Business Link

With the Office for National Statistics estimating 0.1% growth in the economy between October and December 2009, news of the country slowly emerging from the grip of the recession is undoubtedly long awaited, and it seems that the Cambridgeshire’s businesses have the right nurturing and loving outlook to move forward in the coming year.

The businesses surveyed by Business Link in the East of England admitted to treating their entrepreneurial ventures with the same passionate dedication that any rewarding relationship relies on to prosper.

Asked to complete the sentence “I love my business because…” respondents focused largely on the satisfaction that interacting positively with others brought, and noted their passion for spending every day doing something they adore. As with any worthwhile emotional relationship, the benefits of working together were highly praised: “teaching clients,” being “people orientated,” and “putting smiles on faces” were listed among the reasons why people adored their enterprise.

Passion for day-to-day business was another favourite answer, with business owners relishing the chance to indulge their own enthusiasm for the work they do. In short, “I get to earn money doing something that I love” was the general consensus of those truly enamoured with their chosen career path. The freedom to love themselves was also asserted, with those owning their business loving being able to reap their own rewards and work to the beat of their own drum, or as one Cambs resident explained, “[my business] success is directly linked to the actions and decisions I take.”

One love-struck respondent described the entrepreneur-business dynamic perfectly: “It gives me an equal measure of pride, concern, challenge and stress. Every morning it is there waiting for us to check on it and every evening it needs a little bit of love and attention to make it ready for the next day.

”Pat Smith, Chief Executive of Business Link in the East of England, said: “It’s clear that business owners in Cambridgeshire dedicate passion, drive and commitment to running their enterprises. At Business Link we can help the heart of the county’s business community pump stronger. So whether a business is in sickness or in health, I urge business owners to call Business Link and let us help you plan for a relationship that will last.”

If you would like more information about the free, impartial and professional guidance that is available to you in Cambridgeshire, contact Business Link in the East of England on 08457 17 16 15 or log on to www.businesslink.gov.uk/east.

About Business Link in the East of England:

Business Link… the place to go for business support Business Link provides information, practical advice and support to help people to start, run or grow their businesses

Our clients fall in to two main categories:

• Those running or working in established small and medium sized businesses 
  
• Those who want to start their own business

Both client groups can access independent, impartial and, in most instances, free help and support from Business Link in the form of:

• Free one-to-one help from an experienced Business Adviser (established businesses) or Enterprise Awareness Manager (start-ups)
  
• Workshops and briefings on a range of business subjects such as business planning, sales and marketing, legislation, developing people
  
• Telephone and online support through our Regional Information and Intelligence centre

Business Link East works with businesses and entrepreneurs in the 6 counties in the East of England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk
Business Link is a government initiative to promote enterprise, funded in the East of England by the East of England Development Agency T 08457 17 16 15 E info@businesslinkeast.org.uk W businesslink.gov.uk/east