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Forbes Media have been in family hands for over 97 years. However, Forbes has now announced that they have sold the majority stake in the business to a Chinese Company based in Hong Kong.Forbes Media is famous for the Forbes magazine, which published the rich list. Integrated Whale Media are said to the be the group behind the purchase. However the Forbes Family have still said they will have a large stake in the company, just not the majority. Steve Forbes the current chairman will remain in his position.The company was founded by the grandfather, 97 years ago, Forbes said that this should be seen as an opportunity to strengthen the companies mission. Forbes reaches over 75 million people worldwide every month through pring, TV and digital media. The companies headquarters will remain the United States of America but the company is now looking to expand to international markets.If you liked this story, you can read more informative articles on our business news blog. Your Virtual Office London, leaders in virtual office and company formations.

In the UK many companies tend to use a trading name to operate under. The company trading name is different to a Limited Company name. Many businesses prefer to operate under a different name and there are many reasons why they would choose to do this.Firstly a company may have different operations, this means they may be running multiple businesses but under the main Limited Company. In this instance it would make more sense to have different names for each business to help give them a brand and identity.Secondly many businesses have a website address and choose to trade under this name, as the company name may be to long or they chose to go for a more memorable website name.There are issues with trading as names, first of all is the Business Names Act 1985 which states there are legal requirements that a Limited company must adhere too. First of all is that the trading name cant be similar to another company name which could then mislead customers. Secondly sensitive words are not allowed to be used, this are words such as “group”, “frederation” and so on.We would always recommend you do you research first, when you form a limited company check out the competition. If you are planning to use a trading name, run a company search and see if there are any competitors who are using this name.Your Virtual Office London are company formation experts. We have formed many thousands of companies over many decades. If you are unsure of anything you have read please do get in contact with us, we are always happy to help. If you would like more advice on trading names, limited company formation or one of our other services we have a professional team ready to take your call.

Your Virtual Office London provides a free fast track business banking service for all Limited Company formations.A limited company in the UK should have a business bank account to show all the income and expenditure of the account. This makes it a lot easier as opposed to using a personal account, as the transactions are kept separate making it easier for your accounts.A limited company has to complete annual returns and tax returns which are legal requirements from Companies House and HMRC. A dedicated business bank account for your Limited company is the best way to keep a record of all your transactions, making it a lot easier to do your accounting as and when its needed.Your Virtual Office London have teamed up with Barclays to provide all clients with a free fast track business bank account. We have helped over 1000 clients start up with a Barclays bank account which are free and come with excellent benefits such as the following:A few of the Barclay's Business Bank Account Features:

• Free Business baking without charges for upto 12 months.
• A necessary introduction meeting at a Barclays bank of your choice.
• A free debit card, cheque book and safety chip and pin reader for online baking
• Free online banking, mobile apps for your phone, text alerts and paper statements.

I would like to go take your free business bank account up, what next?All Your Virtual Office London clients are able to apply for this offer. If you have a Limited Company and you would like to apply please contact us.Once we receive your details we will inform Barclays of your interest and they will the get in contact with you, its that simple.

UK cities should invest in energy product including increased green energy to help compete with main energy suppliers in the UK.A think tank has suggested that cities could really benefit from renewable energy, helping to drive down costs. Energy UK, which represents energy supplies said customers would welcome more competition. More competition would result in lower prices and a more competitive market.Cities account for two thirds of the worlds total energy consumption. They also contribute over 70% of global C02 pollution emissions.Cities should invest in local power generation technologies such as solar panels and wind farms on a smaller scale. This would completely change the way the energy supply system operates. This would help smaller producers provide customers with energy ending the big power companies` dominance which can lead to higher prices.In Bristol, the local authorities have plans to setup and install a large one gigawatt of solar panels by 2020. Aberdeen is planning to run buses on hydrogen from using the local wind farms spare energy production.Britain has a long way to go, but authorities are starting to understand that they now have a role in green energy production. More competition in the energy market is great for the customers and everyone will see benefits, from cleaner air with less pollution to cheaper energy bills.If you like this business economy news blog, you can read more on our blog page. Your Virtual Office London, leaders in professional services for small businesses.

If you are a shareholder of a Limited Company and you die, the shares will go to whoever inherits them under a will or through intestacy. The deceased person`s shareholder will be administered by the executors of the will or if there is no will left, then through administrators of the estate.The Limited company will need to accept evidence of the probate of the will or letter of administration to establish that the rights of the personal representatives in respect to the shares and ownership. The representatives of the deceases are subject to the Company`s Articles of Association.Some companies have restrictions on the transfer of shares outlined in the articles, which may allow the directors of the company to refuse the registration of the shares.It is essential to make sure you have a plan in place in case one of the shareholders dies, it is essential that this process is correctly documented.

