Britain badly needs a shot in the arm. Despite inflation coming down recently, costs for businesses are still sky-high. High streets in towns around the country are continuing to struggle, with one in seven stores now empty.
And for those that trade internationally the picture remains deeply uncertain as the war in Ukraine, tensions with China and destabilised relationship with the EU rock the boat. So where are we going to find the juice to get going again? What is going to get us back on our feet? And who is going to do the hard yards of renewing the country? The answer is, as always, Britain's entrepreneurs. Whether it's bakers, biotech start-ups, beauty technicians or anything in between, these are the small business owners who – given the right conditions – are ready to take a risk and pour all their energies into making things happen.
I work with people like this every day. People like Dock and Bay who sell their superfast drying towels across the world or Fussy shaking up the world of deodorant!! Their energy, their savvy and their commitment are why I get out of bed in the morning. They are the people that can pull Britain out of the doldrums.
But the truth is that small business...
(Image: BBC).