Issue #48 - It's a wrap! 🎁
2022 was another turbulent year - is just one year of relative normality too much to ask? If something affected small business owners, we covered it in The Backbone.
🦾 G O
How was 2022 for you?
2022 was another turbulent year - is just one year of relative normality too much to ask? If something affected small business owners, we covered it in The Backbone.
Here’s 2022, wrapped 🎁
📨 S U B S C R I B E
Subscribe to The Backbone to get each fortnightly edition into your inbox at 7 am every other Friday. Perfect for a quick read at breakfast or on the commute.
📅 J A N U A R Y
Our first issue of the year kicked off with a look at how inflation was creeping up - shortly before it went full throttle as energy prices soared. Here’s how we reported it…
Why are we facing a cost of living crisis?🛒
A cost of living crisis happens when everyday costs increase (things like grocery shopping and energy bills) but wages don’t keep up.
We looked at the causes of rising inflation as it looked like it was going to hit 6%. At the time of writing this issue, inflation was 9.3%.
To read more, check out Issue #24 - New Year, No Change?
📅 F E B R U A R Y
Everyone was playing Wordle!
📅 M A R C H
We re-jigged how The Backbone looked (what do you mean, you never noticed?) and launched a series of guides on everything you need to start, run, and sell a business. First up was registering a business.
How to register a business
If you’re looking to start a business, do you know whether you need to register it before you can start trading? Or if you’ve already started up your own business without registering it, is this something you should be considering?
In any case, you’ll need to know exactly who you need to register your business with as well as any rules or guidelines that you’ll have to follow. With the help of our handy guide, we’ll answer all the above and guide you through the process of registering your business.
📅 A P R I L
To help us celebrate National Pet Month we asked for pictures and videos of pets being daft, cute, or both. Anyone could get involved on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #PromoteYourPet.
One such pet was Poppy - the owner of (Chief Customer Officer) Glyn Britton - eating her way out of a box.
📅 M A Y
National Doughnut Week took place in May, so we took the opportunity to ask the question that everyone needs an answer to.
🤳 S O C I A L
It’s National Doughnut Week, which means all sorts of businesses across the country - including bakers, coffee shops, and offices - will be selling delicious doughnuts to raise funds for The Children’s Trust.
So, obviously, we’re tackling the big issues of the day in our latest Twitter poll, which asks…what’s your favourite doughnut? Vote now and let us know 👇
📅 J U N E
Energy bills were soaring and everyone was getting AI-generated images from Dall-E. So we put the two together.
You don't need to be a genius to understand your business energy bills, but they can be tricky to get your head around. It’s worth getting to know your way around them though, as they contain loads of useful information that can help you get a handle on your costs and figure out ways to cut your energy usage and save money.
This guide explains all you need to know, including the costs to look out for before comparing deals and switching suppliers.
📅 J U L Y
It felt like there’d been nothing but bad news doing the rounds for about two years solid. So we looked up some good news business stories.
🛒 First up, something about abandoned shops and tackling climate change - Across the UK, shops that have been abandoned by big chains are becoming hubs for tackling the climate crisis
🍫 Thursday, July 7 was World Chocolate Day. If you missed it, have a celebratory chocolate binge now - it could help improve your mental health (if not your waistline).
📽 A small business has been saved as more than 300 people have chipped in to save Oxford's oldest and last independent cinema from closure.
🙅♀️ And finally, another surprising tip that could help with your mental health - Just say no!
📅 A U G U S T
The work-from-home debate reared its head again, thanks to this Diary of a CEO podcast 👇
📅 S E P T E M B E R
The nights started slowly drawing in, there was a slight chill at night, and the first flutterings of autumn were in the air. So we shared Autumn en Violette - a playlist that’s the perfect soundtrack for taking long walks and kicking leaves during the shortening days. Bonfires on the Heath by The Clientele is a particular highlight.
📅 O C T O B E R
Four words - Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
📅 N O V E M B E R
As Small Business Saturday approached, we did some research into the small businesses that need our help most during the winter months.
It’s been a tough few years for business owners. Two years of uncertainty during the pandemic have been followed by a huge rise in the cost of living, soaring inflation, and high energy prices. This winter looks set to be another tough one, but some small businesses will suffer more than others. Although times could be tough for everyone this festive season, here are the sectors we should really be looking to help out this winter.
📅 D E C E M B E R
We’ll leave you with this festive meme. Admit it, you’ll be telling this joke to everyone right through until New Year.
We’ll also leave you with this wonderfully apt word for the festive season. Try not to overdo it 😬
🙏 Thanks to everyone who’s got involved with The Backbone - we hope that it’s kept you informed and entertained. Here’s to a wonderful holiday season and a great start to 2023. See you on the other side.
📨 S U B S C R I B E
Subscribe to The Backbone to get each fortnightly edition into your inbox at 7 am every other Friday. Perfect for a quick read at breakfast or on the commute.