Some normal arrangements are as follows:

1. An agreement that any shares may pass to particular people such as a shareholders partner or children.
2. Pre-emption rights in favour of the existing shareholders
3. A pre-arranged right to buy the deceased shareholders holding with valuation arrangements and a payment schedule.
4. A cross option agreement, a legal contract between the shareholders and the owner of the shares with an insurance policy which will pay a pre-agreed sum which would be used to pay for the deceased shareholders holding. For example the shareholder passes the shares to his partner, the other shareholders then arrange for insurance prior to death to cover the cost of buying the shares back. Upon death, the shareholders then are given the legal right to buy the shares from the partner using the insurance pay-out.

The situation you need to avoid is whereby there is no plan, and a shareholder dies and there are conflicting issues with the will and the companies articles.If you need professional advice on the above issues, Your Virtual Office London can help discuss the option available to you. We are company formation experts, and have been forming companies since 1971.

I'm a director and a minority shareholder what happens if the majority shareholder wants me out?

In this article we discuss what happens if two shareholders are in dispute where one is a minority shareholder. What rights does the minority shareholder have, and what if anything can you do?Sometimes it is necessary to remove a director from a company if a dispute arises. This is where the Company`s Articles of Association would be used, they would be used to confirm the procedure of how disputes are handles. If the Company`s Articles of Association do not provide a solution, the next solution is to understand section 994 of the Companies Act 2006.

This is a very important statute and this states:

A member of a company may apply to the court by petition for an order under this Part on the grounds that(a) The company`s affairs are being or have been conducted in a manner that is unfairly prejudicial to the interests of members generally or of some part of its members (including at least himself), or(b) An actual proposed act or omission of the company (include an act or omission on its behalf) is or would be so prejudicialThe idea behind this is to protect minority shareholder, this means shareholders with less than 50% of the shareholding in a situation where the majority shareholder seeks to act in a manner that is unfair to the minority share holder, such as removing them as a director. This statue gives the minority shareholder some power in the court if they feel they have been unfairly treated. In such circumstances a majority shareholder could try to damage the company which could result in a reduction of the value of the share.The minority shareholder would have to have a good case to show that the majority shareholder was actively trying to damage the business in order to reduce the value of the shares, simply stating the business is being badly run would not be enough. Credible proof would be needed and it could be a lengthy process.If you are in this position and need more advice, Your Virtual Office London provide company support and advice. We are happy to help you, we offer free and impartial advice and have a vast amount of experience behind us. Our team have been forming companies since 1971 and are on hand to help provide you with the knowledge you need in order make sure your company makes the right choice.We provide other professional services too, such as registered office addresses service, directors service address and mail forwarding in London. What ever the need, speak to us today.

China - the world`s second largest economy, second to the United States of America has expanded 7.5% from a year ago, up from 7.4% growth in the previous quarter. This is in direct relation to the governments stimulus that is not having an impact on the positive growth.China has been actively looking at ways to stimulate the economy to help boost growth. China has experience many years of expansion, and growth had slowed in very recent times which can relate to a global decline in demand for its manufactured products.The economic slowdown led to China trying to boost domestic demand to help increase and sustain the expansion, increasing home grown demand can also help balance the growth model.China`s national bank said it would reduce the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) – the amount of reserve money needed for a security reserve. This spare cash would then be made available for small businesses and companies. The bank also said it would encourage other banks to help make more money available to exporters.The Chinese government has also recently announced it would cut taxes on small business to help reduce red tape that can prevent new businesses forming. The government are also speeding up the construction of railway lines across the country. Further to this they are also announcing large domestic infrastructure projects such as new railways, roads and ariports along the Yangtze River.If you found this blog informative, we have many more helpful and intersest posts on our business blog page, Your Virtual Office London business experts.

Want to get perfectly successful texts that capture the attention of potential users or customers? Effective business writing should be done using essential tools to achieve quality texts that are not boring to readers.Writing is not a science, but it is an art to be able to apply if you want to get effective texts that are picked up and pored over by customers. The business writing should be done effectively using essential tools to achieve quality texts that are not boring to readers.The writing of any text should be clear, concise, entertaining, understandable and of course, convincing, since it is the only way to get to increase sales of your online business effectively. With copywriting you must learn how to bring value to your customers; you must get to communicate and converse with them to ensure that you understand every sentence you read.

To write for business, you have to have something to say

So, if you want to write good commercial texts, the bottom line is that you need something important to communicate to the readers. If your customers consider what you say important and believe the words of your commercial texts, you will increase your sales!Remember: The secret of good writing is in the rewriting.

So without further ado, here are the 12 secrets to make your business successful through scintillating copywriting.

