social media channels, with info about the success of your event and how you’re still accepting donations. In the longer-term, a story about how the funds you’ve raised have been spent to good effect can also be good PR.

Get event insurance with Protectivity

Even if it’s for charity, an event is still a financial enterprise. As a result, there is always the risk of something going wrong that can leave you out of pocket, or vulnerable to a claim from an attendee or fellow stakeholder. The damage of these financial impacts can easily wipe out all the funds that you manage to raise from the event – or even worse, lead to you making a sizable loss.

That’s why it’s so important to have comprehensive event insurance in place, and that’s exactly where Protectivity can help. Our tailored policies for events encompass Public Liability Insurance, cancellation cover, equipment protection, and even Employer’s Liability if you hire any staff for the event. The cover is competitively priced, but gives you peace of mind that you can raise vital money for your cause with minimal levels of risk.

Take a closer look at our event insurance policy and events cancellation insurance in more detail.

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09:40:41 GMT • 11 November 2024

What is the Most Profitable Pet Business?

2 February 2023

•

6 mins read

Contributors

My main focus is managing the blog and product content for the Protectivity website ensuring everything aligns wi...

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If you love animals and you have an entrepreneurial spirit, then it’s natural that you’ll explore ways to forge a business out of people’s pets.

Not only does it allow you to enjoy some time with some furry friends, there’s plenty to get excited about from a business perspective as well. According to Pet Keen, the UK’s pet owners now collectively spend around £8 billion on their animal companions every single year, from feeding them and keeping them healthy to pampering them and taking them on holiday.

So if you’re looking at setting up a profitable pet business, there are plenty of avenues to explore. This guide highlights some of the stand-out choices.

The most profitable pet businesses

There are plenty of variables to consider and questions to answer when looking at setting up a pet-related business. For example: will you be coming into physical contact with the pets? Will you specialise in one particular animal (e.g. dogs or cats)? Are you targeting essential or discretionary pet spending? What types of insurance, registrations and qualifications do you need to operate legally and successfully?

How you address those questions will differ substantially depending on which business type you pursue. But to give you some initial inspiration, here are our choices of the most profitable pet business ideas:

Dog walking

Every dog needs regular exercise, but many busy working people just struggle to find the time to do it, especially in the winter when it’s dark when they get home from work. Professional dog walking is a simple way to lighten their load, and with minimal overheads and the ability to walk multiple dogs at the same time, can be extremely profitable.

Pet grooming

Keeping a stylish, clean, well-turned-out pet is more popular than ever before, and the public is willing to spend big on quality pet care. Setting yourself up as a groomer is full of business options, whether you specialise in one animal, work as a mobile groomer at people’s homes, or deliver perfect finishes ready for competitions

Pet sitting

Similar to the dog walking idea, many people are willing to pay to relieve themselves of the inconvenience of pet ownership, including if they want to go out for an evening or a weekend. Pet sitting can give them the peace of mind that their treasured animal is well cared for, either in their home or yours.

Clothing design

Whether it’s making them look fabulous or simply keeping them warm in the winter, there’s a sizeable market for pet clothing. If you have some design skills and you’re handy with a sewing machine, you can develop some original garments or even create one-off commissions, many of which can come with a premium price tag.

Treats

The world of treats has come on in leaps and bounds (no pun intended) in recent years, especially for dogs. There’s also a growing trend for people to apply their own dietary preferences to their pets, such as eating organic food as much as possible. Therefore, there’s big demand for pet treats that are both ethical and delicious.

Photography

Any proud pet owner will have lots of photos of their pet, whether on their desk, on the walls of their home or simply on their phone. But using a professional pet photographer can help them bring their animal’s image to life, either through portraits or out in the countryside. You could even take photos for marketing materials for other pet businesses.

Dog training

Whether it’s a puppy who needs to learn the basics, or an older dog or rescue that needs some corrective help, there is always demand for quality dog training. If you can help make dogs more obedient with better temperaments, then you can not only enrich yourself, but also enrich owner’s relationships with their dogs.

Boarding and daycare

Not every holiday destination is pet-friendly, not to mention the difficulty and expense of taking animals on flights. The normal option is to put animals in kennels, but this can be extremely expensive. Setting yourself as a boarding house for individual pets can be cheaper, while making you good money from the comfort of your own home.

Pet-friendly travel agent

Connected to the previous point, there are some places that are ideal for holidays with pets, and you can be the person to help owners find them. Putting together holiday packages that are perfect for both pets and people can stand you out in the travel agency market, and is a service owners may well pay a premium for.

Pet shop

It’s perhaps one of the most old-fashioned ideas on the list, but you can’t beat a good pet shop. Even in the age of internet retail, many owners still want to check goods out in person before they buy, and get multiple items in one place. If you have some expertise, you can also give owners valuable advice on the best buys for them.

Pet-friendly cafe

There are several different ways to approach a cafe with pets front-and-centre. One is to create a stopping point for dog owners on walks, with dog treats and food on sale alongside refreshment for humans. Another is to make pets the reason for visiting, such as a cat cafe where people can get some feline company while enjoying a coffee.

