Times are tough for a great many of us, as we seem to lurch from one disaster to another. From one pandemic to another economic crisis – out of the frying pan and straight into the wok, to coin that old expression.
That said, the last year has still seen a sizable increase in businesses created in the face of such adversity, as the title of this piece indicates. Though the new government continues to dither and delay on budgetary issues, it is clear that there is at least some positive news coming out of the UK in terms of its business exploits and endeavours.
Small businesses: weathering the storm
The vast majority of UK businesses – 99% of around 6 million of them – fall into the category of small business. Of course every business has to start from its initially humble beginnings. Just over 4.5 million of those businesses are also run solely by their founders.
When Conservatives speak of ‘levelling up’, it may seem unclear as to what they mean, but it may be that small businesses are a sizable part of their plan. Boosting the UK economy and levelling up may well hinge on the success of the small business. As Churchill once said, we are a nation of shopkeepers after all. But just how heavy should our reliance on small businesses be?
Of course the economy is a volatile beast, with each individual harbouring their own opinion on how it looks at a certain moment in time. Opinions on the economy can never truly be objective given that we all look at it from differing standpoints, but small business owners will certainly have a strong idea of the way in which the wind happens to be blowing economically.
This is where start-up tailored solutions can help. The likes of Clear Start have tailored platforms for brands with start-up accelerator programmes. After all, there is so much to consider when starting a business – but often a tighter budget. Market research, creative support, social media, and countless other details great and small can come at a price, but these solutions are designed to be more cost effective for new businesses.
What problems do small business owners face in the UK?
The last decade has been a challenging one, and that is putting it mildly. Brexit, Covid-19 and now a cost-of-living crisis of unprecedented levels. Add to this equation that small businesses often have to cope with consumer price inflation (CPI) and cuts in consumer spending, and the figures quoted in the title may come as something of a surprise.
The value of the pound seems to be on a steep decline too, meaning that international buyers are able to take advantage and get more bang for their buck. Export-oriented businesses are highly likely to suffer on this particular front.
But it’s becoming increasingly clear that these small businesses need support to thrive, as they truly are the backbone of the British economy. The desire to start a business in troubling times to such a massive extent is inspiring, but it’s no good if these inspiring everyday heroes do not receive the requisite help in continuing to uphold the economy.