1. Preparation: It's important that you carry out a summary of what you really want to say before you start writing the first word. If you're not sure what you want to convey to your customers, it is best that you clarify your ideas first.2. Titles and subtitles: The titles and subtitles are the first thing`s read by any user or customer, so they should be attractive to readers and induce the rest of the text. It is important to have the title and subtitles before starting to write the body of the business writing, and that will help you convey your idea.3. Draft: Make a first draft text in Word or whatever you prefer. Do not worry if it's not perfect.4. Don`t rush it: Do not fool yourself that you`ll have the text in a day. Rest a few days before starting to make tweaks to the first draft. A clear mind will allow you to achieve better results.5. Unnecessary words: Often we have the bad habit of adding more words than are necessary in the texts made. It`s really important to remove all the words that are unnecessary to thereby provide clear, concise and compelling texts.6. First and last paragraphs: The first and last paragraphs are the most important parts of any text, so you have to be very careful when writing them. The first paragraph should invite you to read on, while the latter should be a summary that is responsible for putting the climax in the text that encourages the purchase of products.7. Short phrases: Every idea should be expressed in a single sentence, preventing more than 17 words from spreading.8. Short words: Readers need texts in simple words to assimilate their mind. Check that about 75% of your business writing consists of words with 5 letters or less.9. Short paragraphs: Excessively long paragraphs are boring for the reader. Ideally, each paragraph should consist of a maximum of 4-5 lines.10. Truthful Promises: Do not promise your readers something you cannot prove. Your promises need to be true and demonstrable.11. One idea per sentence: Try to use one idea per sentence, thus ensuring the reader will get much clearer information.12. Standby time: Before rewriting your work, leave at least a day of relaxation and disconnection.Now that you know the secrets to effective business writing, get to work with your texts and get to increase your sales significantly with winning and successful commercial texts. Get in contact with Your Virtual Office London to see how we can help improve your business.

Want to increase the profits of their business but find it difficult due to the strong competition that exists? You should know that to make a business add value, you must make your business competitive in the market.Value added is a feature or extra service that is given to a product or service, in order to provide greater value. It must be an unusual feature or service that differentiates your business or company from the competition.Many times we try to increase sales by making offering incentives such as discounts; however a good way to not compromise on price is to offer added value. This will make your customers feel fulfilled and satisfied to have got something more from their purchase.

Here are some suggestions and recommendations on how to make a business more profitable through adding value:

• Try to give something to those who visit your business: keep in mind that whenever someone crosses your door and visits your company, this is a golden opportunity to make the business more profitable by adding value. You can offer gifts for visitors that needn`t be anything expensive, such as chocolates, calendars, or a simple reminder to make the visit more enjoyable.
• Encourage your employees to uphold the proper treatment of clients: it`s good to take care to train and motivate your employees so that they always provide a smile and friendly service to customers. You can be sure they will appreciate it and increase the chances that they make purchases, return in the future and give good recommendations on your business.
• You can provide service delivery. If this is not part of your policy, then it relates to the possibility of offering home delivery of your products. Although it is clear that the implementation of this service represent a higher cost and you should evaluate it before offering it, it could represent a significant edge over your competition.
• Try to reduce the waiting time of your customers. If your business is such that people have to wait for treatment or for your products, you can make a business more profitable by adding value in the reduction of time. You could offer a more comfortable way of waiting by introducing coffee, a glass of water, a magazine or newspaper of the day` all to make your customers feel more relaxed when waiting to be served.
• You can send notes or calls of thanks: a good way to add value to your products or services is to express how important it is to have customers like them and they will appreciate the confidence in your business.

Here are some examples of how to a business can be more profitable by adding value:

• A restaurant that offers customers a special area for children, where free child care is provided and there are different games for children.
• A supermarket supplying fruits and vegetables can be offered previously cleaned, peeled, cut, and presented in special packaging to be consumed in an easier way for customer.
• A gift shop that not only sells but also handles wrapped goods and sends it to the person who`s made the order.
• A machine shop that not only gives us the car repaired, but completely cleans it and undergoes basic maintenance.

Final recommendations for adding value:

Adding value in your company is not just about offering anything, making arbitrary decisions or offering it just as a giveaway, but should be a carefully planned strategy and focused purely on customer satisfaction. It should be noted that you need to handle the added value sparingly because when you offer a gift or something extra the first time, your customers will expect it as an integral part of your service every time they visit your business.Your Virtual Office London can help create your company and provide the right tools for you to manage it efficiently. We provide leading mail forwarding, an office address in London and company formation services to start up businesses. Having worked in the small business sector for over 30 years, yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk are experts in providing advice when and where its needed. If you need help or advice please get in touch with us or please read our informative business blog.

Microsoft prepares to cull its largest number of employees since it began trading.The biggest Job Cull since 2009 is about to go under at Microsoft UK. This will be the biggest job cut in Microsoft history with over 6000 people to loose their role at the company. The new chief executive Satya Nadella is expected to make some radical changes and streamline the UK arm of Microsoft.Cuts are going to be across the board which may include the newly acquired Nokia division as well as marketing and engineering departments, according to news agency Bloomberg.Microsoft currently employs around 127,000 staff worldwide and has seen a rapid increase in the staff they employ since taking over Nokia. It is suggested that the UK will be one of the biggest losers.The new chief executive Satya Nadella has stated that he tends to “flatten the organisation” and that he is aiming to develop a leaner more efficient model to help reduce overheads but maintain high production.Microsoft culled jobs in 2009 with over 5800 role were lost.If you are starting a company, why don`t you speak to our experts? Your Virtual Office London are leaders in company formations and virtual office services, including registered office address in central London.