Well it's the 1st of March, it's the first day of Spring, and I wonder is the day when small businesses begin to emerge from the long, dismal 'economic winter' and recession?
Although, the indicators suggest that there could be a very closely contested General Election, a possible hung parliament, and a potential 'double-dip' in the economy - my observations are that small businesses have been keeping their heads down, reducing their debts and borrowing, and investing in some introspection, smart thinking, and relationship building both online and offline. In my view the next 18 months will herald many new exciting developments in the business world, and these will be driven by the small businesses who are agile, 'connected', and customer-driven. In the last major economic recessions, we didn't have the internet, online networking platforms, however this time we have smart professional people taking responsibility for their own reputation and 'brand'. This increasing self-reliance has helped many become less dependent on the large corporate employer and triggered the realisation that maybe they could start using their skills and creativity to realise their goals within their own business.
I am one of those people, and I envsage that the contribution that small businesses will make in the global economy will be exciting and far-reaching. The adaptability, determination, professionalism, ambition, creativity, fairness, and world view that many enlightened Brits possess is self-evident in many of the SME's across the UK , and I predict these will flourish and will collectively drive economic growth.
I am heartened by the positivity and enthusiasm amongst the small business community, and feel privileged to be able to share and contribute to the collective effort we are all making. I hope that lending my voice and support to this Small Business Britain Charter will help provide a focal point to other business people, and drive a better understanding of the value of 'enterprise culture' amongst the financial institutions and government.
