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STATISTICS ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS

Enjoy stats and numbers? well maybe not. This is a page about what statistics means to you and your business and when they are useful to you and when they are not.

Stats are changing all the time, new reports are coming out, some are so old that things have changed since the figures were produced so you can be fooled into thinking one thing when the reverse is currently true. What may appear to be an emerging market is infact already over saturated.

What you are looking for are CURRENT and REALISTIC TRENDS, this way you can spot holes or gaps in markets, new opportunities, new customers and clients for emerging businesses.

Learn to cross reference and prove in other ways the results of studies or statitistics you read about. Results may be misleading or lacking some essential fact which may benefit your business idea, or make it unworkable.

Business newspapers should be taken and read regularly for UP-TO-DATE figures which show CURRENT trends and predictions as to the best type of business to be in.

Do not start a business just because you think it is popular and needed, you need an interest and flair for the business as well, if you are to survive and do well with it.

Business needs to be fun, enjoyable, rewarding, and profitable, you cannot achieve that if you are bored with the very essence on which the business is based.

Here are some interesting facts to think about;

• more women are now entering business, and whilst men are still the majority business owners women are now a significant force, they also have a better record for success than men, being more cautious, patient and better prepared for business than many men who seem willing to take more risks and be over confident, and prone to skip some essential preparation work.

• more young people are starting and succeeding at business, meaning a 15 year old who starts a part time business at school has a whole lifetime to build on that business and potentially become a millionaire.

• People over 50 are also starting new businesses, using redundancy money, boredom or frustration at work as a springboard to try something new and start that long thought out business venture. Potentially they have more money and assets to successful fund a new enterprise with reduced risk.

• more people are running businesses from home enjoying the flexibility of working hours, independence and more income. Often the family can be involved in owning and running the business, although also many marriages fail to survive an ambitious spouse running a home based business, where their partner has no interest in the business regardless of how successful it is, seeing the venture as an intrusion on their private life.

A couple of simple examples;

• John wants to start a plumbing business, he checks around and sees 10 other plumbers, a quick survey shows many have poor business images. The town is growing fast due to new industry, so he invests in a new van, gets it sign written using his business name "Plumb it Wright" ( a play on his name John Wright) and does well.

• Angela has an idea to sell a range of children's toys she has designed and made herself from an internet web site, doing research on to other competitive sites and the trend for her proposed market area she is able to set up a small site to test the market whilst keeping her regular job. Two years later she employs 3 people in the business.

Useful web sites

• Small Business - BERR introduction to the small business service. ... The Government’s aim is to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

• Statistics from the Enterprise Directorate Analytical Unit - DTI small business statistics. ... de-registrations and stock of VAT-registered businesses in the UK is available from BERR Statistics website.

• National Statistics Online UK Business: Activity, Size and Location · Local Unit and Enterprise Small Area Statistics.

• BBA - British Bankers' Association - BBA Small Business Statistics There is a range of statistics relating to the number of small UK firms

• PASBDC.org Statistics Sites SBA Small Business Statistics: US gives data on small businesses in the U.S. Stat-USA has statistics from many federal departments.

• U.S. Census Bureau Economic Programs Small business. Economic data on people and households ... Economic Statistics by Geography, Sector, and Frequency. Click on year to go to latest data.

• EUROPA - European Commission - Enterprise and Industry This report presents main statistics on European SMEs in comparison with the US, ... A section on SMEs' behaviour in the business cycle is included as well.

• Enterprise - Craft and small businesses In fact, the typical European enterprise is a micro business employing 3 persons. Crafts and small businesses employ more than 53% of Europe's workforce.

• Work from Home with A Home-Based Business Online Practical business ideas, strategies and opportunities for the home-based entrepreneur.

• Home Based Business, At Home Business Opportunities - Entrepreneur.com Information and resources for starting and running a home-based business.

Find more by searching Google or Yahoo as " Small Business Statistics Europe " with your country name replacing Europe. Also trying adding a trade or profession selection in your search too.

Please feel free to Contact Us with questions or to give us information to add to our knowledge base.