UK small businesses keep going against the odds
This week’s newsletter comes to you from Daniel Woolf, Enterprise Nation’s head of policy.
The government’s latest figures give us the clearest picture yet of how small businesses are faring - and it’s a mixed one.
Small firms still make up over 99% of all UK businesses and employ 13 million people. But the total number has fallen by nearly 300,000 since 2020, showing just how tough the past few years have been.
The good news? More people are starting out again. The challenge? Fewer are growing into employers. That’s the difference between recovery and real renewal.
At Enterprise Nation, we’re focused on helping to bridge that gap — from start-up to scale. One initiative launching this week aims to make it easier for large organisations to buy from small businesses.
Because behind every data point is a founder with ambition. Our COO shares 10 uplifting small business stories. If you’ve got a story to tell, we'd love to hear it.
Behind the scenes of the Small Business, Big Break shoots 🎥
From pitch day to the production set, our three female founder winners have taken their ideas all the way to TV.
Their ads, powered by Constant Contact, are now complete - and we can’t wait to share them with you. Stay tuned!
Start of 2025 saw Britain gain more than 191,000 new companies than last year - Richard Tyler reports for The Times.
Total number of UK businesses rises, driven by increase in sole traders and micro companies - Dan Martin reports for SME web.
Brits fear Rachel Reeves’ next Budget will make them worse off - Mauricio Alencar reports for City AM.
UK retailers are set to escape being whacked with a higher business rates tax band - Hugh Radojev reports for Retail Week.
💰 Last chance to apply for the Alibaba.com CoCocreate Pitch to win funding. Plus, get 20% off tickets to the Alibaba.com CoCreate event on 14 November in London with code 'tpen' at checkout.
🌎 Subscribe to the Scale Stronger free email course to strengthen your financial processes - and earn the chance to win £1,000.
🛍️ Win £5,000 for your shop in the iconic Realising the Remarkable grant initiative from Vistaprint.
👩💻 Learn the AI skills every woman needs. Join a brand new course to build confidence and master cutting-edge AI tools. Use code 'enation30' for an exclusive 30% off.
Building a finance stack that grows with your business
🗓️ Wednesday 15 October| Online
Looking to grow internationally? Learn about real challenges small firms face when expanding into new markets. Plan ahead to avoid common roadblocks.
Unlocking the power of video to scale your business
🗓️ Thursday 16 October| Online
Discover how easy it can be to produce stand-out content with zero editing experience and hear why video should be a core part of your brand strategy.
Why sleep is a performance tool, not a luxury
🗓️ Monday 20 October | Online
This practical session will explore why sleep is critical to health, focus and resilience. Leave with realistic tools you can apply immediately to boost energy, productivity and wellbeing.
Enterprise Nation focus group: Retail founders
🗓️ Wednesday 5 November | Online
Are you the founder of a retail brand? If so, we would love to hear from you! Join a friendly and interactive online session, hosted by Ryan from the Enterprise Nation team.
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