That was the week that was.
Donald Trump came to town with the USA’s tech bros. They scattered largesse upon us, and we blew smoke in return. Thanks, Don. Thanks bros.
UK business secretary Peter Kyle slagged off UK students for not having the entrepreneurial ambition of their American peers.
(Well it’s not quite that simple, Pete. And last time we looked, you’d never really started a business yourself. )
And Supermarket launched. Built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurial businesses.
If there is a red thread running between these three events it is entrepreneurialism: Start-ups, and what, at least in the case of the Americans, can swiftly become vast powerful businesses. Not to mention instruments of economic imperialism.
In the UK, small and mid-size businesses employ 16 million people. They heroically generate half of private-sector turnover. They create jobs, culture, new ideas: Fashion labels, game studios, craft brewers, fintech rebels, biotech pioneers. Britain’s edge has always come from our inventors, creators and entrepreneurs. We punch way above our weight.
But not currently. So how do we Make Britain Great Again?
If we’re to get our economy out of the doldrums, creating a business environment that supports domestic entrepreneurial business is where it’s at.
Whilst the opportunity is obvious, the barriers are much broader than Peter Kyle suggests.
Too many smaller businesses get stuck. Capital is over cautious. Cash doesn’t flow. Bureaucracy favours the established. Workplace legislation overwhelms. Talent gets scooped up by the big American players. Politicians look for quick wins, rather than creating policy that will make a real difference.
And ad agencies (which can make a small business huge) are slow, siloed, self-interested and expensive.
Which is why we’ve launched Supermarket. Built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurial businesses. A speedboat in a sea of supertankers.
We bring the right talent into the right room at the right time. Un-siloed. Un-varnished. No self-serving processes. No jazz hands. No worrying about hotels at Cannes next year.
Just game-changing clarity, and kick arse communications. For businesses who don’t have time or money to waste.
So Peter Kyle please note: If you want to see UK businesses thrive, create an environment, across the board that enables our domestic entrepreneurial economy.
Yes, our undergrads need to get entrepreneurial. But don’t we all?
