Small businesses in the UK have the the chance to win a £10k grant.

To celebrate the BT Business Experience at Farmiloe, Farringdon, in London between 29 June and 3 July, a panel of judges, including MD of BT Business, Bill Murphy, will select a start-up company that is both innovative and in need of a boost.

Bill Murphy said: “Small businesses are vital to the UK economy, particularly in the current climate – so we at BT Business feel it is vital to support this community by providing opportunities like this.

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Carribbean Beach bar & Restaurant >>
Where: Barbados
Price: $295k

Premium Water Bottling Business >>
Where: Fiji
Price: $5m

Stylish Nightclub >>
Where: Phuket, Thailand
Price: $290k 

Fire Sale of Stunning Hotel Spa >>
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii
Price: $50k

Cafe With Garden >>
Where: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Price: $95k

From Businessweek: A company running on a tight budget will perform far better than a company that has gotten a chunk of cash from VCs.

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From BBC News: While many students are using every penny they can scrape together to pay for tuition fees, accommodation and perhaps the occasional pint in the union bar, Layla Boubker had different ideas.

The 23-year-old, who recently graduated from the University of Hertfordshire, saved part of her student loans, and has used the money to start a business.

Her firm, Artizina, produces handmade, Moroccan inspired clothing - from kaftans and dresses to denim jeans.

And her first collection was part-funded by the money she had borrowed during her student days.

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From Elites TV: There is no question the internet is filled with a plethora of different home-based internet business opportunities for entrepreneurs to pursue.

Regardless of what your interests are or what you have skills in, you are bound to find something to make a career out of online.

Here are six different home business opportunities you may consider starting a career out of.

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From SmallBizTrends: With all the press and buzz about Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, one site not commonly known as a social networking site has emerged as just that.

With recent social features (and new ones coming with regularity), YouTube is quickly positioning itself as the respected social site for small business. Read on and discover five reasons why it should be a part of your small business social marketing strategy.

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From The Times: The other day an e-mail arrived bearing the subject line “working at home could damage the health of employees” and, given (a) my hypochondria and (b) I work from home a lot, I couldn’t have been more intrigued if it had come attached with a large cheque.

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From Reuters (Washington, DC) - The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced a new emergency bridge-lending program geared toward helping struggling small businesses ride out the current recession.

Calling it another "tool to our toolbox" SBA head Karen Mills said the new American Recovery Capital (ARC) program will offer "viable" small businesses temporary six-month loans of up to $35,000.

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By Alisa Johnson from BSchool.com: We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t sweat the small stuff.”

While this may be good advice in some aspects of life, it certainly isn’t the case in the business world.

Often, many of the little things can amount to much bigger headaches down the line – especially for the small-business owner.

So, sweat the small stuff now so you don’t have to later. You’ll be happy you did.

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I agree with retail magnate and TV personality Theo Paphitis, whose guiding principle in business is KISS - Keep it Simple Stupid.

If you're thinking about starting a business or buying a business, ask yourself the following questions before you proceed:

1. Will I have a useful product or service?

2. Is there a market for this product or service?

3. Will I have (a) the right team of people in place to sell the product or service to the market and (b) the administrative and functional tools that will enable the right team of people to sell the product or service?

That's it!

You only need to have a 'Yes' against 1,2 and 3 and you will be successful. Fact.

One 'No' and the entire thing collapses.

From BBC News: By the time registration opened at 7am the queue snaked all the way up Sixth Avenue and around the block.

With an advert promising to "give you the scoop on insider secrets for making money in these tough economic times", the organisers of the inaugural Moneyfest were guaranteed to hit a nerve in an America reeling from recession.

In the end, some 7,000 people crammed into a hotel in midtown Manhattan for a one-day expo, hoping to learn how to unlock their earning potential, release their inner entrepreneur and channel the power of Donald Trump.

They flocked from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia. They were students, the unemployed, seniors whose pensions have been wiped out, stay-at-home-moms, people of all ages and races united by one desire: to make money.

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From The Times: British Airways is offering small businesses flights to help boost their exports.

The airline has announced that it is giving away up to 5,000 return flights in Club Europe and Club World from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City to SMEs looking to export for the first time, existing SME exporters entering new markets and SMEs attending an international trade show for the first time.

However, qualifying companies will still have to pay taxes and charges on the flights, which can amount to hundreds of pounds.

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Things always need fixing...British Chancellor Alistair Darling might think (or want us to think) that the recession will finish before the year is out, but the IMF and most other experts believe we need to hunker down for a while yet.

If you're buying a business right now - and there are some bargains out there if you have the cash to spend - then how recession proof any prospective acquisition will be might well be a worthwhile factor to consider.

Take a look at these five recession-proof business sectors - meaning demand for their goods or services holds up regardless of the economic weather.

Newsagents >>

Convenience Stores >>

Maintenance Businesses >>

Bargain Stores >>

Fast Food Franchises >>

From Businessweek: Impulse shopping is rarely a good idea - especially if you're buying a business.

But you shouldn't overlook the importance of serendipity, either.

The declining economy has left a raft of formerly solid businesses in distress, making it the right moment to consider whether an acquisition might make sense for you.

With company performance — and therefore valuations — suffering, a recession can be an opportune time to buy.

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Here's an article from The Independent, which might inspire you to buy an ice cream parlour: Two years ago Carlo Del Mistro, 27, from Lake Como in northern Italy, was working as a strategist with Lehman Brothers in London – but he didn't see his future in banking.

He left to take a full-time MBA at London Business School, where his wife Simone was also doing a one-year Masters in finance course.

"I wanted to do something entrepreneurial," he says, "and I had several ideas. We ended up with gelato."

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From MaineBusiness.com: Entrepreneurship is one of the side effects of this economy's poor health.

People are turning their layoffs into business opportunities to start businesses.

Some entrepreneurs are beating the economy to the punch before they get downsized.

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From Businessweek: Quality of life and local incentives can lend a competitive advantage to entrepreneurs when they need it most.

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Here are some great recession-proof business opportunities available for sale at extremely modest prices - perfect in this credit-starved, bleak economic climate.

Liquor Store Franchise Resale>>
Where: Northern Illinois, US
Price: $35k

Town Centre Newsagent >>
Where: Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
Price: 5k

Bargain Shop >>
Where: Torremolinos, Costa Del Sol, Spain
Price: €9,995

Online Dating and Social Networking Website >>
Where: For the UK market
Price: £2k

Burger Joint >>
Where: Tennessee, US
Price: $29k

From The Sandy Post: Contrary to popular opinion, Hollis MacLean Wenzel says “a down economy is a good time to start a small business.”

Wenzel, executive director of the Sandy Area Chamber of Commerce, says it’s not just her opinion.

It’s history.

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From Los Angeles Times: Starbucks offers consumers up to 87,000 drink combinations.

Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, offers up to 1,000 channels.

Sirius offers 140 different satellite radio stations for your listening pleasure.

Americans have come to expect a wide array of choices, and most companies, be they car companies, clothiers or coffee shops, have been more than willing to pony up.

But more choices do not always equate to happier consumers.

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