We'd better be good

One of the silver linings in Brexit is that the government will be preoccupied with the  exit negotiations and then all the ensuing domestic changes in legislation. With any luck this means business can get on with doing the business without interference. If you are, or were, in business and doubt this, remember the dread you felt when you heard someone say "I'm from corporate headquarters and I'm here to help".

But we'll have to work hard and we'll have to be good. Exporting is hard work. I read recently that the paperwork for exporting to Europe while we are in the EU is "ridiculously simple". I have a feeling that many companies haven't tried to hard to export elsewhere - why would you if it's so much easier to stay with what you know?

If we can build on the best of our capabilities to innovate world class products and services we can do really well. But in a world where it will become as hard to sell to Europe as the rest of the world we'll have to be smart, determined and streetwise. In a country where the headline "British businessman arrested..." in some God forsaken country tends not to attract an iota of sympathy, indeed "businessman" can be a pejorative term just short of "banker", people seem to forget all too easily that we need successful businesses to pay our way in the world and raise the revenues to pay for our hard pressed nurses/teachers/police/fire service or whatever. I am a long way from confident that we have a strong enough entrepreneurial culture to be successful.

I am reminded of the story about Alan Ball showing his new all white football boots, which became his trademark in the late 60s, to his father. Remember all boots were primarily dark colours then. His father said "You'd better be good if you're going to wear them". Ball was good - world class. Britain has chosen to stand out - to wear the white boots, if you  like. But can we be as dynamic, skilful and sassy as Alan Ball? Can Britain be world class? I hope so.