August 2025 Newsletter

✨ Quote of the Month

“There’s nothing wrong with staying small. You can do big things with a small team.”
— Jason Fried, Co-founder of 37signals (Basecamp)

We know August can be a quieter month for some, and if you’re managing to take a bit of time off, we hope you’re making the most of it. Whether you’re travelling, switching off, or just slowing the pace, enjoy the break. You’ve earned it.

For those of you who like to pack a bit of inspiration in with your downtime, here are a couple of excellent holiday reads I’d recommend:

📘 Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
A great book if you’re looking to step out of the day-to-day and think more strategically about how you use your time as a founder.

📗 The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
A classic, full of ideas (some practical, some provocative) for building a business that supports your life, not the other way around.

UK government steps up support for SMEs as confidence and growth take a hit.

• Government launches Small Business Plan: The new strategy promises £4.5bn of funding, tougher late‑payment laws, and sweeping regulatory reform, a long‑term win for small firms.
  Source: Wired Gov – 2 Aug 2025
• Confidence at crisis levels: A record 27% of business owners expect downsizing or closure in the year ahead, as costs and taxes bite. Just 25% forecast growth, the lowest figure since 2008.
  Source: The Times – 30 Jul 2025
• Innovation curve falling: Only 65% of SMEs are working on growth projects, the lowest level in four years. Many are opting for defensive strategies like cost control and cashflow planning.
  Source: Credit Connect – 28 Jul 2025

Big-business moves offering lessons and warnings for SMEs.

• AI pays off: Palantir’s revenue hits $1bn in a quarter
  Palantir posted a record-breaking Q2 with 48% year-on-year revenue growth, exceeding $1bn for the first time thanks to soaring demand for its AI-powered analytics platform. It has now raised its full-year forecast to $4.14–$4.15bn.   Source: FT – 4 Aug 2025
• Jaguar Land Rover’s pink rebrand backfires
  JLR’s bold campaign, featuring pink “Barbie-style” visuals and no cars, sparked widespread criticism. CEO Adrian Mardell will retire at the end of 2025, amid volatile sales and brand confusion.  Source: The Times – 5 Aug 2025
• McDonald’s UK profit up 80%, charity giving down 45%
  Despite a sharp rise in profitability, McDonald’s UK significantly reduced its donations to Children in Need, drawing criticism over corporate social responsibility.
  Source: The Guardian – 4 Aug 2025 

Having gotten over the often painful July self-assessment payment deadline, August is a quieter month, but there are still a couple of key dates to keep in mind.

• 22 August: PAYE, NICs & CIS electronic payment due for the tax month ending 5 August 2025.
  Make sure payment clears on time to avoid interest or late payment penalties.

• 31 August: Corporation Tax return filing deadline for accounting periods ending 30 November 2024.
  Don’t forget Companies House filing if it also falls due.