Allies of Skin (AOS) was founded with a simple goal in mind – “Take clinically proven activities and use them in supercharged concentrations for optimal efficacy and visible results”. In a world where skincare myths and charlatans abound, this is a refreshing approach to delivering skincare products that people can fall in love with.

AOS formulates its products so that each ingredient operates at its optimal pH. This provides the dual benefit of supporting the skin’s ability to heal itself and being compatible with all skin types.

And it’s not just skin that these beauty warriors care about – AOS believes in creating animal and environmentally friendly products. In fact, AOS has recently been officially certified as a cruelty-free brand. 

How InvoiceInterchange and Xero are helping

AOS had been searching for an accounts receivable financing solution. The team approached several traditional banks in Singapore but, like many small businesses,

Businesses of all shapes and sizes are adjusting to the challenges of ever-shifting COVID-19 restrictions. With the UK in another period of lockdown, many small businesses are taking the lessons they learnt from earlier this year to navigate these latest restrictions. 

London-based jewellery brand, Fenton, is no exception. The company was founded two years ago by Laura Lambert to provide ethical, sustainable jewellery options that reach beyond the usual palette. Today, they offer 5,000 different combinations, all made to order. We spoke remotely with Fenton’s COO, Jérôme Brustlein, to find out how the business is adapting. 

The customer still comes first

Despite the coronavirus lockdowns, Fenton remains steadfastly focused on its founding principles. That means a big focus on sustainability and transparency in the supply chain. While many precious metals and jewels are the product of exploitation and human suffering, Fenton works with providers to ensure that their products

The posts in this series have been drawn from Xero’s Stronger and smarter: a small business handbook. Designed to help small businesses determine which steps to take next, this practical guide uncovers the 10 trends shaping the future – so you can come back stronger and smarter than ever.

Switching to cashless transactions with low human contact makes things quicker, easier and safer. The move towards faster, easier ways to shop is accelerating every day. Contactless cards, digital wallets, even tapping your watch – they all bring new levels of convenience that customers have grown to love. Now, these cashless solutions are popular for an all-important new reason: hygiene.

As businesses reduce their use of cash for health reasons by embracing tap-and-go payments, they also benefit from quicker reconciliation, reduced theft risk, and lower storage, transportation and security costs. Basically, it’s the best of both worlds. 

Finding new ways

If you’re a Xero subscriber using Square, you know how great these two solutions are. We’ve listened to your feedback and are working to make sure they’re even better when combined. Today, we’re delighted to announce we’ve enhanced the Xero-Square integration in the UK, and we’re working to bring these improvements to other regions soon. You’ll see several new features.

Pay invoices online with Square

When you create an online invoice in Xero and email it out, you can now give customers the option to pay it instantly via Square. This makes it easy for your customers to settle their bills on the spot with a credit or debit card. Faster payment means better cash flow. 

There’s no longer any need to create duplicate invoices in Xero and Square. And when the payment hits your bank account, it appears in your bank feed and is simultaneously recorded in

Over the last few months, we’ve seen how small businesses have struggled, overcome challenges and proven their resilience to continue serving customers. Small businesses are the cornerstone of every community, and thriving in a world impacted by COVID-19 requires agility and strategic thinking. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen how small businesses have sought to increase their online presence and identify ways to become more digital as they engage with customers under lockdown. 

We recently commissioned The Next Chapter for Small Business study by Forrester Consulting to uncover the true impact of the pandemic on small businesses. The study found that 49% of business owners are using cloud technology during COVID-19, up from 32% in 2019. Businesses that thrived during the pandemic showed a higher percentage of online revenue as well as greater cloud adoption. 

Predict and plan for the future with the cloud

Cloud and web-based tools have been critical