The Treaty between the EU and the UK over Gibraltar is finally giving us some clarity, and yet, it also reminds us just how much sits outside our control. The finer details will take months to surface. Political tides may shift. Promises will be tested by practicalities. Every day, we face issues beyond our reach: new legislation, competitor actions, market trends, customer behaviour, staff turnover, illness, family responsibilities, global events. All of it lives in what Stephen Covey calls the Circle of Concern - things we care about, but cannot directly change. The more we fixate on them, the more frustration can grow.

Mental health issues affect us all. How we manage our daily stresses and anxieties have an impact on our relationships, how we perform in our job and the workplace environment, and our outlook on life. Becoming self-aware of what affects us, managing how we respond to triggers and using tools to help us work through them, are all part of our journey towards MENTAL FITNESS, which is how we should be positively defining it. 

Thrive catches up with Nick Pitaluga TEP, Managing Director of Gibraltar Trust & Corporate Services Limited - “GTCS”. From starting out as a messenger to leading his firm through a major merger, Nick talks about the importance of stepping outside your comfort zone and offers inspiration for anyone carving their own niche.

Gibraltar’s size means that shoppers don’t have too far to go to shop. Schools, supermarkets, entertainment, eateries and healthcare are all within easy reach. That hasn’t stopped Gibraltar's business community from wanting to meet its customers' needs online. I met three local businesses that have embraced eCommerce.

With its largely service-based economy, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Gibraltar didn't have to deal with the problem of toxic waste, perhaps more commonly seen in countries reliant on manufacturing, mining and even agriculture. However, every gaming company, insurance firm, fintech organisation, retailer, restaurant, and literally every other business on the Rock is potentially responsible for producing a particularly nasty waste byproduct - e-waste.

In an increasingly digital work environment where we have more emails, WhatsApp messages & interruptions than ever before, many business leaders started looking at ways of alleviating the stress that comes with this increased workload. Relaxing the dress code and letting your team dress down and wear in more casual clothing is one way of doing this….Or is it?

Technology is having a major effect on every aspect of our lives, and the retail environment is not immune to these changes. Not only has online shopping revolutionised the way we think about buying and consuming, but it has also dramatically changed how we shop in physical stores.

We recently provided a large local organisation with their uniforms. Once the order was delivered, I felt compelled to send them guidelines on how to take care of their uniform. Spending money on clothes and footwear is not a guarantee on making the right impression, either to yourself, nor anyone else- it’s attention to detail that seals the deal.

The world of work is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the accelerating capabilities of Generative AI. While robots taking over our jobs might be a sci-fi trope, AI’s ability to learn, create, and automate tasks is undeniably impacting various industries. Generative AI is the umbrella term used to describe the type of AI that can create new content and ideas. This can include text, images, music, code and other types of content. We are now seeing how powerful this tool can be. But is this a threat or a powerful tool waiting to be harnessed? We set out to find out, what does the use of Generative AI look like in Gibraltar?

When you’re a small business, staying one step ahead of the competition is essential. Yet, many small business owners grapple with the decision to invest in employee training and development. With limited resources and immediate financial pressures, it can unintentionally get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. However, investing in your team’s learning and development is a strategic move that can yield significant returns.

Love is big business. According to official statistics, 1,745 weddings took place in Gibraltar in 2021 followed by another 1,761 weddings in 2022 and a further 1640 in 2023. That’s around 33 weddings each week or 6 every single day. With an estimated population of around 33,000, it’s safe to say that, no, we aren’t all marrying each other, but that Gibraltar is a very popular place for many people to come and say ‘I do’. In fact, in all three years, non-residents outnumbered residents by an average of 90% to 10%. The stats point to a healthy wedding sector, one that our Minister for Tourism, Christian Santos is keen to develop. In an interview with the Gibraltar Chronicle he recently said he wanted; “Gibraltar to be the Las Vegas of Europe” when it comes to weddings. Unlike Vegas, we don’t have Elvis. But we do have John. Music legend John Lennon famously married Yoko Ono here in 1969 and put the Rock on the map for ‘Fast Track’ weddings. If music’s not your thing, acting legend Sean Connery (AKA James Bond) also tied the knot here (twice)!

We all have bad days, right? In business, that can mean we don’t bring our A-game to work and perhaps our service slips. Maybe a dish takes too long to reach a table or a staff member sounds distracted at the till. This could lead to negative Google Reviews or on ‘that’ Facebook group that […]

If you’re looking to grow your business, expand your reach post Treaty or simply try something new, collaboration can be one of the most effective ways to do it. The key is approaching it with a bit of structure. And resisting the urge to say yes to everything just because someone seemed nice over a […]

Success doesn’t just happen; it’s built on a strong foundation of preparation, clarity, and taking consistent action. Whether you’re launching a new business, taking your current side-hustle full-time, or looking to scale in a competitive market, having the right plan in place is essential.

During a recent and very long overdue catch up with my friend Trina, I had one of those ‘Aha moments’. To be fair, as someone who spends a lot of time interviewing experts, these moments happen to me a lot, but this one was different. In the 20 years Trina and I have been friends, she’s developed marketing strategies for global brands including Coca Cola, Virgin Atlantic, Nestlé and IKEA . Impressive stuff, but it’s what she’s working on now that really got me thinking…Taking inspiration from the military and politics, Trina and her business partners set up The Competitive Wargaming Team and now deliver secret, scenario-based ‘corporate war rooms’ for senior leaders designed to predict and outmaneuver competitor moves.

We’ve said it before and it’s only getting louder: AI is reshaping how businesses work. From chatbots and smart analytics to automated content and decision-making tools, AI is helping smaller firms punch well above their weight. But with that power comes responsibility. As AI use grows, so do the risks around data privacy, and under GDPR, getting it wrong can mean serious fines and lasting reputational damage.

You have a brilliant idea. You can picture the logo, the customers, maybe even the first sale. But without a clear plan for how to get there, the idea risks staying exactly that - an idea. Starting a business without a plan is like setting off on a trip with no map. You might eventually arrive somewhere, but it is unlikely to be where you hoped. A business plan is not just paperwork. When written with care, it is a roadmap that guides every decision, a pitch that wins support, and a source of confidence on the days when challenges mount.

Introducing the Thrive Catalog - A curated collection of goodies selected by our editorial team each quarter. Everything featured is available right here, right now at prices that are better than or compete with the internet.

If you’ve been dreaming of starting your own business, you’re not alone. Data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the annual number of companies registered is edging closer to the one million mark, that’s up by 75,000 in 2022 which itself was 30,000 higher than in 2021. Whether it's following a passion, aiming for financial independence, or breaking free from the 9-5 grind, every entrepreneurial journey begins with one crucial thing: a solid idea. But coming up with that perfect idea can be tough. This is where brainstorming comes in—it’s the creative springboard that can help you turn your business dreams into reality.

For many businesses, standing out from the crowd in an already crowded marketplace is a mammoth task. But for Fresquita one of the ways they tackled this issue was with highly creative packaging.