Here We Go Again....

Posted: Mon, Nov 2, 2020 4:16 PM

I read an interesting fact today - 1 in 5 Brits have started or want to start their own business by 2021.

Now this fact completely blows me away. Does it you? 

Having left the security of a council paid salary last September and embarked on running my own business, I've repeatedly cursed the lack of security that running a small business through a pandemic comes with. But yet, if we lay it all out there - Lingotot Wakefield made it, in fact we more than made it, we ROCKED Lockdown Take 1. Granted, I had to work 5 times harder to ensure that I retained all my contracts and provided enough options for community classes but I did it and came out with only a few bruises (mainly from over exciteable Hokey Cokeys on Zoom) and several (hundred) more wrinkles. So it got me thinking as to why? Why would people leave that security when the world is frankily crazy at the moment?

When I delved further into the statistics, the survey, run by Direct Line and supported by Companies House, goes on to state that the majority of start up businesses in lockdown came from people who were currently on furlough. Ah yes, so you see it's all very well and good starting a business when you've got the security of money coming in every month and you're sitting at home with very few distractions. Right? I'm not judging (and all views on here are very much my own) but I'm wondering what the statistic is of how many people were brave enough to subsequently leave their job to focus on their new start up....or have they been sensible enough to retain their job and run it alongside (those people will be laughing their way through November) OR have they sadly lost their 'secure' job and are really relieved they started something when they could? I'd like to know...please answer on a postcard.

As for us, Lingotot Wakefield is embracing the new lockdown with the same enthusiasm that came with the first one (hopefully less wrinkles though). We can still go into schools and teach, we can go back online for community classes and we can stay positive because we have a GREAT group of supporters, who didn't leave us the first time round and I'm pretty sure will help us through this time. And I thank each and every one of you. 

So, in a nutshell, I do get it. I get why you'd want to be your own boss and have some control when times are so uncertain. I champion people wanting to establish their own work/life balance and I know better than most that life is too short to sweat the small stuff. I understand that when there's a shift in the balance, the world is your oyster. I don't get how many of these small businesses are going to make it through a second lockdown with the cruel reality that there's very little support this time round. I hope they survive and have the same loyal customers we do. 

Here we go again guys - I hope you're enjoying the rollercoaster...we'll see you online!