The past two years have reminded us that economic growth should not be taken for granted, and that the 15 years of unbridled growth from the early 1990s was based on unsound banking practices.
Most of the western and developed world has been sideswiped by the winds of recession.
While austerity measures are necessary to ward off growing debt burdens and regulations needed to ensure good governance of financial institutions, the role of small businesses in building for the future cannot be overlooked. Statistics and data out of Britain reveal that the recession there, while biting, has had a less-than-expected impact on job creation and growth.
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, thriving under the pro-business attitude of Prime Minister David Cameron and his government partners.
More and more Britons are encouraged to try their luck at self-employment rather than relying on traditional job markets. The result has been significant. Now, nearly four million are self-employed, up 157,000 on a year ago. While blue-collar workers have been traditionally more inclined to go the self-employed route, now more white-collar workers are opting for greater control of their lives through self-employment and consultancy work.
There is a lesson here for us all.