Practical guides for running a one-person business

Running a business on your own means doing the work and remembering everything that comes with it.

These practical guides cover the everyday jobs around the job — from sending and following up quotes to keeping work organised, invoicing customers and getting paid.

No corporate jargon. Just useful guidance for UK sole traders and businesses of one.

PAL remembers, so you don’t have to.

Quoting & winning work

How to Follow Up on a Quote Without Being Pushy — Sent a quote and heard nothing? Learn when and how to follow up politely, with copy-and-paste messages for UK sole traders and tradespeople. (4 min read)
How to Write a Quote for a Job: A UK Sole Trader Guide — Learn what to include in a professional job quote, how to make your price clear and what to do after you send it. (5 min read)

Managing jobs

How to Keep Track of Jobs as a Sole Trader — A simple way to organise customers, quotes, upcoming jobs, completed work and invoices when you're running the business on your own. (6 min read)

Invoicing & getting paid

What Should a Sole Trader Invoice Include? — A practical UK sole trader invoice checklist covering customer details, invoice numbers, dates, payment information, VAT and more. (5 min read)
How to Chase an Unpaid Invoice Politely — Invoice overdue? Follow a practical, professional process for reminding a customer about payment without damaging the relationship. (5 min read)