One of Britain’s best-known champions of entrepreneurship has launched an ambitious new mission to add £1 billion to the profits of the nation’s small businesses.
Nigel Botterill, founder of Entrepreneurs Circle, unveiled his Billion Pound Mission in front of 1,500 business owners at the National Entrepreneurs Convention at Birmingham’s ICC on Monday (7th Sept) evening.
The entrepreneur used the event to put a number on Entrepreneurs Circle’s long-standing mission to “make Britain better at business”, setting an initial target of helping UK small businesses generate an additional £1 billion in profit.
And he insists that hitting the ten-figure target will only be the beginning.
Botterill said: “Britain was built by people who make things happen. The people who open the doors in the morning, take the risks, employ the staff, serve the customers, pay the wages and keep going when it would be much easier not to.
“These are real businesses, on our high streets, industrial estates and business parks, in offices, workshops, warehouses and spare bedrooms across the country.
“They are the engine room of Britain and I believe Britain is stronger when they are stronger.
“That’s why we’ve set ourselves a very big, very clear mission. We are going to help add £1 billion in additional profit to Britain’s small businesses.”
While Botterill stopped short of revealing the full details of how Entrepreneurs Circle intends to reach its target, he told the audience that increasing the profitability of Britain’s small businesses has an impact far beyond the bank accounts of their owners.
“A more profitable business can employ another person, invest in new equipment or technology, move into bigger premises, spend more on marketing or buy more from its suppliers,” he said.
“That money moves. The businesses supplying them grow, they employ more people and invest more themselves. Families become more secure, opportunities are created and local economies become stronger.
“Help one business become more successful and the impact doesn’t stop at its front door. Do that thousands and thousands of times and you can make a meaningful difference to the country.
“So we’re putting a number on it. £1,000,000,000.”
The announcement was one of the major moments of the two-day National Entrepreneurs Convention, which brought 1,500 entrepreneurs and small business owners together at the ICC Birmingham.
The speaker line-up included advertising legend Rory Sutherland; serial entrepreneur Alex Depledge, who co-founded Hassle.com before its acquisition and went on to found architectural technology business Resi; HelpBnk founder and social media phenomenon Simon Squibb; and James Ashford, who sold his GoProposal software business to Sage for an eight-figure sum.
They were joined by customer experience expert Geoff Ramm and marketing mischief-maker Helena Langdon, alongside British cave diver John Volanthen, who played a crucial role in locating and rescuing the 12 young footballers and their coach trapped in Thailand’s flooded Tham Luang cave in 2018.
The Convention also hosted the 14th National Entrepreneur Awards, recognising entrepreneurs and businesses from across the UK in 10 categories.
Botterill said the Billion Pound Mission would now become a major focus for Entrepreneurs Circle, with more details about the initiative set to be revealed.
“If you run a business in Britain, we want your business to be part of that billion,” he added.
“More profit means a stronger business, more opportunities for your team and more money flowing through the businesses and communities around you.
“We’ve spent years helping entrepreneurs build better businesses. Now we’re putting a massive number against the difference we intend to make.
“A billion pounds is a big target.
“But £1 billion is only the beginning.”
