Running your own business isn’t just a job - it’s an ever-changing dance between vision and chaos.
One minute you’re mapping out your big ideas, and the next, you’re knee-deep in admin, emails, or trying to decode that new bit of tech that promised to save you time.
Sound familiar?
If you're feeling a bit all over the place, stretched thin, or like you're constantly firefighting just to keep things ticking - this one's for you.
As a Virtual Assistant with 30+ years of experience in admin, finance, and project management (and a fair few war stories from working with military and school leaders), I know how overwhelming the back-end of business can be. That’s why I’ve pulled together this hand-picked list of top online resources. No fluff. No endless scrolling. Just genuinely useful tools, blogs, and platforms that will help you get back in control—and maybe even get your weekends back.
Let’s dive in.
Business Know-How & Insight
1. Enterprise Nation A treasure trove of advice for UK small business owners, with guides on everything from business planning to securing funding.
2. Startups.co.uk Perfect if you’re still finding your feet or want to grow with confidence. Step-by-step guides, practical tips, and real-world founder stories.
3. Small Business (UK) Think of it as your daily briefing. Covers finance, HR, tech, and marketing in a way that’s clear, relevant, and jargon-free.
Marketing & Visibility
4. Digital Boost Free mentoring for small businesses and charities. Ask marketing questions, get expert answers. It’s a hidden gem.
5. Canva’s Design School Not just for making things pretty - learn the ‘why’ behind your brand and how to communicate it visually, confidently.
6. HubSpot Blog & Academy Bite-sized lessons in social media, CRM, email marketing - ideal for when you want to do your own marketing but don’t know where to start.
Finance Made Less Frightening
7. FreeAgent Blog Especially useful for sole traders and limited company directors in the UK. Plain English advice on tax, cash flow, and bookkeeping.
8. HMRC's Help & Support for Small Businesses Yes, it’s HMRC. But honestly? It’s full of short videos and webinars that actually help. Worth bookmarking.
9. The Money Panel Hosted by the brilliant Catherine Morgan, this podcast/blog combo is all about changing your relationship with money and building confidence in financial decisions.
Systems & Productivity
10. Trello Blog Whether you're managing your own projects or a small team, Trello helps you stay on top of it all. Their blog is full of easy-to-implement productivity hacks.
11. Zapier Blog Automate the boring stuff. This blog shows you how to streamline repetitive admin and free up time for more important things.
12. Notion Templates & Tutorials For the planners, the dreamers, and the list-makers. Organise your life, your business, and your thoughts—all in one place.
Leadership & Personal Growth
13. Mind Tools Your one-stop-shop for leadership, time management, and communication tips that you can apply straight away.
14. The Coaching Tools Company Brilliant worksheets and resources to help you with goal-setting, delegation, and mindset (you don’t need to be a coach to use them!).
15. Happy Ltd Blog A feel-good business blog that focuses on creating happier, more productive workplaces. Great if you’re building a team.
Market Research & Trends
16. Statista Charts, graphs, and data on just about anything. Ideal when you're planning something new and want to back it up with real insight.
17. Google Trends What’s hot, what’s not, and when to launch that new service. A surprisingly handy tool for small business owners.
18. Think with Google (UK) Big-picture thinking with practical takeaways. Get inspired by how others are adapting to digital.
Learning & Development
19. Coursera & FutureLearn Take a short course from a top uni on leadership, productivity, or digital marketing - often for free.
20. The CPD Certification Service Want to grow professionally and make it count? Check here for recognised learning that you can track and use to boost your business.
Podcasts Worth Listening To
21. Conversations of Inspiration (by Holly Tucker) Heartfelt stories from British founders about the ups and downs of running a business.
22. The Diary of a CEO (Steven Bartlett) A more introspective take on success, mindset, and the entrepreneurial journey.
23. Grow With Soul (by Kayte Ferris) For creatives and solo business owners who want a slower, values-led approach to business growth.
Legal & HR Resources
24. ACAS If you're thinking of hiring (or already have a small team), this site is gold. Straightforward guidance on employment law and people management.
25. Simply Business A one-stop-shop for insurance and useful reads on risk, responsibility, and protecting what you’ve built.
26. LawBite Affordable legal advice tailored to small businesses. Includes templates, contracts, and guidance.
Tools for Time Back & Sanity Saved
27. RescueTime Track how you’re really spending your time (it’s eye-opening) and get tips to boost your productivity.
28. Freedom App Block out distractions and actually get through your to-do list. Perfect for focus days.
29. Clockify Simple time-tracking tool that’s great if you bill by the hour or just want to see where your time goes.
*30. Lisa Jackson - Virtual Assistant Yes, I’m putting myself on this list - because sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is stop trying to do it all. If you’re drowning in tasks, overwhelmed by admin, or just need someone to help you get organised and feel on top of things again, let’s talk.
The Bottom Line
Running a business is no small feat—but you don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to figure everything out from scratch. Whether you’re trying to be more visible, get to grips with your numbers, streamline your systems, or just feel more confident - there’s a resource on this list for you.
And if what you really need is a second pair of hands (and a calm, experienced brain to bounce ideas off), you’ve already found your best resource: me.
Let’s have a chat about how we can get your back office running like clockwork so you can focus on what you actually love doing in your business.
About Me I’m Lisa Jackson, a Virtual Assistant with over 30 years of PA and business management experience. I’ve worked with military and school leaders, managed and recruited teams, hold qualifications in Business Management, AAT, and Event Planning - and I truly understand the pressures of running a small business. I specialise in helping business owners like you feel more organised, in control, and excited about what’s next.
Authored by Lisa Jackson