Get pet business insurance with Protectivity

As this blog demonstrates, there are many options open to you if you want to start a business involving pets. However, whichever choice you make, one thing remains a constant: the need for comprehensive insurance cover to protect your enterprise if something goes wrong.

Protectivity provides full cover for thousands of pet businesses, including dog grooming insurance, starting from as little as £75 a year. Our policies include public liability; Care, Custody and Control; equipment cover; legal expenses, and can also include employers’ liability if you hire staff. Available through flexible monthly payment plans, our policies can give you peace of mind and vital protection without putting pressure on your bottom line.

We offer insurance for all kinds of pet businesses, including dog walking insurance. Take a more detailed look at our pet business insurance policies here.

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09:58:24 GMT • 14 November 2024

How to Start Your Own Sports Club

By Mandy Czyz

9 December 2022

•

6 mins read

Contributors

Mandy Czyz

Mandy has been with Starpeak Insurance Solutions since 2018, starting in sales in the consumer department and mov...

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Sports clubs are an integral part of society, and bring physical, mental and social benefits to people of all ages and abilities. Whether people want to get fit, improve their skills, meet new people or support their local community, amateur clubs across every sport deliver on every count.

For those running a sports club, the experience of getting a successful club off the ground can be extremely rewarding. However, there’s much more to it than getting some kit and equipment and rounding up some people for training. You need to have a clear plan of what you want to do and how you want to do it, and there are a number of legal obligations to meet, too.

In this guide, we’ll explore the basic objectives and responsibilities to consider when starting your own sports club.

Sports club objectives

The first step when working out how to start a sports club is to take your dreams and aspirations, and turn them into a more practical reality. You may have bold ambitions to build a club that’s successful on the pitch or that plays a leading role in your community, but these ambitions mean nothing without the funding and people in place to make it happen.

Before doing anything else, make sure you cover all these three areas:

Determine the size and type of your club (and name it!)

A good place to start is by working out exactly what your club intends to do. For example, how many teams or competitors will it operate with? Will it be open for adults and/or children, for men and/or women, and will it incorporate disabled sports? Which competitions will it take part in? Answering these simple questions will help you make the right decisions with everything else – and can also help you come up with a suitable club name.

Define your target market and recruitment strategy

Next, you can consider how you’re going to attract competitors, coaches and associated staff to your club. Obviously, if you’re operating on a professional or semi-professional basis, then you’ll be able to offer payments to them, but you still need to reach out to them and convince them that your club is right for them.

It’s more likely, however, that you’ll be operating on a purely amateur basis to begin with, and that makes your marketing, communication, website and social media all-important. Many established competitors (even juniors) may already be involved with existing clubs, so you’ll need to create a compelling offering to attract new members.

Work out how the club will be financed

With your key objectives and target market nailed down, you can then assess the finances of the operation. Start by looking at equipment costs, premises-related expenditure like pitch and changing room hire, competition entry and registration fees, and other essential spending like insurance.

Once you have an idea of how much it will cost to run the club for a year, you can then explore your options in generating that money. In most cases, this will be through member subscription fees, but at a time when people are looking at the finances in more detail than ever, keeping these costs down – especially for junior clubs -is vital. At the same time, don’t neglect the difference that even small-scale sponsorship from local businesses can make.

Sports club policies and procedures

Once you’ve got a firmer concept for your club in place, you can then go into the detail of your sports club from an operational side. As well as making sure you’ve got the right premises and equipment in place, you’ll need to navigate a number of legally required or highly recommended hurdles:

Legal registration

Sports clubs can operate on either an unincorporated or incorporated basis. Unincorporated clubs are simpler, more flexible and potentially cheaper to run, but it also means that asset ownership and liability can fall on individual members themselves.

If your club is operating as an incorporated business, then members are secure from any liability if something goes wrong. However, the club will likely have to be registered at Companies House with the appropriate accounts and tax filed, and this can be more expensive and time consuming to administer.

Governance framework

Like any business, a sports club will need a properly defined framework for who is in charge, who is responsible for what, and how people are appointed to those positions of responsibility.

An unincorporated club of members needs a written code of how votes are conducted, and clear procedures for how people take up and leave different posts. Incorporated clubs will also provide this, although it may be focused more on business ownership. However, it can run alongside a company registration where certain directors need to be nominated.

In either case, you are likely to find that the creation of these governance frameworks are required by the organising bodies of the sports and competitions you want to be involved with.

Policies

Every club will also need to take care of various different policies and procedures relating to its activity. For example, paid employees will need contracts, health and safety risk assessments will need to be carried out, and there will be needs for criminal record checks and safeguarding if there are junior members. As well as these requirements, it’s also essential that every club takes out insurance that covers its staff, competitors and assets, protecting them against accident, injury or claims of negligence.

Get sports club insurance with Protectivity

Every sports club, big or small, needs top-quality insurance cover to guarantee that managers, players, staff and property are all protected should the unforeseen happens. At Protectivity, we have decades of experience insuring sports clubs like yours with competitively priced policies. Including Public Liability, Employers’ Liability, Sports Equipment Cover and Clubhouse Cover, you can grow your club with confidence, and be sure that you’re meeting all your legal responsibilities, too.

Find out more on all the sports club insurance policies we have to offer sports club insurance quote.

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