Ways to improve your business in 2026
As January has drawn to a close you may have already set aside any well-intentioned new year’s resolutions. But there is still time to make small changes in the way you run your business.
05 February 2026
Here, we get some inspirational ideas from the people we interviewed for Entrepreneur Academy last year.
There’s no time like today to start thinking about selling into international markets.
“That doesn’t mean you have to be selling overseas immediately,” says Helen Tonks, co-founder of Hydraulics Online. She suggests making sure decisions taken today have one eye on going global later. “That way, you don’t have to reverse out decisions [if you do want to expand internationally]. I talk about baking in international trade, rather than bolting it on.”
If you are looking at a new international market, it’s worth investing time and resource in some research before you start to sell there. Dave Parker, co-founder of cybersecurity and risk consultancy Parker Neal, explains that this research needs to go beyond the basics, “Do your research, not just in terms of the market and your competitors, but also what the market looks like in terms of compliance, regulatory and legal issues.”
Any expansion, whether international or not, always comes with a degree of risk.
But you can help to reduce that risk by having a better grasp of your true cash position. In short, there is no need to fly blind. Indeed, a lack of awareness of how much cash the business has can often prevent people making the decision to enter a new market. Instead, take the time to get to know your true cash position. As Colin Hewitt, cofounder and CEO of cashflow forecasting business Float, explains, knowing how much money you have allows you to make key decisions to invest in more staff or marketing. “It gives you the confidence to actually spend the money and to take the opportunities to invest the cash in the business.”
Having a clear grasp of all your numbers, including cash flow, is essential when you start to engage with investors. And, as odd as it may seem, there is no better time to start thinking about your eventual exit from a business than today. Whether that means eventually selling the business, floating it on a public market or setting up an employee trust, there are ways to shape your business now to make any eventual exit more rewarding. Paul Dodgshon at brokers Uscita, explains: “A five-year plan is often the first kernels of an exit strategy in that it’s a roadmap. If you plan to build and sell a business with plenty of recurring revenue, long-term contracts with customers and a senior team that runs the business without you, that’s building a business with an end in mind.”
One way to potentially improve the value of your business is to invest in artificial intelligence.
Even if you aren’t looking to sell, it is worth considering how the new wave of AI products can improve the business. But having a solid rationale for introducing any AI is vital. “AI is a means to an end. It must link back to your business priorities,” says David Bholat, director of financial services at applied AI company Faculty. “That’s likely to be increasing revenue, cutting costs and improving customer experience.” Bholat adds that while off-the-shelf AI products are fine for some purposes, they are not enough to achieve an advantage. “Off-the-shelf tools can be helpful for general tasks, but for the key decisions that will differentiate the business and give a competitive advantage, that’s where you want proprietary AI.”
At the same time, don’t expect AI to solve all your business problems. As Rodrigo Malachias, co-founder of business consultancy Medible and its AI platform MedibleGo says, AI is just a new type of digital tool, akin to the internet or mobile phone. It is just something to help businesses run more efficiently. “It's like using a like a drill to put up shelves. It's easier than using a hammer, but it doesn’t do the job by itself. You still need to know how to use it. And you still need other tools. It’s a tool to speed up the process, but it doesn't solve everything.”
If you do invest in some bespoke AI solutions or tools, these may well have significant value as intellectual property. But even without AI, it is important to pay attention to your intellectual property (IP). “IP matters because your IP is your business”, states Tom Bohills, founder of Founders Law. “It’s what makes you unique, defensible, and investable. If you don’t own and protect your IP, you risk losing competitive advantage, credibility and potentially the ability to operate your own product.”
However you build or design your business, it is also worth considering how sustainable the business is and looking at ways to make it more sustainable.
Here, it can help to apply some design thinking to your approach. There’s a well-known saying among design and innovation experts that Dr. Graeme Heyes, Director of Sustainable Innovation at Litmus Sustainability, says founders could usefully apply to the question of how to make their businesses more sustainable, “There's a saying in the design community that to get a solution you love, you first have to fall in love with the problem. And I think that's really true for sustainability. In other words, founders shouldn’t leap at the first quick fix but rather should think strategically about what being more sustainable would look like for their business."
If this has been of interest, these topics are covered in more detail in the following lessons available in the Entrepreneur Academy
Unlocking international markets
Explore the advantages of being a “born global” business that builds international trade into its business plan from the start.
GenAI guide for startups
Make the most of the opportunity AI presents, with support on how to harness the creative potential of generative AI (GenAI), which is increasingly being used by businesses to tackle a wide range of challenges.
The business case for sustainability
Designing a business to place an emphasis on sustainability is something many founders aim for. One key to success is to embed sustainability at the heart of the business.
The Cash Flow Explainer
Cash flow management is one of the most important tools to help founders make sure their business is built to survive and thrive.
Intellectual property
This module introduces what IP is, the main forms it takes and offers insights on the best ways to protect your IP and your business.
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