Linda March, who is over 50, is currently setting up a rather unusual business. Called Court Support, it provides a service to witnesses attending a Court of Law or similar hearing. Linda attends Court with the witness. She supports them throughout the experience by explaining the court process, helping with their testimony or statement and - – - read more >

Being Scottish, Eleanor Dowds, 53, probably appreciates the well-known words of Burns about the best-laid schemes of mice and men “going aft agley”. Having worked for more than 30 years as a nurse, Eleanor, who is based in Cheshire, has been planning a move into self-employment for her middle years – but her plans have - – - read more >

Harry Dennis set up his own business in October 2005, when he was 51. Based in Stockport, Harry has worked in the chemical industry his entire career and has now built on his experience by setting up an environmental consultancy, Dennis Environmental Ltd, which specialises in waste management, in particular waste minimisation and hazardous waste - – - read more >

This Daily Telegraph article warns against relying on politician’s promises to give you an adequate income in retirement. Unless you’re happy with amounts like £84.25 a week – currently the full basic state pension, or perhaps £109.45 a week if you qualify for full Pension Credit, you will need to make your own arrangements. But - – - read more >

Brenda El-Leithy, 59, is a good example of someone who has had to re-learn skills in a changing market place.  Her business, Mind2Mind, provides hypnotherapy and personal development workshops. Brenda had run her own personal development business for several years before personal circumstances required a move to Wales, away from her base in Sutton, Surrey. - – - read more >

Mike Lloyd has demonstrated that business ideas can sometimes come from unexpected places. After a career advising other people on how to set up their own businesses, Mike has now, at 60, found himself running his own business, delivering flowers. “I committed a cardinal sin,” comments Mike. “I went into something that I knew nothing - – - read more >

Graham Siggs is 61. He started his own electrical testing service two years ago and intends to keep his business going for quite some time yet. “I have a quality product that I intend to sell as long as I can, and then sell as a going concern,” Graham comments. Graham is based in Somersham, - – - read more >

For Sally Walton, it was a combination of external and internal factors that prompted her to set up her ecological design business, Carry-A-Bag (www.carry-a-bag.com). Sally, who is 55 and based in St Leonard’s on Sea, in East Sussex in southern England, had been working with her husband for more than 15 years, writing books on - – - read more >

Microsoft Office Live is a free, ad-supported service that gives you a web site with your choice of domain name (e.g. www.examplefirm.com), a set of matching e-mail addresses and tools to manage customer contacts and existing documents. The UK version launches in “beta” (public test) mode on 15 Nov 06, the same day the US - – - read more >

Good tips about writing press releases, as well as a straightforward press release generation tool. Fill in the boxes on the form and get a press release out. The site www.samplepressrelease.info is registered in Switzerland but the English is quite good.

Business Link for London now has a set of free online self-assessment tools on its site. They let you check how your business is going or whether your start-up plan has unspotted flaws. You don’t have to be from London to use them. You do have to register but the site still works if you - – - read more >