However, do we even understand what the word entrepreneur means, or its bedfellow ‘innovative’?
There are many definitions, but for me, it is quite simply someone who can connect the world around them with what they already know, and come up with something which solves a problem. This is obviously my over-simplified take on the subject, and everyone will have their own thoughts. In some respects this underlines the entrepreneurial journey, which I once read somebody define as “like jumping off a cliff and building a plane on the way down” – a statement which I can entirely relate to. It’s complex, and that is what makes the entrepreneurial mind-set such a fascinating subject, which is, only now, starting to gain traction in the academic world.
With all the excitement around this new and ‘sexy’ world of people changing the planet, it is easy to forget the army of self-employed people, who may not see themselves as the next Richard Branson or James Dyson. According to the latest Government figures, there are 5.4 million private sector businesses in the UK, with SME’s making up 99.9% of that figure. That army of SME businesses employ 15.6 million people, or 60% of all those employed in the UK private sector.
From those figures, it is clear that small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy. In my role as a Business Advisor, at the coal face of this movement, I am constantly amazed and delighted at the drive and ingenuity of those who seek not fame and fortune, but just to take their destiny into their own hands, and make a difference.
CPCA Growth Hub would like to thank Harry Harris, Nwes Business Advisor, for writing this piece, and the team at Nwes for letting us share it with our followers and network. For more information on starting your own business, contact Nwes on 08456 099 991, email info@nwes.org.uk or visit www.nwes.org.uk.
