Phoenix from the Ashes
Orange announced the findings of its Essence of the Entrepreneur research, surveying entrepreneurs and the general UK workforce on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. The research showed that business leaders believe the power of positive thinking as being the key to their continued success ahead of free business advice and greater access to loans. The UK’s current stock of entrepreneurs also seem to be in a rather philosophical mood with 69% suggesting the reason entrepreneurialism is so vital for the UK today is that it gives people the belief that they can achieve their dreams regardless of age, gender or wealth. A further third believe nurturing new business talent should be the biggest priority for the UK in 2010.
The survey also revealed that almost nine in ten entrepreneurs ranked self belief as being the defining quality for success closely followed by persistence and decisiveness. These three attributes ranked far higher than creativity and risk taking, two traits previously cited as central to successful entrepreneurship.
Nearly three quarters of those surveyed feel the economic climate of the past few years will see a new breed of entrepreneur rising up from the ashes with a quarter suggesting entrepreneurs would be the life blood of the economy moving forward. And that this time they’ll be more equipped to deal with any downturn.
Martin Lyne, Director of SME, Orange UK, said 'The report revealed a real sense of optimism within the entrepreneurial community with six in ten saying they felt stronger as a result of lessons learned in the last two years. Over half say the recent business climate has in no way made them regret going into business, simply more determined to succeed where others have failed. With such grit and determination, the UK will be a really strong breeding ground for budding entrepreneurs as we head into 2010'.
Two fifths also feel that future entrepreneurs will be able to avoid harsh start up costs by embracing more flexible working from the outset with a quarter saying that adopting the latest technologies was vital to making their businesses more effective moving forward.
When asked which area of business they thought was most ripe for exploitation, almost six in ten entrepreneurs cited the environmental sector. With the world’s focus on Copenhagen and the talk of growth in green business, it’s clear where current and budding business leaders see opportunities.
Last but not least, some 4.34m members of the current UK workforce stated they have an idea for starting a business, with one in four confident of achieving their business aims in the next 1-2 years with a further quarter building toward their success in 3-5 years. 31% say they’re even more confident than they were two years ago of starting a business.
BOILERPLATE:
About Orange Orange is the key brand of the France Telecom Group, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With 123 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates.
In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population, and 3G coverage to more than 93%. At the end of September 2009, Orange had more than 17 million customers in the UK – 16.11 million active mobile customers and approximately 900,000 fixed broadband customers.
At the end of 2008, France Telecom had consolidated sales of 53.5 billion euros (12.7 billion euros for the first quarter of 2009) and at 31st March 2009, the Group had a customer base of almost 184 million customers in 32 countries. These include 123 million mobile customers worldwide and 13 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers in Europe. Orange is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and, under the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies. Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited.
For more information please call the Orange Press Office 0870 3731500 or visit www.orange.co.uk/newsroom
The survey also revealed that almost nine in ten entrepreneurs ranked self belief as being the defining quality for success closely followed by persistence and decisiveness. These three attributes ranked far higher than creativity and risk taking, two traits previously cited as central to successful entrepreneurship.
Nearly three quarters of those surveyed feel the economic climate of the past few years will see a new breed of entrepreneur rising up from the ashes with a quarter suggesting entrepreneurs would be the life blood of the economy moving forward. And that this time they’ll be more equipped to deal with any downturn.
Martin Lyne, Director of SME, Orange UK, said 'The report revealed a real sense of optimism within the entrepreneurial community with six in ten saying they felt stronger as a result of lessons learned in the last two years. Over half say the recent business climate has in no way made them regret going into business, simply more determined to succeed where others have failed. With such grit and determination, the UK will be a really strong breeding ground for budding entrepreneurs as we head into 2010'.
Two fifths also feel that future entrepreneurs will be able to avoid harsh start up costs by embracing more flexible working from the outset with a quarter saying that adopting the latest technologies was vital to making their businesses more effective moving forward.
When asked which area of business they thought was most ripe for exploitation, almost six in ten entrepreneurs cited the environmental sector. With the world’s focus on Copenhagen and the talk of growth in green business, it’s clear where current and budding business leaders see opportunities.
Last but not least, some 4.34m members of the current UK workforce stated they have an idea for starting a business, with one in four confident of achieving their business aims in the next 1-2 years with a further quarter building toward their success in 3-5 years. 31% say they’re even more confident than they were two years ago of starting a business.
BOILERPLATE:
About Orange Orange is the key brand of the France Telecom Group, one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators. With 123 million customers, the Orange brand now covers Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the Group operates.
In the UK, Orange provides high quality GSM coverage to 99% of the UK population, and 3G coverage to more than 93%. At the end of September 2009, Orange had more than 17 million customers in the UK – 16.11 million active mobile customers and approximately 900,000 fixed broadband customers.
At the end of 2008, France Telecom had consolidated sales of 53.5 billion euros (12.7 billion euros for the first quarter of 2009) and at 31st March 2009, the Group had a customer base of almost 184 million customers in 32 countries. These include 123 million mobile customers worldwide and 13 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers in Europe. Orange is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and, under the brand Orange Business Services, is one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies. Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trade marks of Orange Personal Communications Services Limited.
For more information please call the Orange Press Office 0870 3731500 or visit www.orange.co.uk/newsroom
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