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Crunch sponsors Glug - New Photos!
Crunch was at the Glug networking event in Brighton on Friday (February 5) handing out free beer! The event was aimed at designers and creatives tired of boring networking events, this was a great event to meet people and have a few beers at the same time.
Glug was organised by Glug Brighton in partnership with Glug London Made Studio, Studio Output and Agency Rush.
Check out some photos of the evening below.
Glug Brighton - 050210 - Images by Craig Sawyer
Living in the land of the freelancers
Crunch is proud to sponsor a new website launched with the aim of uniting the UK’s surging community of self-employed. FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk is an advice and networking website for freelancers and contractors, and it comes into action at a time when uncertainty has forced many people to look at their skillsets and consider working for themselves.
According to recent research carried out by trade body the Professional Contractors Group (PCG), there are currently 1.4 million people freelancing in the UK. The website makes its debut as official Government figures released last week show that unemployment has reached an 11-year high – the number of people out of work in the UK in the three months to September rose by 140,000 to 1.82 million. Economists claim this number could top two million early next year – leading to an inevitable rise in the number of freelancers and contractors.
FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk is written by experts from all industries within the freelancing community, offering guidance and advice on managing all aspects of the lifestyle. 14 articles are published each month along with a podcast featuring an influential figure. High-profile contributors include John Brazier, head of the PCG and Government lobbyist, mand Emma Brierley, CEO of freelance resourcing expert Xchangeteam and responsible for the Freelancer of the Year Awards. A two-part podcast interview with Brazier is currently live on the site. Brazier gives his views on the UK’s working trends and provides analysis of in-depth research into the current number of people working for themselves.
FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk was founded by award-winning online entrepreneur Darren Fell. Fell appears in this year’s ‘Courvoisier The Future 500 in association with The Observer’; a league table of the UK’s most talented business people and was also named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Sussex Business Awards 07/08.
“More people are being made redundant and in the current climate, we predict the UK will see a surge in freelancing,” said Darren Fell, Founder and MD of Freelance Advisor.
“By their very nature, freelancers and contractors don’t have a universal offline or online meeting point, so there was a gap in the market for this website.” He continued: “It’s been growing since it soft-launched in February this year and has been so successful we now want to put it in front of a wider national audience. The content is timely, genuinely useful and will help ease the transition from employee to freelancer.”
Further research carried out by the PCG in September 2008 reveals that of 1.4 million freelancers, 183,000 are freelancing as a second job. These are people in well-paid nine-to-five jobs who are seeking the security of working for themselves.
“We will shortly be introducing a specialist social network; providing a novel way to allow freelancers to collaborate and find work,” Darren continued. “We are already becoming a trusted resource for thousands of freelancers looking for direction in all areas of the
lifestyle.”
FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk intends to attract tens of thousands of users within the next two years.
Crunch.co.uk wins 'Innovation in Business' title at Brighton and Hove Business Awards
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Crunch.co.uk has won the ‘Innovation in Business’ accolade at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards (BAHBAs). Crunch.co.uk is aimed specifically at freelancers and contractors, and is the UK’s first combined online accounting system and practice – a fully automated online service backed up by an integrated chartered accountancy practice - for which customers pay a fixed monthly fee of £59.50. All annual company returns such as PAYE, Corporation Tax and VAT are included in the price. The company received the award at the sixth annual BAHBA’s, which recognise excellence in business, at a ceremony held at the Hilton Metropole in Brighton on Friday 9 October.
Chairman of Skype and co-Founder of Bebo invest in online start-up Crunch.co.uk
Crunch.co.uk is the UK’s first combined online accounting system and accounting practice dedicated to freelancers, contractors and independent consultants working across all professions. Brighton-based entrepreneur Darren Fell, who previously built and sold email marketing technology firm Pure for $7.8m, is behind the project. Crunch.co.uk launched in April this year.
Following van Swaaij’s intended exit from Skype after the company’s $1.9bn majority stake sale to a private investor group closes, Crunch.co.uk is one of the forward-thinking new projects he’ll focus on.
"The accounting industry is ripe for some disruption in order to make it more efficient, lower cost and less time consuming for freelancers,” said Michael van Swaaij. “Freelancing is booming and here to stay as a form of employment, giving millions of people access to work and income otherwise out of their reaches. I've been privileged to be involved with eBay and Skype, and like them Crunch not only aims to reshape an industry but will genuinely help freelancers and micro companies be more productive - thereby supporting an increasingly important part of our economy."
Crunch nominated for Innovation In Business Award 2009
Crunch has been shortlisted for the 'Innovation in Business' Awards at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards 2009! The award recognises those business that have outshined competitors through their use of technological, operational or marketing innovations.
Crunch's combination of easy online accounting system and access to a team of chartered accountants is the first of it's kind... So it's not surprising that Crunch, with its revolutionary new technology, has made it through to the final three!
Crunch meets Chris Evans
BBC Radio 2 (29 June 2009)
Crunch founder Darren Fell chats to Chris Evan and Foxy on their award-winning BBC Radio 2 drivetime show.
Crunch: Website to help keep Accounts (Argus, June 09)
The Brighton Argus recently reported on the Crunch launch and interviewed Crunch chief Darren Fell.
FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk launches to unite surging UK freelance community in face of growing unemployment
According to recent research carried out by trade body the Professional Contractors Group (PCG), there are currently 1.4 million people freelancing in the UK. The website makes its debut as official Government figures released last week show that unemployment has reached an 11-year high - the number of people out of work in the UK in the three months to September rose by 140,000 to 1.82 million. Economists claim this number could top two million early next year – leading to an inevitable rise in the number of freelancers and contractors.
FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk launches unique collaborative 'Network' as UK self-employment surges
The launch of Network comes as FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk unveils a new-look site. It has a brand new design, freelancing-specific jobs board and features expert advice from high-profile figures such as author of the globally successful 'Pitch Yourself' series of books Bill Faust and Emma Jones, author of Spare Room Startup. The site's podcast interviews with influential people from all industries also appear on iTunes.
FreelanceAdvisor.co.uk launches start-up support 'Network' as self-employment among graduates looks set to soar
Network, as it is known, was created in response to the surging number of people becoming self-employed as a result of growing uncertainty in the UK job market, and in turn the amount of graduates now considering freelancing as a career option.
Using Network, freelancers can search for complementary skillsets, for example a graphic designer looking to provide design for a web site can find a freelance copywriter then source an HTML programmer; creating a virtual team.
